The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-01-20
PERSONAL DEVIL
Does He Exist, or 10 He an I'm
aginary Parsonage?
Discussion Of q Question as In
toresting Now as Ever.

Voice." the subject of personal devil
is discussed as follows:
On general principles the less we
have to do with the Devil, the better;
but it does not follow that the less we
know about he Devil, the better it is.
The less we have to do with the
smallpox or the scarlet fever the bet
ter, but not the less we know about
it the better; knowing about great
evils helps us to avoid them. They
say that the ostrich, when it is pur-
sued by a hunter, hides its head so as
not to see its danger, and then seems
to feel perfectly secure that the hunt
er cannot hurt it. The Devil is said
in Holy Writ to hunt souls: Your
adversary, the Devil as roaring lion,
goeth about seeking whom he may de-
YOUR Whom resist you, strong in
faith" Il Pet, W, 81 But some fool
ish people, insteal of resisting, play
the ostrich and refuse to see their
danger; they say there is no Devil,
or the Devil is not person, only a
blind natural power for evil, like a
sickness. Well, let us see. First, what
is meant by "a persona" For our pres.
ent purpose we may briefly define -
person" as IAN intelligent agent for
we distinguish with all substances into
two classes, intelligent and not intell-
gent persons and things"
Now comes the direct question. Is
who is called the Devil or Satan? Are
we certain Of it? How do we know
it? Who has seen it? We may object
to this last question, Who has see.l
it?" for we know the existence Of
many things that we have never seen.
or touched, or smelled, or heard Or
tasted. Has the questioner ever seen
his own brain or his own heart? Does
he think therefore that he is brainless
or heartless? The right question is
"How do l know there is personal
Devil?" or, which is the same, WHO
or what vouches for his existence?"
God vouches for it over and over again
in Holy Scripture: In particular ] will
refer to the following passages: The
Apocalypse, or Book of Revelations.
narrates how Satan was cast out of
Heaven, (xii, 7-2). There was a great
battle in Heaven, Michael and his An
gels fought with the dragon, and the
dragon fought and his Angels; and
they prevailed not, neither was their
place found-any more in Heaven.
And that great dragon was cast out.
that old serpent, who is called the
Devil and Satan, who seduceth the
whole world; and he was cast unto the
earth, and his angels were thrown
down with him. The accuser of our
brethren is cast forth. who accused
them before o~J day and night" If
he is an a.vdser he Is an intelligent
agent, person; the very name Devil
UAans a false accuser, slanderer.
The Lord Jesus Himself testifies to
disciples when they returned to Him
and rejoiced that the Devils were sub
ject to them in His Name: II saw
Satan. like lightning. falling from
Heaven" duke X. 49,
The next attempt narrated of Sa-
tan was his temptation of our first
parents in Paradise. There again he
assumed the form. or entered into
the body Of serpent, or dragon;
there, too, he uttered ISLANDERS, this
time against God Himself. He accused
God Of having deceived Adam and
Eve by saying they would die if they
ate of the forbidden fruit whereas
God knew they would not die, but
he as God, knowing good and evil.'
(Gen. ill.,, 4-5.)
Only intelligent beings or persons
can Islander, or lie; now to lie is the
characteristic vice of the Devil, as his
very name indicates, and as Christ
distinctly affirms saying: He (the
DeviD, abode not in the truth, because
truth is not in him. When he speak,
eth a lie he speaketh Of his own; for
he is a liar, and the father thereof
(John will. 44.)
Throughout the whole history OF
mankind Satan has displayed this
characteristic vice of lying against
God, and thus leading men away
from God into false religions and into
all manners of sin. Therefore John
writes in his first epistle: HE that
committeth sin is Of the Devil; for the
Devil sinneth from the beginning. Fo,
this purpose the Son Of God appeared
that He might destroy the works o.
the Devil
We often wonder in the light o.
Christian civilization how pagans ca,
be SO blind and senseless as to adore
blocks and stones and statutes made
by hand, and honor them as II the,
were gods. 1t is because Satan an6
his followers deceived men by lyine
wonders, by witchcraft, oracles and
soothsayers. The honor given to idol.
was intended by their worshippers fol