The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-31
= o. O Q O @ = @%@% @ 9 @%
O n
. THE UND0ING OF THE DFYII. .
q BY Mrs. Ethel Thomas. II
O<0<O %@~o<0< %o<V<0>e @ q q =

IN the little Baptist church in q Ger
tain cotton mill village in South Ca.:
olina. Just a few yards away was
handsome school building with Il
large hall upstairs, which was used
for various purposes. On this par
ticular night the Devil mad it rented
and had made great preparations for
q fashionable lance.
For n long time he had been plot
ting and plannin" how Ire might best
manage the little band Of worShipc.s
who s" faithfully attended the little
church every Wednesday night. lie
had been tryin" with all his might: 10
husband th1m, hut while there were
some whom hr could approach with
lmpunity, there were Il fcw-~wu or
three good sisters. two or three
brethren and especially one old gray
haired deacon. whom the Devil was
actually afraid to tackle.
This old It n 'on waS one Of th,
Devil $ most powerful enemies. For
years and years he had been night
Waterman for The mill and seldom
missed a church service. Many of
The church members could be tempt
ed I" stay at home, and were often
absent from services, offering thn
flimSicst kind Of excuses. But this
old mal who had mora rcasonabl,
excuses. offered nonc. and nearly al
ways and ut his own expense hired
some one |" take his place an hour
or two. whenever Tire Baptist church |
bell rang for services.
Tonight the Devil hal prepared |
for a great display Of his power. lie
haa rN""trd aIl his energies to make
tn danrr Il GREAT success. his ono !
chief ambition being to 50 disturb |
the church services thai amy thin"
like Worship w"ud simply be impos-
>ihlc
II" had been all over the VILLAGE
With invitations TO the Ounce: some |
were Il litilr backward ai first about |
accepting, but havin~ left his honfs.
the "uiSc Of handSomr yo,,n" man.
tllh Devil soon persuaded them that
little recreation was absolutely nee
cSSary to their we'll being: THAT if |
they persisted il draggin" out such
a duh slow, dead cxistencr---all work
and no play---that they would soon
hr physical wrecks and fill premature
graves. "r" live long, one must en-
joy iivin@,' he argued.
=, In this way members Of the diff
frrcnt churches were caught like flies
il Il SPIDERS wHb. and persuaded to
sanction The Lanrr by their presence.
while fine Devil laughed triumphant
ly. All! Wouldn't he show these
rantin% Christians who had most pow
rr "n earth. li%ht or darkness!
Wnulln'l he cl"thr ihr churches in
sack cloth and ashes and make that
sanity l'ar~nm arr"~> the street hauy
his head in shame! tia! ha, Would
nj it h nice if Il prayer Shnuld hap
pen to he offered by that Siubbnr
cid Irnr"u. t. drown his Voice in ihr
nois,' of l'i,lhlir~ and dancing and lhr
calls for r"lil|iou!
lu! . Iu his area, ambition t"
make the hAmrr II rr"Wuil~ success
and to make himself recognized rs
the CREATES, power un rarth. the Devil
mad" the very common mistake Of
over reaching himself. lie hal dis
trihui,@ lots Of medicine thai was
labeled go be JOYFUL Il wll-k1owM.
tried and tI'ur remedy. recommended
for faint hranlS and pricking ronSri-
cnccs; in his haste ne failed to give
proper directions for use. with the
result that the fddlcrS took an over
dose and instead Of playing the part
assigned them. were quietly sleeping
at home; white tnc Devil in his rage
and disappointment used some very
imdiScrcct lan~nagc Many left the
hall Thoroughly disgustrA and went
back home. or 10 church. thankful
Tor y narrow escape: while some
stayed IN. not caring to do either.
Recognizing his defeat, the Devil
decided t" attend prayer meeting
himself II might BE- tnat he could
find something /" do there. and he
was anxiouS 10 know what would b.
said about him. any way. SO he
started to thr church s",i,ouuizinU:
''lf il had all turAcd oul aS | had
al al I'll l>,,l