The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-09
RUSSELL
TALKS OF SATAN


Hereafter" In his evening address
he discussed Satan, and suggested val
liable lessons from his errors. Incl
dentilly he showed that many Of us
have been wrong In thinking of him as
ire stoker in a far OF torture
chamber; others. equally in error and
out of accord with the Scriptures in
denying Satan's personality and claim
ing that the name represents merely
the principle of evil From the Scrip
lures Pastor Russell pointed out that
he who is known as Satan. or Ad-
NerSary OF God, was not another God
evil of disposition and thus contrary
to our Creator, nor was he in any
sense created evil. He was an angel
of light, or rather, The Angel of Light
lie was a Prince or Superior amongst
the angels-a covering cherub," as
described in the Scriptures. He was
glorious, beautiful. intelligent one of
the highest Of Gods creatures on the
spirit plane. Angels in general In the
Scriptures are referred to as sons OF
God and as stars, bright. luminous.
glorious The original name of Satan
before his transgreSsion was I.ucifer
which signifies a bright and morning
star.
One might suppose that an angel of
Lucifer's dignity and glory would have
been thoroughly content with the won
derful position of Divine favor which
he enjoyed. But 1t Is not always those
INV arc WITHOUT name and fame and
blessings who are ambitious for high
er things. AS the millionaire desires
more millions. so Lucifer. rich in Di-
vine favor and blessing, honor and
greatness. longed for still more. He
was ambitious. 1t seemed to him that
the Divine Program worked SLOWLY
he longed for an opportunity to nut
into exercise his own brilliaDt
schemes. These schemes naturaIIv
were secreted in his own heart. He
revealed 10
IN mis- heart. he would ascend above
the stars; he would be as the Most
Hlgh (Isaiah xiv g. 40. Not thai
ne thought Of usurPing Jehovah's En-
ip,...SS, nut merely that he coveted a
niue corner of the Universe where
ne could be supreme above the other
angels, exercising his own genius. This
unhoiy thought, disloyal to his Cree
to'' ne harhored. instead of repellinp
as moral IoisOn-instead of say-inrS
10 my God l will be true A.
ne ana every blessing owe him
He IS All-Wise. whether I unfjersto-,j
all of his doings or not. -"
>, -ucIicr Icstcd-PrOved DisIoyaI.
none OF the holy angels were die
Ioyat TO God and foolish enough to
prefer Satan. Satan's r1rst opport,,
NY TOT putting his ambition into
PI"CIiCe came when mother Eve was
created and he heard the divine mos
sag that, through the human pair
Nhe earth would be peopIed with a
race of their kind. Ambition wbisl
pered, Secure the pair as the FONDA
s Si1n Tor your empire and soon they will
M the Garth. and your lonr-cherisJ,-,i
u !. 81 Ss-.w-t Lave fufhnment.
ne story OF the deception Of mother
Eve py ialsehood, and father Adams
ulsobedience and practical suicide he
CauSe OF his love for his wife. is the
achleNed his ends and became as
I Scrlpturaliy declared, The Prince of
th's world" (JOhn Il: 800. But alas
ms kingdom is one Of darkness Sin
eis',s, ana death, the penalty Of sin.
mas Drought To mankind pain and sor-
| row mental and physical. with moral
| 1epIaVlty. Today Satan's empire of
I,IUV'VOO,VOO is wretched one whose
| only nope is in God and the divine
proNlsion-that i'm due time the Pc
| deemer. as the worlds Messiah sim
take the scepter Of earth ald hitd
Satan for a thousand yeals. release
mankiud from the bondage Of sin and
death, and give TO Adam and ali bss
r9ce iull opportunity for return 10
I uIN me favor. as at first enjoyed and
| o. knowledge, both Of good and evil
! OF which mother Eve too precipi-
lately partook.
Ontruthful and Murderer.
| ne speaker quoted Jesus, the great
teacher. as saying that satan was a
/ muir erer from the beginning and
/ abode not in the Truth (John 8. 44l
! rms. he said. corroborated the MANY
J other statements Of ScriDture reSnoct1
I ing the personality Of Satan. An evil
! principle could not truthfulIv be term
/ ed murderer and a falsifier Sncb
| terms could apply only TO an inteUi-
gent being. such as the Bible describes
/ I-uclfer. now called Satan
st. Paul likewise refers TO Satan as
/ a person. saying. We are not igno-
/ rant Of his devices q Corintbiane >
! III; and again. we war MOI vvftb
! mesh and blood (mcrciy5. but with
! wicked spirits in high power" (Fnba-
SLAMS q; l2). The speaker held maj
satan has certain evil angels of an
INFERIOR grade subordinate TO him and
- sI'cro he is the prince or ruler
inc Prince g demons" These. he
SAID, he might refer 20 more partic-
! uIarly next Sunday Through these
! eNll spirits for six thousand wears a
maleNolent influence has been eyer
cised upon mankind.
Not only have they preyed upon hu-
man weaknesses and passions h1t &c
| adNersaries Of God, they have used
every device at their command TO mis-
/ represent the divine character and
/ plah. putting darkness for light and
! tght Tor darkness. 1t was these false
/ teachings. propagated by Satan ana
! ms demon suhOrdinates. that the Amos
! tie referred to as doctrines of devils,
! q Timothy 4: y.
| INC t4OSOS In Contrast With Tucifer
/ ~ speaker DcueNeO that st. Paul
! mad IN mind the rebellious and degen-
crate course of Lucifer and intended
TO institute contrast between the
/ course Of those in the passage which
declares that Christ. the Logos med
ltated not a usurpation. not to be like
| God, but, on the contrary. was willing
TO humble himself and take a bond
man s form and then to become obe-
dient unto death. even the death of
the cross. The Apostle declares. Him
! hath Goo highly exalted and given a
name which Is above every name
10 which angels bow. The contrast is
| that Lucifer allowed pride to rankle
! IN his heart and to lead him TO re
! bellion. while the Iaogos. fully Ioval
TO Jehovah, submitted himself obedi-
! emily to every test of loyalty applied
! The one who sought TO exalt himself
Wi ne abased to the Second Death.
me one who humbled himself in obe-
dience to death. the death of the cross
Will experience the great reward
glory. honor and immortality. much
more than Satan ever dreamed Of
Thine was the chastisement. with no
! release,
| That mine might be the peace:
! Wounded for my transgressiops.
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