Oxford eagle., 1913-11-27

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q whose name 10 In
the text Wheth
er Il is pleasant thought or not. the
devil is the god OF thi. age. and Is
given sreat power. and. apparently.
anticipating his doom. he 10 intensely
active Being wicked. be would make
Tiekedness universal. and be uses all
possible methods o. eorrupsing men.
created IN the image and likeness OF
the God he hates. aud unfortunately
succeeds with a vast number of them
The Mesnod ef oee.psis1-
The devil nov uses the method Of
deception rather than force. which in
some ages % the world vas used very
generally. This deception may be OF
several kinds The devil may assume
an attitude OF special sanetity. or good
ness; he say direct the thought Of
man TO ths acceptance Of error: or be
may teiude man 10 the reception OF
somsthinE that Is branded as truly
religious. Taking up the first form
of deception the devil appears some
times as an angel Of light he ap-
peared Ia a giitfering and fascinating
form 10 Eve in the Garden OF Eden.
and worked the ruin Of the race NOR
ally. Many believe that the Anti
christ. Who viii presume 10 take Gcds
place. and thus claim supreme sane
uty. will be the devil himself. As We
observe the present havoc In religious
thinking. and study its evolution. ne
ind that many Of those Who were
champions u doctrinal error have
posed as most serious seekers after
truth. and have the reputation. Oft
times well established Of being men
or sweet temper. most encouraging
manners and captivating courtesy
This is not strange. for men OF an /
opposite type. as champions. would 4
at once defeat the DEVILS purposes
The method Of delgsion BY leading
men away from the truth has one Of !
It's strongest features in the PERSIA
sion that men should do their own 4
thinking on religious subjects. The 4
speeious plea is made that the Chris
tan religion 10 one OF nationality and
that therefore men must think out its /
great problems for themselves. They |
are urged to let nothing guide them /
IN thinking. not the Bible. nor Chris |
tian teachers. but that they shoula
start almost anywhere ana vovt ,h~
problems out. The result 10 snevtsa
DIE. for mans thoughts are not God1s
tnousnts and Gods thoughts only ar
CORRECT IN this sphere. man 10 ever
n,he ou. never able to come TO a
AnoN Nieose OF tne truth Indeed. he
oruinariy gets further and further /
NUN Il fortunate Is the man who /
sees 'ha' ne must have some safe 1
s'artins point Tor religious thought. 1
anu mat ne must hoid himseif loyalty
~ .nV ,'"es ol ies oe'eiopment
we nave tne oeiusion OF universal
ssi'a''on pased on a false conception
oi t"e ehsrae'er OF "od. emphasis be-
ing placed on the love OF God. which /
u uhscripeuraiiy oenned. the justice /
ana nohhess oil God being practically |
eliminated from thought All those
yieidins 10 tnis oeiusion are not In /
,he denomination known as Universal
iss' Nnose courage IN processing what |
~ IN "seh worthy OF
oIiihenuauon-
mere 10 the deiusion OF religious .
iormahsh- Men and women are per |
snaoed 10 attach themselves to re-
heloas socieues without any demand
peine maoe on them TO put into their !
H'es tue principles OF Christian relig
ION. nor Tor the necessity OF new
oir'n ana genuine repentance and
simple faitn In our Lord Jesus Christ.
VINO Is the only Mediator between God
anu man Those yielding TO this de
t9sion nave form % sodiiness bat
deny the power thereof
There Is the delusion OF false op-
timism. which. while not strictly re
lisious- eventuates as religious dela-
sions do. The principle that God is on
his throne and all Is right with the
world, mas almost universal approval.
being ecnoed from thousands Of pull
pits There Is utter blindness TO the
eFis OF society, or those facts that
are usually designated as evils are
excused or explained away with more
or less success
We ere In period of delusions
along Biblical lines as in no previous
age man or woman gets some root
OF religious thought. and pursuing IT
aer 70 us WIDER acceptance II must
nave BIBLICAL Indorsement. n1es TO the