The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-05-23
Pastor RuSselps Sermon

and yet there were some there. and in
f1uenced such as were not fully in har-
moIy with God King Saul, we re-
member. sought the witch of Endor.
The demons made certain things APP
pear on the retina of the witch's eye.
She described what she saw to King
Saul He recognized 1t as descrip-
ton Of the Prophet Samuel. The witch
also communicated to Saul what pur-
ported TO be the word Of Samuel. and
what was really tile word Of demons.
i Chronicles 1913.
Satan's lie is still potent in the world,
hindering millions from the knowledge
of God and the appreciation of His
Word. Frequently the spirits get such
control of the minds and bodies of
those who yield their wills. that they
not only suffer ol,sessi0n. but some
times become absolutely possessed by
these demons. Under such circum-
stances. they are generally considered
to be insane. although doctors know
that many of these have no mental dis
ease. but are controlled by outside in
fiuence.
The Pastor urged all to accept the
testimony Of Gods W0rd-that death
is the penalty for sin; that the death
of Jesus Is he Redemption-price from
the curse of death. and that the reSur-
rection Of the dead. the raising up
| again to perfection of life. is the saliva
ton of the Bible. Not only would this
help us to come nearer 10 God. through
better understanding Of the Bible.
but it would help to free us from the
| various snares Of the Adversary.
Furthermore, he found In the Bible
intimations that in the very near fu-
ture these evil spirits would be per-
mitted to break over their restraints.
and that all not properly fortified by
the truth on the subject would be liza
BILE to be specially ensnared by Satan's
lie. He would not propbesy what
this trouble would be. nor just how it
would come. but he did forewarn his
| hearers He urged all to come out
| from the influence of Satan and his
SANDERS of the Almighty and his mis-
representations of facts, and to enlist
under the banner Of Jesus as servants
of truth and righteousness.
Satan the Father of Lies.
Jesus declared Satan to be the Father
of lies. This corroborates the thought
that never until Satan started the
course of sin was there any need for
lies. All of Gods dealing with the
angels and their dealings with each
other have been along the lines of sim
plicity. truth. purity. holiness. The
first use for lie was, when Satan de
i termined to exalt himself as the god
parents from the Almighty that Satan
lied to theui assuring them that dis
obedience to God would not bring the
! death penalty that God had declared
Ever since then, sin. Astounding. has
given temptation to Misrepresentation,
bearing false witness, etc.
Selfishness was the foundation for
the first lie. And selfishness continues
to invite falsehood. even amongst those
who see clearly how despicable false
hood is. And each falsehood seems to
call for another TO help justify it, and
to cover up the selfishness which
prompted it. No wonder the Apostle
urges those who become Christians to
put away lying. saying, lie not one
to another As Satan stands rs the
Father Of lies. so God. on the contrary
stands as the Father of Truth
Our Lord not only said that Satan Ii
the Father of lies. but intimated that
the ,.ylng spirit is Of Satan, saying tC
some of those who opposed the Truth
Ye are Of your father. the Devil. II
his works We do. HE was a murderer
from the beginning and abode not IL
the Truth John SAD On the con
trary, God. the Father Of Lights ant
the Father of the Truth. is the person
ification of Light. Truth. even as SataI
personifies darkness. error, falsehood.
The Children Of the Light.
The conflict between light and dark
ness, truth and error, has progressed
for more than six thousand years
Gods Word is always the Truth. Jesus
prayed, "Sanctify them through Th!
Truth, Thy Word is Truth" Satani
falsehoods are always injurious: hence
the promise is that when Jesus. thu
Prince of Light. shall take His grea
power and reign. He will bind Satan
the. Prince Of Darkness, that he ma.
| deceive the nations no more.
Here we have another corroboratiol
! of the fact that the great deceivin
power amongst mankind for six thou
sand years has been spiritual one
Satanic power No wonder that unde
, this domination of Satan we have ha
what st. Paul calls reign OF sin an
death. No wonder the Bible declare
that from the Divine standpoint tn
r world has been In darkness! DARK
ness covers the earth; gross darkness
, the heathen." Jesus came. and brough
light into the world. But men love
, darkness rather than light becaus
their deeds are evil. because sin ha
gained such hold upon them. becaus
it is easier for them to remain unde
the binding influence of Satan than {
, come under the blessed light of tn
: Gospel Of Christ in the present t1m'
. 1t costs something now to he follow
er of the Prince Of Light. an oppose
, of the Prince of Darkness. whos
realm Is worldwide
!, How glad we are that the mornin
= of the new Day is so near! AS Jesr