River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-03-05

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Since the Photo
Drama of Creation was first shown to
the public at The Temple in New York
City on January II, which was the be-
ginning of a series of world wide pro-
auctions. it has been introduced in
several cities to crowded houses. in all
Of which it continues to enjoy a wide
patronage.
Profound Bible scholars say that
there is nothing of the kind in the
world today comparable to Pastor Rus
sells Photo Drama of Creation and it's
ninety-six remarkable photographic
talks, and that it's several parts are
superior to a seminary course in theO-
logical preparation.
In his sermon in the forenoon Pas
tor Russell discussed that feature of
the Photo-Drama which relates to
"Satan's Great Lie, and What Harm
it Did" His text and discourse fol
low:
when he speaketh a lie, he speak
eth of his own; for he is liar and
the father of it''-John 8:44.
Nonsensical traditions handed to us
from the Dark Ages have greatly con-
fused the people of God on every Bible
subject: for instance, Satan has been
pictured grotesquely, and described as
presiding in a far-off torture chamber
He has been represented as Superin
tending the tortures Of the nOn-elect of
ID I,oo
wholly ignored Instead of the Bibles
representing Satan as repulsive be-
ing with hoofs, horns, and forked TAIL
it tells us that he was an angel of a
very high Order-beautiful in person
and highly endowed. Instead of resid
ing afar off, he is the ''prince Of the
power of the air. Instead of stocking
fires, he "worketh in the hearts of the
children of disObedience" seeking to
blind them and to bind them with ig-
norance, superstition. falsehOOd.
Satan's First Great Lie.
According to the Bible Satan's pri-
mary sin was an ambitious pride. He
imagined he could direct the affairs of
the universe, in which, he might set up
a separate dominion, and try out his
schemes When Divine Power created
Adam and Eve, and babe them multi
ply and fill the earth, Satan saw his
opportunity to put his ambitious
schemes into operation. The holy an
gels would not think of rebelling
against Divine authority to cooperate
with him in his schemes; but here was
an inexperienced man, who might be
deceived into disobedience to God, and
thus be won over to Satan and his
schemes. Through him he saw his
way to an earthly empire, in which his
will would be done as Jehovahs will is
done in Heaven.
Thus it came that when God instruct
ed Adam and Eve in respect to the
fruits of the Garden of Eden and for
babe their eating of one certain kind of
fruitage. and put penalty upon disc
bedience, then Satan, through the ser
pent. lied to them. He told them that
their Creator wished to keep them in
measure of slavery, that the fruit for
hidden them was the very fruit nee
essary to their highest development,
that so far from doing them injury it
would be a boon. and make them as
wise as God Himself. Satan intimated
to them that God did not wish them to
be as wise as Himself, but desired to
hold them in the slavery of ignorance.
The thirst for knowledge and the
doubt of Gods Wisdom and Love came
before our first parents as a tempta-
ton; and they yielded. They disobey-
ed. This was sin. And it brought
upon them the penalty God had fore
told-"Dying, thou shalt die" The dy-
ing process began Immediately, but so
strong was the perfect man that even
in the imperfect surroundings of the
accursed earth outside of Eden he was
able to prolong his dying $50 years.
Satan obsessed. or took control of
the serpent. and so guided it that it
spoke the receptions TO our first par
ents 1t is not even necessary to suppose
that the serpent spoke with an audi
BILE voice. Quite likely, as our adage
goes, its actions spoke louder than
words. 1t partook especially of the
fruit forbidden to our first parents.
The fruit did not kill the serpent. On
the contrary, Mother Eve perceived
that it was wiser than any other of
the beasts of the earth. By it's ac-
tons It declared to her mind that God