The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-08
SATAN ATTENDS
CHURCH SERVICES
LOVES 10 SEE NAPPERs AND mat
TENTIvE PERSONS AT HOLY
WORSHIP.
B E W A K F KNOCKERS
DEVIL Is BEHIND THE MAN WHO
PUSHES ANOTHER MAN
Down AND FAILS To
B E w A RE KNOCKERS

LtBOH
The church, and he creeps into the
household and into the office and the
shop. and as on the job at every pub
lie meeting, and ne gets into t.ae
mind Of many individuals. thus Gre
ating discord. selfshness. discomfort.
woe.
1t is the duty Of every one 10 take
Christ into his heart, and To combat
the devil with the munitions OF war
provided by God
The man who goes to sleep in
church. ts,e man who fails 20 follow
the preacher through his discourse
md has other than spiritual thoughts
upon his mind while in church.. IL IN
the HANDS of the evil one. and needs
to awaken to the peril which is sur
rounding him.
These sentences summarize a strong
discourse by Rev. j. X. Joilif. al
Iaurel-Street Methodist Church last
night, on tsle topic; The Devil at
Church. with the sixth verse of the
first chapter Of Job as the text: Now
II came to pass on the day when the
sons of God came TO present them
selves before the Lord shat satan also
came among them
During the course OF his remarks
Or Jolliff said:
ACtiVe personality.
The tex; presents 20 MS one OF the
most interesting and active PERSONAL
tiles that man has the misfortune TO
contend against SO far as slis spiritual
life il concerned Satan In now, and
has always been, the active foe OF
the better and nobier impulses OF ll1-
man nature. and of the inspli alton
and ENCOURAGEMENT OF these ,enden.
clas that result in the degradation
and debasemtnt Of huma nifty.
He has been concerned la every
scheme OF ruin. in every agency of
destruction and death. in every down
ward movement OF the race and in
every tragedy since the fali--.a'l wick
edness, all sin. is tracesble to -,ls pres.
ence among and his influence with
mankind.
He Is distinctly on his Job. There
Is no place too sacred nor personality
too holy to deter him from the prac-
tice OF his nefarious schemes He is
in the game to ruin and destroy, and
ps-uses at no means which will secure
that hurtful end.
Whoever fights agains, him wilt
need to recognize that he has a foe
worthy OF his steel, and Will need 10
be armed With the whole armor Of
God.
Inere are places wnere we might
reasonably suppose one would In a
measure be free from his presence
Places that ere holy and sacred
temples where the sons OF God come.
together for worship, praise and
Thanksgiving.
And yet in this passage of scrip
ture we are given assurance that
when the sons OF God come together
to present Themselves before the Lord
that satan come also with them. That
ne comes for no good purpose Is TO
be assumed.
when the devil assumes pletv and
joins in Divine worship the church
needs to maintain everlasting vigil
ance. Tie worships only In form.
Deep in his soul no hateE the service
that he joins and seeks the ruin OF
Nlat to which he given praise.
No Use For Real Church.
Tho devil has no use for the real
church Of God. But be that as it may
we have no more faithful attendant
in the services on the Lords day than
satan and mis- minions. Satan is not
a welcome visitor. II Is true, but he
would not. nay. he could not. come.
unless his presence there received