The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-06
IS THERE A DEvIL7


| was asked short time ago. do
you believe In the devil?" My inter-
rOgator looked at me sidewise and
Iaughed-just quiet. tolerant laugh.
such as yon would give when you ask
ed a child II lie thought the earth was
fiat. answered. Yes. never felt sur
er." why. thought the devil was dead
that that was an exploded theory. l
don't believe" said he. 'in person with
hoofs and horns. pitchfork and tail.
think 1t is just au abstract principle
of evil at work not u person. but
personiticatiUn. Just as there Is San
ia Claus. but there isn't. Don't you
see. preacher?" Frank Is u clever
young lawyer. lkable and convincing,
and he laughed again with the now
you surely see It expression he uses
to a jury Well. he may be right or
he may he wrong. | confess Fm not
in a position to give any authoritative
statement as Il matter Of personal ex-
perience 1 was always taught to be-
lieve there was and have tried to keep
as clear of his direction ns possible.
The Bible mentions him az Satan"
or the devil" again and again. la
times altogether in both Old and New
Testament Christ speaks of him as
real being. He either wns deceived
or deceiving Id hate to think either
In no other case did ClniSt seem to
lack Intelligence ur lie ignorant OF men
tai. moral Ur spiritual things.
The DEVILS Photo.
Ii there Is no devil we are sure OF
thiS-that there is some person OF some
hing that acts among and upon and
influences men much as the orthodox
devil was supposed To in the good days
when ilpli apparently found ii easiel
to believe. Ii there isn't II devil we
| must admit that the devils work some
how gets done, and thoroughly done.
believe that my lawyer friend Is right
us to the description Our conception
Is wrong about that If were to ask
you. my readers. to draw Al picture ol
| the devil on the margin of this news
paper suppose practically all would
| depict him in medieval fashion witt
horns and tail think we have ma
liciously naligned the devil. rhe Ri
BILE says something about his appear
| ing us IAN angel OF light" Look out
for his makeup. He hasn't angulal
eyebrows or pointed mustache. mol
does he wear a red suit
A Gent.emanIy Devil.
| The devii us Il devil never tempted
Il soul. You couldn't tempt II man tC
| drink by showing him a wretche(
home. rags. bloated face. diseased body
but by gilled surroundings and exhil
aration OF II pleasant stinlGlant. He
comes in the guiSe of friendly strang
| er. He was never 80 affabip. so refined
50 cultured so fauitlpsS in manner. Ii
daylight he is seldom out of good com
| pany. Drive him out of the church al
one door. he puts on Il different GOA
| and comes in ut another He will laugl
ut your jokes. weep at your sorrow:
and lie like the devil He tells youns
fellow that he can drink or let il
alone" He tells n girl that firts will
stranger that she's quick and Cal
ontwit any one. He's good deal mort
| watchful at II dance than the chaperon
He tells II bus ness ma adopting tricky
methods tIft he needn't fear; he's still
safe. >t.il legal honest" He comes ST
| III
tinguish him from our mental opera
tons. He is up to date The twenti
eth century devil may I've a mean. de
moraliZillg. drbiltating habit OF doubt
ing: Il Sneering, srotting mood: IL cyni
cal spirit which dcrideS the virtue il
cannon attain aEd the goodness 1t can
| Hot understand He comes when on
desire is strongest and our resiStanc,
weakest. He came to Eve when Sn,
was curious to Esau when he was nun
cry. to David when his desire wa.
strongest. to Peter when he was fright
ened in strange surroundings. to ou
Lord when he was weakened by fort,
days fast
The Master Craftsman.
The devil is alert He passes hun
dred gates and finds one Unattached
He claims all seasons as his own. liz
doesn't lay Off in winter. like the brick
layer. nor take a vacation in summer
like the preacher. He hasn't found the
JOY OF the eight hour day like the
union man, nor the kill time skill o
the government employee. but HI
works all the time without extra pay
for overtime. He is busy Saturday
nights. although he doesn't miss any
other nights. He Is principal of thu
street night school. where so many
boys and girls get their education. NJ
devil? just fight him for week ant
see. He is grent general II he can
use artillery he'll try cavalry: If no
cavalry. infantry He'll attack yon
lower nature with submarine. you
|, higher with aerOplane. He is a strate
| gist. Knows every trick in warfare
Will sometimes sham defeat 1t dis
organizes regiment to see the enemy
fee. Victory brings reaction. Yot
think you have mastered Satan Ht
leads you into IN ambush In Ont
careless hour you lose. because yor
won the first hour. His great word |:
tomorrow. The master stroke of tht
devil. be he real or imaginary-Christ
said he was real-is' his ability to con
| vince that wrong is right self decen