Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-10
The Times-Dispatch Sunday
Sermon
THE INFLUENCE OF SATAN.

| By j. A. Eubnnk.
Now. thoro was day when the sons OF
| God came to present themselve. before the
| Lord. and Satan came also among them And
| tho Lord said unto Satan, whence contest
| thou? Then Satan answered tho Lord. and
said. From going to and fro in the earth and
| froV walking up and down In It, And the
! Lord said unto Satan. Hast thou considers ell
| My servant. Job that there Is mono like him
| In the earth perfect and upright man.
| ono that fcarcth God and eschcweth evil?
Thon Satan answered the Lord and said Doth
job fear God for nouRht? Hast Thou
made an hedge about him. and about his house.
and about all that he hath on every Side +?
Thou has blessed the work OF his hands, and
| his substance is increased in the land."-Job
! /. CLIO.
Some people nowadays say that there is
no devil. Int IN that age when Jobs idclity
to the Lord was put on trial. rccorded in
tho book az that name, the reality OF such a
being seems nor TO have been doubted. In
deed. he seems To have been person Of
sufficient Importance to walk boldly among
men without any attempt to disguise. lie
oven went to church and sat among tho wor-
shippers of the true God. and when qucs-
TONED made no bones OF affirming his
tivity In going to and fro in the earth"
Even rs late as tho seventeenth century He
foes familiar lines:
Wherever God crects house OF prayer.
Tho devil always builds chapel there:
And twill lie found. upon examination,
Tho latter has the largest congregation.
Re. that as II may, II he has survived and
is In existence in the earth in this ago he
is moro circumsncct than In former times
and carries his work under various dis
OF holJ
close by houses OF worship we fear he prefers
sncakinG Into pastors studies and into Off
cial stations In the church
Certain It is that his influence IS strongly
In evidence In high places in tho church: 9TH
erwisc tho moral rottenncss which II harbors
In Its bosom would not he there. nor would IL
exist In state and nation to the extent that /,
does, for tho church is tho dominant power
In both. and II cannot cvade responsibility
for existing conditions under the promise
which IT appropriatcs: lilo that overcomc,h
and keepcth My works unto tho end. to him
VIII give power over the nations
But the particular fcatuso of todays los
son to which desire to call attention is
S"tan's testimony to Gods wonderful provi-
dence In the no and labors of His faithful
servant. job: Hast not Thou made an hedge
about him. and about his house. and about
all that he hath on every side? Thou hast
blessed tho work OF his hands. ord his sub
stanc" Is Increased In the land
remarkable testimony from the enemy OF
all mankind 10 Gods protecting and support
Ing immanenco in the lives OF all faithful
men II tho homo OF reward the sole
Incentive Ia walk faithfully In His counsel.
satan In this admission atiirms It's fullacss
10 meet the most eIactlnR requirements o!
human natr.L
But Satan thought that Jobs upriEhtness
was contingent on his prosperity and cxemp-
tlon from personal Affections. such as IS com
mon TO man. for In challenge 10 the Lord hc
says: Put forth Thy hand now and touch
all that he hath. and no Will curse Thee TO
Thy face"
l'u, tho sequel shows that Satan under
estimated tho strength Of the man who has
hrmly fixed his faith in the Everlasting God
ana trusts His promises. Job possessed tho
wisdom that Is obtained from on high and
under affections such few men have SUI
!crcd he resisted the casuistry of the three
friends who had come mourn with and
comfort him In Affirming that his suncrinrs
were tho result OF his own SHINING. remained
faithful To God. and thus defeated the wickc1
boast OF Satan.
Then comes tho refreshing presence OF tho
Almighty. In which He reveals His mower md
wisdom In an address the mos, remarkable
recorded In all history Needless to say TINT
IN that Mighty Presence Job humbled himself
ana was thenceforth stirred up TO show His
righteousness. power and wisdom to tho peo-
pie.
Until those who profess to serve tho Lord
come TO accept literally St. Paul's statement.
in Him we live and movo and have our
being NO may not hope that Satan Will
cease to be power In influencing the actions
and affairs OF mon In earth