MR. J. TYERMAN'S LECTURE ON THE DEVIL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 922, 15 October 1879, Page 2

MR. J. TYERMAN'S LECTURE ON THE DEVIL.

Mb. Tyerman does not not believe m a material Devil, and his reasons are certainly forcible and ourious although too long for,the columns of the Herald. But the lecturer concludes with the following tond of exhortation. " To our Christian friends who are unwilling to give up the Devil, I would offer a friendly suggestion— namely, to get up a speoial prayer-meeting for his conversion. You profess to believe m the efficiency of prayer ; here is a fine chance to test its boasted power. *As you often have speoial services, to promote a revival of religion m our|midst Ito pray for the conversion of the heathen, and for various other purposes, you will not consider it a heavy or unreasonable tax on your time and I praying power to add one more to your list of special efforts. I urge you to make the experiment tor the following among other reasons :— -First, if your prayers were answered, your arduous work of '* saving souls," and " evangelising the world," would be greatly facilitated ; for you admit that he is the chief barrier to the spread of the Gospel, and the general reception of your religion. Secondly, your own individual security and happiness would thereby be vasttly promoted ; seeing that, according to your mournful confessions, he is the principal cause of ycur perplexing temptations, protracted spiritual conflicts, and humiliating backslidings. Thirdly, if you could get him converted, he would no doubt turn missionary, and set to work to save the wretched subjects of his lower dominions ; and m that case some of your relations and friends, who you fear have been cast into hell for ever, would, after all have a ohance of getting to heaven, where, of course, you would rejoice to meet them. Fourthly, Satan at the worst is only a fallen brother of yours, and, therefore, he has a natural claim upon your sympathy, and all the help you can render him, whether by prayer or other means. He was once a happy, child of God, as you claim to be now ; and if he went astray and became a prodigal outcast, remember, that you, too, have often sinned. If God has forgiven you, He surely cannot withhold His mercy from His elder child ; and the least you can do is to offer a few earnest prayers for your wandering brother's return. Fifthly, the religion you profess lays you under obligation to adopt the suggestion offered. You boast that yours is a religion of love ; but true love is allembracing m the kindly feelings and desires it kindles m the soul. It must, therefore, take m earth, heayen, and hell — the Devil and all his legions. Your master, Jesus, commanded you to " love your enemies .... and pray for them that despitefully use you." Was not the "enemy " m question^included ? Does he not often use you " despitefully ?" And will you disobey Christ's command to forgive him for- the injuries he has done you, and pray for his immediate salvation? "You may extol your religion to the skies, but depend upon it, Christian friends, it is of little worth, if it does not yield genuine sympathy and prompt earnest effort, even for the poor Devil. If you decline to adopt my suggestion, on the plea that Saten does not fall within the range of legitimate objects of prayer, permit me to ask you who has limited and numbered those objects, so as to exclude any of God's intelligent oreatures, either m this world or the next ? Christ said — " All things, whatsoever ye shall ask m prayeji believing, ye shall receive."