cultured　intellect　and　pleasant　manners；　who　would　not　stoop　to　what　is
  commonly　regarded　as　an　immoral　act；　is　but　a　polished　instrument　in　the
  hands　of　Satan。　The　insidious；　deceptive　character　of　his　influence　and
  example　renders　him　a　more　dangerous　enemy　to　the　cause　of　Christ　than　are
  those　who　are　ignorant　and　uncultured。
  By　earnest　prayer　and　dependence　upon　God；　Solomon　obtained　the　wisdom　which
  excited　the　wonder　and　admiration　of　the　world。　But　when　he　turned　from　the
  Source　of　his　strength；　and　went　forward　relying　upon　himself；　he　fell　a
  prey　to　temptation。　Then　the　marvelous　powers　bestowed　on　this　wisest　of
  kings　only　rendered　him　a　more　effective　agent　of　the　adversary　of　souls。
  510
  While　Satan　is　constantly　seeking　to　blind　their　minds　to　the　fact；　let
  Christians　never　forget　that　they　〃wrestle　not　against　flesh　and　blood；　but
  against　principalities；　against　powers；　against　the　rulers　of　the　darkness
  of　this　world；　against　wicked　spirits　in　high　places。〃　Ephesians　6：12；
  margin。　The　inspired　warning　is　sounding　down　the　centuries　to　our　time：　〃Be
  sober；　be　vigilant；　because　your　adversary　the　devil；　as　a　roaring　lion；
  walketh　about；　seeking　whom　he　may　devour。〃　1　Peter　5：8。　〃Put　on　the　whole
  armor　of　God；　that　ye　may　be　able　to　stand　against　the　wiles　of　the　devil。〃
  Ephesians　6：11。
  From　the　days　of　Adam　to　our　own　time；　our　great　enemy　has　been　exercising
  his　power　to　oppress　and　destroy。　He　is　now　preparing　for　his　last　campaign
  against　the　church。　All　who　seek　to　follow　Jesus　will　be　brought　into
  conflict　with　this　relentless　foe。　The　more　nearly　the　Christian　imitates
  the　divine　Pattern；　the　more　surely　will　he　make　himself　a　mark　for　the
  attacks　of　Satan。　All　who　are　actively　engaged　in　the　cause　of　God；　seeking
  to　unveil　the　deceptions　of　the　evil　one　and　to　present　Christ　before　the
  people；　will　be　able　to　join　in　the　testimony　of　Paul；　in　which　he　speaks　of
  serving　the　Lord　with　all　humility　of　mind；　with　many　tears　and　temptations。
  Satan　assailed　Christ　with　his　fiercest　and　most　subtle　temptations；　but　he
  was　repulsed　in　every　conflict。　Those　battles　were　fought　in　our　behalf；
  those　victories　make　it　possible　for　us　to　conquer。　Christ　will　give
  strength　to　all　who　seek　it。　No　man　without　his　own　consent　can　be　overcome
  by　Satan。　The　tempter　has　no　power　to　control　the　will　or　to　force　the　soul
  to　sin。　He　may　distress；　but　he　cannot　contaminate。　He　can　cause　agony；　but
  not　defilement。　The　fact　that　Christ　has　conquered　should　inspire　His
  followers　with　courage　to　fight　manfully　the　battle　against　sin　and　Satan。
  （511）
  Chapter　31
  Agency　of　Evil　Spirits
  The　connection　of　the　visible　with　the　invisible　world；　the　ministration　of
  angels　of　God；　and　the　agency　of　evil　spirits；　are　plainly　revealed　in　the
  Scriptures；　and　inseparably　interwoven　with　human　history。　There　is　a
  growing　tendency　to　disbelief　in　the　existence　of　evil　spirits；　while　the
  holy　angels　that　〃minister　for　them　who　shall　be　heirs　of　salvation〃
  （Hebrews　1：14）　are　regarded　by　many　as　spirits　of　the　dead。　But　the
  Scriptures　not　only　teach　the　existence　of　angels；　both　good　and　evil；　but
  present　unquestionable　proof　that　these　are　not　disembodied　spirits　of　dead
  men。
  Before　the　creation　of　man；　angels　were　in　existence；　for　when　the
  foundations　of　the　earth　were　laid；　〃the　morning　stars　sang　together；　and
  all　the　sons　of　God　shouted　for　joy。〃　Job　38：7。　After　the　fall　of　man；
  angels　were　sent　to　guard　the　tree　of　life；　and　this　before　a　human　being
  had　died。　Angels　are　in　nature　superior　to　men；　for　the　psalmist　says　that
  man　was　made　〃a　little　lower　than　the　angels。〃　Psalm　8：5。
  We　are　informed　in　Scripture　as　to　the　number；　and　the　power　and　glory；　of
  the　heavenly　beings；　of　their　connection　with　the　government　of　God；　and
  also　of　their　relation　to　the　work　of　redemption。　〃The　Lord　hath　prepared
  His　throne　in　the　heavens；　and　His　kingdom　ruleth　over　all。〃　And；　says　the
  prophet；　〃I　heard　the　voice　of　many　angels　round　about　the　throne。〃　In　the
  presence　chamber　of　the　King　of　kings
  512
  they　wait〃angels；　that　excel　in　strength；〃　〃ministers　of　His；　that　do　His
  pleasure；〃　〃hearkening　unto　the　voice　of　His　word。〃　Psalm　103：19…21；
  Revelation　5：11。　Ten　thousand　times　ten　thousand　and　thousands　of　thousands；
  were　the　heavenly　messengers　beheld　by　the　prophet　Daniel。　The　apostle　Paul
  declared　them　〃an　innumerable　company。〃　Daniel　7：10；　Hebrews　12：22。　As　God's
  messengers　they　go　forth；　like　〃the　appearance　of　a　flash　of　lightning；〃
  （Ezekiel　1：14）；　so　dazzling　their　glory；　and　so　swift　their　flight。　The
  angel　that　appeared　at　the　Saviour's　tomb；　his　countenance　〃like　lightning；
  and　his　raiment　white　as　snow；〃　caused　the　keepers　for　fear　of　him　to　quake；
  and　they　〃became　as　dead　men。〃　Matthew　28：3；　4。　When　Sennacherib；　the
  haughty　Assyrian；　reproached　and　blasphemed　God；　and　threatened　Israel　with
  destruction；　〃it　came　to　pass　that　night；　that　the　angel　of　the　Lord　went
  out；　and　smote　in　the　camp　of　the　Assyrians　an　hundred　fourscore　and　five
  thousand。〃　There　were　〃cut　off　all　the　mighty　men　of　valor；　and　the　leaders
  and　captains；〃　from　the　army　of　Sennacherib。　〃So　he　returned　with　shame　of
  face　to　his　own　land。〃　2　Kings　19：35；　2　Chronicles　32：21。
  Angels　are　sent　on　missions　of　mercy　to　the　children　of　God。　To　Abraham；
  with　promises　of　blessing；　to　the　gates　of　Sodom；　to　rescue　righteous　Lot
  from　its　fiery　doom；　to　Elijah；　as　he　was　about　to　perish　from　weariness　and
  hunger　in　the　desert；　to　Elisha；　with　chariots　and　horses　of　fire
  surrounding　the　little　town　where　he　was　shut　in　by　his　foes；　to　Daniel；
  while　seeking　divine　wisdom　in　the　court　of　a　heathen　king；　or　abandoned　to
  become　the　lions'　prey；　to　Peter；　doomed　to　death　in　Herod's　dungeon；　to　the
  prisoners　at　Philippi；　to　Paul　and　his　companions　in　the　night　of　tempest　on
  the　sea；　to　open　the　mind　of　Cornelius　to　receive　the　gospel；　to　dispatch
  Peter　with　the　message　of　salvation　to　the　Gentile　strangerthus　holy
  angels　have；　in　all　ages；　ministered　to　God's　people。
  A　guardian　angel　is　appointed　to　every　follower　of　Christ。　These　heavenly
  watchers　shield　the　righteous　from　the　power
  513
  of　the　wicked　one。　This　Satan　himself　recognized　when　he　said：　〃Doth　Job
  fear　God　for　nought？　Hast　not　Thou　made　an　hedge　about　him；　and　about　his
  house；　and　about　all　that　he　hath　on　every　side？〃　Job　1：9；　10。　The　agency　by
  which　God　protects　His　people　is　presented　in　the　words　of　the　psalmist：
  〃The　angel　of　the　Lord　encampeth　round　about　them　that　fear　Him；　and
  delivereth　them。〃　Psalm　34：7。　Said　the　Saviour；　speaking　of　those　that
  believe　in　Him：　〃Take　heed　that　ye　despise　not　one　of　these　little　ones；　for
  I　say　unto　you；　That　in　heaven　their　angels　do　always　behold　the　face　of　My
  Father。〃　Matthew　18：10。　The　angels　appointed　to　minister　to　the　children　of
  God　have　at　all　times　access　to　His　presence。
  Thus　God's　people；　exposed　to　the　deceptive　power　and　unsleeping　malice　of
  the　prince　of　darkness；　and　in　conflict　with　all　the　forces　of　evil；　are
  assured　of　the　unceasing　guardianship　of　heavenly　angels。　Nor　is　such
  assurance　given　without　need。　If　God　has　granted　to　His　children　promise　of
  grace　and　protection；　it　is　because　there　are　mighty　agencies　of　evil　to　be
  metagencies　numerous；　determined；　and　untiring；　of　whose　malignity　and
  power　none　can　safely　be　ignorant　or　unheeding。
  Evil　spirits；　in　the　beginning　created　sinless；　were　equal　in　nature；　power；
  and　glory　with　the　holy　beings　that　are　now　God's　messengers。　But　fallen
  through　sin；　they　are　leagued　together　for　the　dishonor　of　God　and　the
  destruction　of　men。　United　with　Satan　in　his　rebellion；　and　with　him　cast
  out　from　heaven；　they　have；　through　all　succeeding　ages；　co…operated　with
  him　in　his　warfare　against　the　divine　authority。　We　are　told　in　Scripture　of
  their　confederacy　and　government；　of　their　various　orders；　of　their
  intelligence　and　subtlety；　and　of　their　malicious　designs　against　the　peace
  and　happiness　of　men。
  Old　Testament　history　presents　occasional　mention　of　their　existence　and
  agency；　but　it　was　during　the　time　when　Christ　was　upon　the　earth　that　evil
  spirits　manifested　their　power　in　the　most　striking　manner。　Christ　had　come
  to　enter
  514
  upon　the　plan　devised　for　man's　redemption；　and　Satan　determined　to　assert
  his　right　to　control　the　world。　He　had　succeeded　in　establishing　idolatry　in
  every　part　of　the　earth　except　the　land　of　Palestine。　To　the　only　land　that
  had　not　fully　yielded　to　the　tempter's　sway；　Christ　came　to　shed　upon　the
  people　the　light　of　heaven。　Here　two　rival　powers　claimed　supremacy。　Jesus
  was　stretching　out　His　arms　of　love；　inviting　all　who　would　to　find　pardon
  and　peace　in　Him。　The　hosts　of　darkness　saw　that　they　did　not　possess
  unlimited　control；　and　they　understood　that　if　Christ's　mission　should　be
  successful；　their　rule　was　soon　to　end。　Satan　raged　like　a　chained　lion　and
  defiantly　exhibited　his　power　over　the　bodies　as　well　as　the　souls　of　men。