I would unmask the devil!

I would unmask the devil!

(Talmage, "The Abominations of Modern Society", 1872)

"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light!" 2 Corinthians 11:14

Sin, crawling out of the ditch of poverty and shame, has but few temptations.

Poets and painters have portrayed Satan as a hideouscreature--with horns and hoofs. If I were a poet, I would describe him with . . .

manners polished to the last perfection,
hair flowing in graceful ringlets,
eye glistening with splendor;
hands soft and diamonded;
step light and graceful;
voice mellow as a flute;
conversation articulate and eloquent;
breath perfumed until it would seem that nothing
had ever touched his lips, but balm and myrrh.

But his heart I would encase with the scales of a monster, then filled . . .

with pride,
with beastliness of lust,
with recklessness,
with hypocrisy,
with death,
with damnation!

In my next portrait--I would unmask the devil--until his two eyes would become the cold orbs of the adder; and on his lip would come the foam of raging intoxication; and to his feet, the spring of the panther; and his soft hand would become the clammy hand of a wasted skeleton; and in the smooth lisp of his tongue, would come the hiss of the worm which never dies; while suddenly from his heart would burst in all-devouring fury--the unquenchable flames of hell!

But, until unmasked, I would describe him as nothing but myrrh, and balm, and ringlet, and diamond, and flute-like voice, with pleasant and mirthful conversation.

"So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes." 2 Corinthians 2:11