Satans Way, 1923,
From ELA.Ms NOTES, May 6, 1923, we quote portions of his comments on 1 Sam. 8: —Asking For A King.
****************************
To turn away from Gods church and church government now is to turn away from him; to reject these is to reject him.
But what if elders of the church will not do the work? Let it be remembered that Samuels wicked sons failed to do their work; still it was a rejection of God to reject his system of government, even when perverted by mean men. Why not turn the rascals out and select honest and righteous judges?
The wickedness of Samuels sons furnished a pretext for asking for a king, and a failure on the part of elders and the church now to do the work God requires furnishes a pretext to those not satisfied with the New Testament order of things for asking for a change of Gods way.
This is a trick of Satan. He took advantage of the corruption and wicked practices of Samuels sons to suggest a change in Gods government. He doubtless pointed out to the elders of Israel the centralization and solidity of other nations under kings and how they had succeeded; that the Israelites, in their spasmodic and irregular way of opposing their enemies, could not succeed; and that the Lords plan would not work. He practices the same trick today.
When elders fail in qualifications and duties and the church drags along, Satan steps in and suggests change. He never suggests that the church should have intelligent, active, scriptural elders, doing a scriptural work. His special effort is to persuade the church that Gods way will not work; that all the denominations practice the one-man-pastor or one- man-minister system, and the church must be like them — and do as they do or fail. Hence frequently a novice (1 Tim. 3:6) — a beardless youth — is installed as the pastor or the minister of the church, and the elders are practically laid on the shelf.
When the church fails to endeavor to do the will of God in developing the young members, Satan, becoming at once very much interested in their spiritual welfare, never suggests that the church should be stirred up to the discharge of its duty, but proposes to organize an endeavor society which will do this particular work; when the church fails to associate as it should, Satan, becoming interested in Christian association, proposes the organization of an association which will do this work; when the church fails to do missionary work, old Satan, suddenly turning missionary and, shedding great crocodile tears over the poor heathen who are dying without the gospel, never suggests that the church should be taught and trained, as such, to do this work, but proposes to furnish an organization which will do it.