Bible Truths Illustrated by J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

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BIBLE TRUTHS ILLUSTRATED
real devil to meet and the real battle to wage, and the garlands
on His noble brow were nobly won."
856. No man ever entered a "blind alley" of temptation. The
road of temptation is always a forked road, and one of the
forks leads out of the difficulty. Sunday School Times.
857. "Temptation is like a winter torrent, difficult to cross.
Some, being most skilful swimmers, pass over, not being whelmed
beneath temptations, nor swept down by them at all, while others,
who are not such, entering into them, sink in them. As for
example, Judas, entering into the temptation of covetousness,
swam not through it, but, sinking beneath it, was choked both
in body and spirit. Peter entered into the temptation of the
denial, but, having entered it, he was not overwhelmed by it,
but, manfully swimming through it, he was delivered."
858. A broad-shouldered Scotchman said, as he looked at
Ary Scheffer's painting of the "Temptation of Our Lord," pointing
to the figure of Satan : "If that chiel cam tae me in sic' an
ugly shape, I think he wid hae a tough job wi' me tae." But, as
Peloubet says: "The pictures of Satan as the fire -breathing
Apollyon, or as one wearing a human form equipped with huge
bat-like wings, horns, tail, and webbed feet, as on the doors of
the Pisa Cathedral, or as a black monster with tail, claws, and
horns, as in St. Mark's, Venice, are mere allegories and symbols
to make his real nature apparent and the impression deep. Such
a Satan, actually before us, could never tempt us. Temptation
is always disguised. It comes as an angel of light. It makes
evil seem good. The prophet of the silver veil in 'Lalla Rookh'
tempts Zelica by visions of blessing which conceal his selfish
soul, and by the silver veil which hides his hideous features. He
seems to her to be
" 'Some pure redeeming angel sent to free
This fettered world from every bond and stain,
And bring its primal glories back again.' "
859. A young lady went down a mine. She said first to the
man conducting the party: "Can I go down in this white dress?"
:
'Yes, missie," he replied, "but you won't come up in it."
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