level where he supposes himself to be in
legitimate competition with Him, both for authority over other beings
and for their worship. Yet this unholy ambition and disregard for the
Creator is a most commendable thing according to the standards of the
Satanic order. In the language of the world, Satan is simply "self made"
and every element of his attitude toward his Creator is, as a principle
of life, both commended and practiced by the world.

Though hiding himself, Satan has had the satisfaction, under
limitations, of governing the affairs of men; and the delight, to a
large extent, of receiving their worship. The greatest care was taken in
the law governing God's ancient people that they should not offer their
sacrifices unto devils, which was the practice of surrounding nations
(Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17). In violation of these special laws, Rehoboam
instituted special priests for the devils (II Chron. 11:15), while the
worship of devils, according to the New Testament, is to continue
throughout the age: "But this I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not
that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of
the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's
table and the table of devils" (I Cor. 10:20, 21). "And the rest of the
men that were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works
of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold,
and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see,
nor hear, nor walk" (Rev. 9:20).

Again: Satan's ambition is leading him to make this age of his special
opportunity as near perfect as his wisdom and power will permit. And in
this connection it may be noted that Satan's ambition was not to become
a fiend, but rather to become _like_ the Most High. He will, therefore,
strive for all that is moral and good: yet at the same time do all in
his power to draw men from their natural reverence of God, that, in due
time, they may acknowledge himself without fear. The Satanic ideal of
this age is, then, an improved social order, a moral and cultured
people, who are devout worshippers of himself, though for the present
they may imagine they are worshipping Jehovah through their empty
religious forms and ceremonies, while they are really in a state of
God-dishonoring unbelief, and all their thoughts are energized by Satan
alone. The Satani