an religion as reformed by the traditional Zoroaster.

As we have said, the Hebrew story of the Fall contains clear relics of
Tree and Serpent worship. There is also abundant proof that during the
long ages in which the Jews oscillated between polytheism and monotheism
this worship largely prevailed. Even up to the reign of Hezekiah, as we
find in the Second Book of Kings, the serpent was worshipped in groves,
to the great anger of the king, who cast out the idolatry from among his
people.

Having explained the subject thus, let us now assume with orthodox
Christians that the serpent in Eden was animated by the Devil, or was
indeed the Devil himself incarnate.

We have already observed that the Devil excels his three rivals in
wisdom and in power. While they were toiling so strenuously to create
the world and all that therein is, he quietly stood or sat by as a
spectator. "All right," he might have murmured, "work away as hard as
you please. You've more strength than sense. My turn will soon come.
When the job is finished we shall see to whom all this belongs." When
the work was completed and they had pronounced all things good, in
stepped the Devil, and in the twinkling of an eye rendered imperfect
all that they had so labored to create perfect;'turning everything
topsy-turvey, seducing the first pair of human beings, sowing the seeds
of original sin, and at one stroke securing the wholesale damnation
of our race. What were they about, to let him do all this with such
consummate ease? Surely they must have slept like logs, and thus left
the whole game in his hands. He made himself the "prince of this
world," although they created it; and if those may laugh who win, he was
entitled to roar out his mirth to the shaking of the spheres.

Besides being the prince of this world and of the powers of darkness,
the Devil is described as the father of lies. This, however, is a gross
libel on his character. Throughout the contest with his rivals he played
with perfect fairness. And from Genesis to Revelation there can be
adduced no single instance in which he departs from the strict line of
truth. On one occasion when Jehovah desired a lying spirit to go forth
and prophesy falsely to his people, he found one ready to his hand in
heaven and had no need to trouble Satan for a messenger. The Lord God
had told Adam, "Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thow shalt
not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thow s