r. Modern Diabolism! There is no modern Diabolism."
And all the advanced people and all the strong minds would have extolled
the average intelligence, whereupon the matter would have been closed
hermetically, without disquieting and unwelcome investigations like the
present.

The Great Teacher of Christianity beheld Lucifer fall from heaven like
lightning, and, in a different sense, the modern world has witnessed a
similar spectacle. Assuredly the demon of Milton has been cast down from
the sky of theology, and, except in a few centres of extreme doctrinal
concentration, there is no place found for him. The apostles of material
philosophy have in a manner searched the universe, and have
produced--well, the material philosophy, and therein is no question of
Lucifer. At the opposite pole of thought there is, let us say, the
spiritualist, in possession of many instruments superior, at least by
the hypothesis, to the search-lights of science, through which he
receives the messages of the spheres and establishes a partial
acquaintance with an order which is not of this world; but in that order
also there appears to be no question of Lucifer, though vexed questions
there are without number concerning "unprogressed spirits," to say
nothing of the elementary. Between these poles there is the flux and
reflux of multitudinous opinions; but, except at the centres mentioned,
there is still no question of Lucifer; it has been shelved or dropped.

The revival of mystical philosophy, and, moreover, of transcendental
experiment, which is prosecuted in secret to a far greater extent than
the public can possibly be aware, has, however, set many old oracles
chattering, and they are more voluble at the present moment than the
great Dodonian grove. As might be expected, they whisper occasionally of
deeds done in the darkness which look weird when exposed to the day. The
terms Satanism, Luciferianism, Diabolism, and their equivalents, have
been buzzed frequently, though with some indistinctness, of late, and in
accents that indicate the existence of a living terror--people do not
quite know of what kind--rather than an exploded superstition. To be
plain, the Question of Lucifer has reappeared, and in a manner which
must be eminently disconcerting to the average intelligence and the
advanced and strong in mind. It has reappeared not as a speculative
inquiry into the possibility of a personal embodiment of evil operating
mysteriously, but aft