It may be true, as many contend, that every man has a personal devil
within him that goads him on to do the wrong things at the right time.
Any person who has that sort of a devil can easily get rid of him by the
use of a strong will and determination.
But outside of him, this “Devil” is quite an institution whose great aim
seems to be to monopolize you and everybody else. The feature he
displays is a willingness to go into partnership with you in your
undertakings.
He will make suggestions to you that sound plausible and good, and his
promises are lurid. But beware of him, he is working for himself and not
you. He is extremely selfish and will grab all the profits, leaving you
thrown out like an old shoe that is no longer fit to wear.
A suggestion of wrong, of crooked work, of something that will injure
your fellow man, that will best him, and cause him to lose money,
character, friends, or honesty, comes from this outside Devil who wants
you for a partner.
In a partnership the partners are supposed to work together for the
common interest, but with the Devil as a partner you do all the work and
he takes the pot of gold.
If you are a sterling, upright man, and insist upon being so, you may
and probably will be tempted to go into partnership with the Devil, but
knowing him, you will flaunt his honied words and stick to your
uprightness. By and by he will leave you and you will win your way and
enjoy all the profits.
In baptism you renounce the world, the flesh and the Devil. The world
ruins you, the flesh overcomes you, and the Devil gets you. This is the
usual routine, so stand by your baptismal vows, they are wise.