I would unmask the devil!

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      (Talmage, "The Abominations of Modern Society", 1872)

"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light!" 2 Corinthians 11:14

Poets and painters have portrayed Satan as a hideous creature, with horns and hoofs.

If I were a poet, I would describe him with . . .
  manners polished to the last perfection,
  hair flowing in graceful ringlets,
  eye glistening with splendor;
  hands soft and diamonded;
  step light and graceful;
  voice mellow as a flute;
  conversation articulate and eloquent;
  breath perfumed until it would seem that nothing had ever touched his lips but balm and myrrh.

But his heart I would encase with the scales of a monster, then filled . . .
  with pride,
  with beastliness of lust,
  with recklessness,
  with hypocrisy,
  with death,
  with damnation!

In my next portrait, I would unmask the devil--until . . .
  his two eyes would become the cold orbs of the adder;
  and on his lip would come the foam of raging intoxication;
  and to his feet, the spring of the panther;
  and his soft hand would become the clammy hand of a wasted skeleton;
  and in the smooth lisp of his tongue, would come the hiss of the worm which never dies;
  while suddenly from his heart would burst in all-devouring fury--the unquenchable flames of Hell!

But, until unmasked, I would describe him as nothing but myrrh, and balm, and ringlet, and diamond, and flute-like voice, with pleasant and mirthful conversation.

"So that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are very familiar with his evil schemes." 2 Corinthians 2:11

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