Lucifer, the equal and foe of Adonay, or Jahweh. He was in their view the God of light, the good principle, while Adonay was the God of darkness, the evil principle. In short, he was Satan himself.” This blasphemous sect could not more completely copy 2 Corinthians 11:14, which reads: “And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light.”

The nineteenth century presents to view another sect designated “Satanists.” The book The Worship of Satan in Modern France has this to say: They [the Satanists] have always existed in Paris. Their temples are in the Rue Jacob, the Rue Rochechouart and within a few yards of the Pantheon. Only the initiated are admitted. The most noteworthy feature of the downright Satanism of today [1896] is that it necessarily symbolises an acceptance of revealed dogma and of a personal devil. The followers actually profess that the being whom they describe as the vanquished foe of the archangels Michael and Raphael actually manifests himself to them on certain occasions.”

What about recent times? In 1922 a press article said the “black mass” was being celebrated again for a short time following World War I. “The new devil worship has more women than men among its devotees. Its high priestess is a woman. The ‘Temple’ where the devil is worshiped is a fair-sized Parisian salon, capable of accommodating perhaps fifty ‘worshipers.’ A place is kept clear on the ‘altar’ on which the devil is supposed to make his incarnate appearance, and it will be easily believed by those familiar with postwar psychology that quite a number of his ‘flock’ profess to have seen and held converse with him. Clothes are not worn either by the ‘celebrant’ or the ‘congregation.’ It is an expensive matter to become a devil worshiper, even allowing for the chaotic state of the exchange. To become a neophyte, it is stated, costs you 100,000 francs. You have to pay as much more for your initiation when you are raised to the degree of actually holding converse with the devil. Every time you attend a service you have to contribute another 1,000 francs to the ‘Temple’ expenses. That the cult will be suppressed in the more or less near Future is certain—as soon, that is to say, as its excesses cease to be a carefully guarded secret in the hands of the few.”

All will agree that these sects of Satanism present performances that are degrading. They reveal the extent of the fallen state of mind of Satan, who inspires such low religions. Furthermore, these sects can have an appeal only to those humans who have become reprobates like their father the Devil. (John 8:44) These glimpses expose the filthy thinking and base mentality of the one who now is worshiped indirectly by most of mankind as their god, namely, Satan, the fool opposer of Jehovah God.

Questions From Readers

● In the Chronological Chart of World Powers on page 365 of the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” (August 2, 1958) it lists the kings of the Medo-Persian Empire (539-331 B.C.) as Darius the Mede; Cyrus the Great (Persian); Cambyses; [Usurper Magian Gaumata, pretending to be Smerdis, 522/1 B.C.]; Darius I (Persian) (Hystaspes), 521-485 B.C.; Xerxes I (Ahasuerus); Artaxerxes I (Longimanus); Xerxes II; Darius II (Ochus; Nothus) ; Artaxerxes II (Mnemon); Artaxerxes III (Ochus); etc., etc.

The above does not agree with what is stated in the chapters on Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther in the book “Equipped for Every Good Work” and in Chapter 14 on “A Faithful Few Come Back to Build the Temple Again” in the book From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained. How can this seeming discrepancy be explained?

There is no real discrepancy between the books “Equipped for Every Good Work” and From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained on the one hand and the later book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” on the other hand. During the reign of Darius the Persian, not the Mede, the temple to Jehovah was rebuilt at Jerusalem. The earlier book “Equipped” calls him Darius II, because it recognizes Darius the Mede as a historical Biblical character and hence counts this Median Darius as being the first ruler named Darius in the Medo-Persian Empire.

However, the later book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” lists the first Persian Darius (Hystaspes) as Darius I because the Chronological Chart of World Powers in the Appendix of the book follows the secular histories of this world, which cannot account for Darius the Mede and hence which list the Persian Darius Hystaspes as Darius I. When speaking of the purely Persian Empire, or the empire in which Persia had the dominance, Darius the Mede would not figure in the line of kings inasmuch as he was not Persian, but merely the Median uncle of the Persian Cyrus the Great. Because of publishing the Chronological Chart in its Appendix the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” harmonizes the comments on the world powers and their rulers in the main text of the book with the Chronological Chart in its Appendix. Accordingly it differs from the book “Equipped” in naming Darius Hystaspes during whose reign the building of the second temple to Jehovah at Jerusalem was authorized and completed as King Darius I of the Persian Empire.

Now as regards the Persian kings named Artaxerxes. The two earlier books “Equipped” and Paradise speak of the Persian king during whose reign both Ezra and Nehemiah came to Jerusalem as being Artaxerxes III, and not Artaxerxes I, from the following standpoint.

As already stated in a previous issue of The Watchtower, that of March 15, 1954, page 191, the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew book of Ezra calls the Persian ruler who caused the building of Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem to be stopped Arthasasthá, but the English translations call him Artaxerxes. (Ezra 4:7-23) It appears that in reality this Artaxerxes was the Magian Gaumata, who pretended to be Smerdis and who got the throne by imposture and usurpation for about eight months. Following the Greek translation of the Hebrew text, this one would be the first Artaxerxes, or Artaxerxes I.

After this usurper there came Darius I the Persian (Hystaspes) and then Xerxes I. It appears that this Xerxes I married the Jewess Esther, but the Hebrew book of Esther calls him Ahasuerus. However, the Greek Septuagint translation calls him Artaxerxes. (Esther 1:1 to 2:23, NW, margin) So from the Greek presentation of the matter, this Xerxes the Great was the second Artaxerxes, or Artaxerxes II.

After him there came a ruler surnamed Longimanus. The Hebrew Bible speaks of him as Artakhshásta (the same name as that given the ruler at Ezra 4:7). During the reign of this Longimanus or Artakhshásta the Jewish priest Ezra and the Jewish governor Nehemiah, for two separate reasons, were permitted to go to Jerusalem. (Ezra 7:1-28; Neh. 2:1-18; 13:6) However, the Greek Septuagint version speaks of this Longimanus as Arthasasthá, and the English versions speak of him as Artaxerxes. Hence, from this standpoint Longimanus would be Artaxerxes III.

Concerning this Persian king McClintock & Strong’s Cyclopædia, Volume I, page 440, column 1, says: “He is the same with the third Artaxerxes, the Persian king who, in the twentieth year of his reign, considerately allowed Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem for the furtherance of purely national objects, invested him with the government of his own people, and allowed him to remain there for twelve years . . . It is almost unanimously agreed that the king here intended is Artaxerxes Longimanus . . . ”

Now the later book “Your Will Be Done on Earth” in publishing the Chronological Chart sets forth the world-power rulers beginning with the rulers of the Babylonian Empire and running through those of the Eastern Roman Empire; and this book does so according to the listing of these rulers given in the secular histories of the world. These do not follow the list of Artaxerxes that is given in the Holy Scriptures according to the Hebrew text and