mpanies, and the
single company to which these demons belonged numbered no less than a
legion.

At the command of Jesus, the evil spirits departed from their victims,
leaving them calmly sitting at the Saviour's feet, subdued, intelligent,
and gentle. But the demons were permitted to sweep a herd of swine into
the sea; and to the dwellers of Gadara the loss of these outweighed the
blessings which Christ had bestowed, and the divine Healer was entreated
to depart. This was the result which Satan designed to secure. By casting
the blame of their loss upon Jesus, he aroused the selfish fears of the
people, and prevented them from listening to His words. Satan is
constantly accusing Christians as the cause of loss, misfortune, and
suffering, instead of allowing the reproach to fall where it belongs,--upon
himself and his agents.

But the purposes of Christ were not thwarted. He allowed the evil spirits
to destroy the herd of swine as a rebuke to those Jews who were raising
these unclean beasts for the sake of gain. Had not Christ restrained the
demons, they would have plunged into the sea, not only the swine, but also
their keepers and owners. The preservation of both the keepers and the
owners was due alone to His power, mercifully exercised for their
deliverance. Furthermore, this event was permitted to take place that the
disciples might witness the cruel power of Satan upon both man and beast.
The Saviour desired His followers to have a knowledge of the foe whom they
were to meet, that they might not be deceived and overcome by his devices.
It was also His will that the people of that region should behold His
power to break the bondage of Satan and release his captives. And though
Jesus Himself departed, the men so marvelously delivered, remained to
declare the mercy of their Benefactor.

Other instances of a similar nature are recorded in the Scriptures. The
daughter of the Syro-Phenician woman was grievously vexed with a devil,
whom Jesus cast out by His word.(909) One "possessed with a devil, blind,
and dumb;"(910) a youth who had a dumb spirit, that ofttimes "cast him
into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him;"(911) the maniac who,
tormented by "a spirit of an unclean devil,"(912) disturbed the Sabbath
quiet of the synagogue at Capernaum,--all were healed by the compassionate
Saviour. In nearly every instance, Christ addressed the demon as an
intelligent entity, commanding him to come out of his victim an