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 Just Who is Controlling You?  

     An interesting story is told of Giani, a young woman possesed with 37 demons.  It happened in Caxias do Sul, Brazil.  It took 88 days to liberate this victim.  A paragraph of the report reads as follows:

Many times during the 88 days before Giani was freed from the last demon, one of them would taunt and ridicule one person present or another, saying that they belonged to him.  The devil would mention sins such as novel reading, listening to popular music, or wearing makeup, and would say that because the person did not give these up they belonged to him.  Such encounters caused many of the church members to renew their consecration to God and give up the sins the devil mentioned.  (Review, July 4, 1974,pg. 20, Emphasis added)

 The Fence or the Ambulance

"Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,

Though the walk near the cliff was so pleasant:

But over its terrible edge there had slipped

A duke and many a peasant;

So the people said something would have to be done,

But their projects did not at all tally;

Some said, "Put a fence round the edge of the cliff,"

Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."

But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,

For it spread to the neighboring city;

A fence may be useful or not, it is true,

But each heart became brimful of pity

For those who had slipped o'er the dangerous cliff,

And the dwellers in highway and alley

Gave pounds or gave pence, not to put up a fence,

But an ambulace down in the valley.

"For the cliff is all right if your careful," they said;

"And if folks ever slip or are dropping,

It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much

As the shock down below--when their stopping."

So day after day when the mishaps occured,

Quick forth would the rescuers sally

To pick up the vicims who fell off the cliff

With their ambulance down in the valley.

Then an old man remarked: "It's a marvel to me

That the people give far more attention

To repairing results than to stopping the cause,

When they much better aim at prevention.

Let us stop at its source all this mischief," cried he,

"Come neighbors and friends, let us rally;

If the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense

With the ambulance down in the valley."

"Oh, he's a fanatic," the others rejoined;

"Dispense with the ambulance? Never!

He'd dispense with all charities too, if he could:

No we'll support them forever.

Aren't we picking them up just as fast as they fall?

And shall this man dictate to us? Shall he?

Why should people of sense stop to put up a fence,

While their ambulance works in the valley?"

This story is so old has been beautifully told

How our people with best of intentions,

Have wasted their years and lavished their tears

On treatment, with naught for prevention.

But a sensible few, who are practical too,

Will not bear with such nonsense much longer;

They believe that prevention is better than cure,

And their party will soon become stronger.

Encourage them then, with your purse, voice, and pen,

(And while other philanthropists dally)

They will scorn all pretense, and put up a stout fence

On the cliff the hangs over the valley.

Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,

For the voice of true wisdom is calling,

" To rescue the fallen is good, but 'tis best

To prevent other people from falling."

Better close up the source of temptation and crime

Than deliver from dungeon or galley;

Better put a strong fence round the top of the cliff

Than an ambulance down in the valley.

                                            ---Joseph Malins