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to believe thy lies. They have fallen with thee from before the
face of God. Thus hast thou used the power given thee. Thou hast said
in thy heart, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.... I will be
like the Most High! Thou hast sought to usurp power, to take a
kingdom that does not belong to thee. God holds you all as in the
hollow of His hand; yet He has not restrained thine agency. He has
been patient and longsuffering with you. Rebellious children of heaven,
the Father's bosom heaves with sorrow for you; but justice claims its
own--your punishment is that you be cast out of heaven. Bodies of
flesh and bones ye shall not have; but ye shall wander without
tabernacles over the face of the earth. Ye shall be 'reserved in
everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.'"
Thus went forth the decree of the Almighty, and with it the force of His
power. Lucifer and many of the hosts of heaven were cast down. The
whole realm was thrilled with the power of God. The celestial elements
were stirred to their depths. Heaven wept over the fallen spirits, and the
cry went out, "Lo, lo, he is fallen, even the Son of the Morning."

III.
"For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."--_John
17:24._
There was a calm in heaven like unto that of a summer morning after a
night of storm.
Throughout the whole strife, the dark clouds of evil had been gathering.
In the fierce struggle, the spirits of heaven had been storm-tossed as on
two contending waves; but when Lucifer and his forces were cast out,
the atmosphere became purged of its uncleanness, and a sweet peace
brooded over all. Save for sorrow for the lost ones, nothing marred the
perfect joy of heaven. All now looked forward to the consummation of
that plan whereby they would become inhabitants of another world,
fitted for their school of experience in the flesh. All prepared
themselves with this end in view.

None was more grateful to his Father than Homan. In the midst of the
strife, he had done what he could for what he thought was right. All his
influence had been used with the wavering ones, and many were those
who owed him a debt of gratitude. But his greatest reward was in the
peace which dwelt within him and the joy with which he was greeted
by all who knew him.
Through it all, Homan's thoughts had often been with the fair sister
Delsa; and often he had sought her and talked with her. It pleased him
greatly to see the earnestness and energy with which she defended the
cause of the Father. He was drawn to her more than to the many others
who were equally valiant. As he thought of it, its strangeness occurred
to him. Why should it be so? He did not know. Delsa was fair; so were
all the daughters of God. She had attained to great intelligence; so had
thousands of others. Then wherein lay the secret of the power which
drew him to her?
The vastness of the spiritual world held enough for study, research, and
for occupation. None needed to be idle, for there were duties to be
performed, as much here as in any other sphere of action. In the
Father's house are many mansions.
In the one where Delsa lived, she and Homan sat in earnest
conversation. Through the opening leading to the garden appeared the
stately form of Sardus. Homan sprang to meet him and greeted him
joyously:
"Welcome, Brother Sardus, welcome!"
Delsa arose.
"This is Brother Sardus," said Homan, "and this is Sister Delsa."
"Welcome, brother," said she. "Come and sit with us."
"Sardus," continued Homan, "I thought you lost. I have not met you for
a long time. You remember our last conversation? Sardus, what joy to
know that you are on the safe side, that you did not fall with Lucifer--"

"S--h, that name. Dear brother, he tempted me sorely, but I overcame
him."
"But we are shortly to meet him on new ground," continued Homan.
"As seducing spirits, he and his followers will still fight against the
anointed Son. They will not yield. Not obtaining bodies themselves,
they will seek to operate through those of others."
"Now we know how temptation and sin will come into the world," said
Delsa. "God grant that we may overcome these dangers again, as we
once have done."
They conversed for some time; then Sardus departed to perform some
duty.
"I, too, must go," said Delsa. "A company of sisters is soon to leave for
earth, and I am going to say farewell to them."
"Delsa, you do not go