Life — June 11, 1891 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis This satirical cartoon depicts a theological debate between a Presbyterian Divine (clergyman) and Satan. The Presbyterian offers to bring children to Satan, claiming he can "answer for them," while Satan refuses, stating he "never take[s] children here." The satire mocks Presbyterian doctrine and hypocrisy. By having Satan reject children while the clergyman volunteers them, the cartoonist suggests Presbyterian teachings are so harsh or damaging that even the Devil refuses involvement with children. The implication is that Presbyterian moral instruction—possibly regarding predestination, damnation, or strict Calvinism—is so severe it's portrayed as more demonic than actual evil. This reflects 19th-century American religious debates about denominational theology and child welfare.