The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-06-06

oaslKL rnr LIosa pEr.
ssasE yruau5s
p4Nn vii ~

n atA NA a+tf thF4 QENNtNU ~ AAe iA
ltfetl VI ihe ksBE lis rtpatHuon
VS. sacs that shea the RabyIoniAa
expire hs1 given place 10 tie Melo.
Fet4a Darius, governor d ihs prov.
.aec 81 Babylea. made bim bead Of 81
the pfetl5euis ADD princes d tie hen
3tei ana ,wenly provinces q AIS kibF
dem Bat Bic elevation excited tie
Jealousy add hatred II Tie other pref.
leoh sa5 princes. aad therefore they
sought his desuuctoh through that
ah.lh was be principle honor. and vet
what vas ayowedly their only hope
BE- coastaBcy aud decision ID the wor.
chip u Bis God ~ 81 Besides. be
Nas jew. and not Mede or Per
sian aud bis high position was disre.
spectiul TO the kingdom aud humiliat-
iug % them by an ariful appeal TO
tbo vanity aad weakness Of the king
they obtaiued the wicked decree, for
which act be was greatly displeased
with himself. aud which be executed
under pressure 81 national usage and
with the greatest reluctance, Daniel
knew tie purpose Of the decree, yet
went 10 bis house and TO bic closet a.
ter bis accustomed manner, tTrsting 10
God and resigning himself 10 bis will
lie neither omitted bis devotions nor
sought secrecy ia them. Three times
day, at the time Of the morning aud
evening sacrifices aud at midday, he
kneelcd upon his knees IN prayer Ps
Is lT) aud his window being open
10 bis chamber toward Jerusalem, as
not ashamed Of his religion, and fearing
God more than he feared his king, he
sought the Lord from where be bad
put his name aud made his dwelling
place / Kings viii IS Ps. Y; II
xviii 81. The enyious princes
watched him aud reported him to the
alag as both disiegarding his authority
and despising his gods, aud urged the
execution Of the decree without any
delay, The Persian kings were re-
garded as divine, as god born, and
therefore their official acts were treat.
ed as infallible. BY consequence the
sentence must be inflicted. Those
princes were eyes and ears for the king
to know what was going on in their
several petty districts bat when they
attacked Daniel through his religious
convictions, and surreptitiously obtain
ed law which was both useless and
absurd, and which they knew he could
not conscientiously obey, they not on
ly basely treated their companion in
Office, but Likewise abused their SOW
ereign aud his confidence in them.
And as with other prosecutors, bis ex.
oellencies excited their jealousy. His
age and abilities, and that excellent
spirit found in him which attracted the
attention Of Nebuchadnezzar and was
not forgotten by the queen mother,
raised him above his colleagues and
made them enyious Of his rank.
The den Of lions 10, IT. AS the
infallible and divine king must be IN.
changeable, and know nothing Of the
seli.accusation or the weakness Of re-
pentanee, his decree could not be re-
yersed. Therefore the cry Of the prin.
ces against Daniel was Id domestic
the lions, because he would not wor-
ship their king, as il was raised in the
early days of the Christian church
against those who would not sacrifice
to the deilied Caesar and be vas hand
ed over to the executioners. The den
was deep pit, or cave, with door at
the sides to let the lions in, and an
opening at the top to look 10 or put
things through.
BY 0llental custom the execution OF
criminals followed Immediately upon
their sentence (ch. iii: l9) and Dan
iels accusers were doubtless in great
haste The king knew no way Of es
cape ~ "a and therefore the proper
officers brought Daniel aud cast him
into the den Of lions, He was now
above eighty years old; and what a
sacrifice was intended Of most able,
venerable, aud loyal man, who had
served in Babylon for sixiy-bine years.
Oriental monarchs were accustomed 10
! keep collections of wild animals OF yari.
GUS kinds. which were sometimes used
F, Tor the punishment Of criminals This
punishment is not previously mention.
led ID the Scriptures; and its mention
here is proof Of the accuracy Of the sa.
cred writers from its known agreement
with the manners aud usages Of differ.
eut nations in those times Thy God
will deliver thee cannot but thy
Gol will; or may thy God deliver
thee A stone was then placed upon
the month Of the den, aud sealed with
the kings own signei, that the decree
should not be frustrated by Daniels
release. bat have fall force. The seal
ing was with the signets both Of the
king and 81 bis lords. that neither king
DOR cunuiefs should rescue their pFis-
L. :. - 49,. .. .horE r.r.nra