St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-14

Once more, Daniel gives an & ex-
ample of integrity. His motives were
pure. Integrity, if it be genuine,
begins in the heart and extends to the life.
Integrity of life is no great virtue unless it is
based upon sonndness of heart. All that we
know of Daniel indicates thoroughly upright
principles. His refusal when boy of the
luxuries of the king could have had nothing
but pure motive. Sometimes men are
shrewd enough to see that appearance of
goodness will get them applause. Daniels
virtue evidently was not the child of self
interest He would sacrifice his prospects to
his regard for duty. This was true in his
boyhood. 1t was equally true when he coun-
seled NebuchadneZzar to humble himself be-
fore God when he rebuked the impious Bel
shazzar and disobeyed the law of Darius He
had integrity of heart which could sacrifice
everything to duty. 1t is true
that Daniels virtue frequently turned to
his advantage. Still the history does
not make the impression that he did right
for the sake of success. No one who reads
the book of Daniel carefully from beginning
to end can help getting the impression that
it is the history of a man who did his duty as
he knew it, who in luxurious court lived
simple and pure life, who in positions of re-
sponsibility was faithful.
We may notice the singular testimony
which Daniels enemies gave to his goodness.
A public officer must of necessity do many
things the motives of which are liable to sus-
picion. Many things must be kept secret
for time. Many things seem unjust be-
cause they bear hard upon individuals, and
yet they are right. Now if a man has integ-
rity which inspires confidence, people
make allowance for these things. Enemies
see the uselessness of impugning the mo
tives of one who commands confidence
Such character is great treasure. Daniel
had it. When the conspirators rushed to
destroy him, what was their charged They
made foolish law that none should ask
anything of anyone save the king for thirty
days. When Daniel broke this law which he
ought to have broken, and which everyone
Of them doubtless broke, they had an offense
They thereby confessed that they had moth
ing against his character. After diligent
search there was nothing which by ingenious
coloring they could charge against him. The
account states, 'Then the presidents and
princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom but
they could find none occasion nor
fault, neither was there any error or fault tn
him." The men said, ''We shall not find
any occasion against this Daniel, except we
find it against him concerning the love of
his God.''
Suppose that was all that the Re-
publicans could say again st the Democratic
nominee for president, or that the Demo-
Gratis could say against the Republican nom
inee! The alleged offense against Daniel
shows the remarkable purity of his life. He
was cleared not by an investigating commit
tee of his party, but by the testimony of his
bitter enemies.
Integrity in Office where the chances to
defraud are numerous, where many esteem it
avenial fault to cheat the government and no
fault at all to use official position for private gain,
where the sense of individual respon slbility
is small, where the probability of detection
is remote, is always virtue. Daniel carried
into public life the scrupulousness which a
man of honor exhibits in public life. He is
a model to public men in his conduct of pub
lie affairs. That fine sense Of honor which
makes one faithful in great and small duties
should belong to us all.
Daniel is an example of fidelity to religi-
Gus convictions. He went to Babylon as a
child. His early years were passed in his
native land. He had there learned to serve
God, and carried to his new home the re-
membrance of early instructions. How
many young men, going out from religious
homes, pass also from the restraints,
the faith, the religious teachings of
of childhood? Daniel was surrounded by the
luxury and idolatry Of Babylon. Advanced
to high position he had what many would
esteem sufficient excuse for yielding to the
customs and fashions OF society Fidelity
to the teachings of some old Jew whom he
had known in boyhood, obedience to the
traditions of his country and religion when
his country was in ruins, surely this was not
10 be expected of bright young man who
had his way to make in a great city, and
where old fashioned notions about God and
duty would hinder success. ''In Babylon
he might surely do as the Babylonians did"
Thus many young man argues now. Thus
did not Daniel. Men might sneer at his re-
ligious convictions. They might call
it superstition that he should main
tain a fanciful distinction between
clean and unclean meats and that he should
pray three times day to God with his face
turned towards Jerusalem. Adherence to
his early faith, life of obedience to the God
might keep him from honor, he would main
tain his faith; he would adopt no such mis-
cradle maxim as ''In Babylon do as the
Babylonians do" He would be true to his
religion and God. And he would be true
though it cost it something. In his boy
hood he would maintain his early faith
though it lost him the chance of advance
ment. In the height OF his power he would
maintain the simple habit of prayer which he
had formed in childhood even though it
brought him to death. That spirit
which made duty supreme, which when the
trial came could meet death and which
could equally do the little duties and resist
the little temptations of every day life, which
in every trust was faithful, that spirit drew
its inspiration from God and from commun-
ion with him. There was something more
than morality, something better than hero
ism. There was conservation to God which
made the life pure, which was the motive to
temperance, which was the secret of his
fearlessness, which was the spring of his
life. David says, GAN my springs are in
Thee" The inspiration of courage, fidelity.
truth, came to David from union with God.
Daniel gives US an example of faith in
God. He could trust himself in Gods hands
When he prayed in spite of
the kings commandment, he believed
that God would care for him. There is evil
dence that he trusted that God would save
his life. His faith was so strong that it COM
municated itself to the king. The king said
to Daniel as they cast him into the lions
den, ''Thy God whom thou servest contin-
ually he will deliver thee" In the morning
the king came to the cave and called to
Daniel, showing that he had a weak faith at
least that God would preserve Daniel. The
kings faith sprung from the faith of Daniel
The three men who were cast into the fur
mace had the same faith. They claimed that
God would deliver them. 1t was an aye
when faith was stronger. Men were nearer
those great events like the flood, the destruc-
ton Of the cities of the plain,
which showed Gods power to in
terfere. 1t was an age Of miracles.
Men saw God preserving the good Faith