The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1890-09-12
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
The Lessons Taught by the Story
of Daniel.
True Religion Not for the Sabbath and
the Church Alone, but to be Pres
ent at All Times as Guide
to Our Lives.

Rev. t. Dewitt Talmage delivered
the following discourse at Waco, Tex,
on a recent visit to that place, taking
as his text:
Then the King commanded. and they
| brought Daniel and cast him into the den OF
| lions-Daniel vi. 10.
Darius was King of Babylon, and the
young man Daniel was so much favor
ite with him that he made him Prime
Minister, or Secretary of State. But
no man could gain such high position
without exciting the envy and jealousy
of the people. There were demagogues
in Babylon who were so appreciative of
their own abilities that they were
affronted at the elevation of this young
man. Old Babylon was afraid of young
Babylon. The taller the cedar the
more apt it is to be riven by the light
ming.
These demagogues asked the King to
make decree that any body that made
a petition to any one except the King
within thirty days should be put to
death. King Darius, not suspecting
any foul play, makes that decree. The
demagogues have accomplished all they
want, because they know that no one
can keep Daniel from sending petitions
before God for thirty days.
So far from being afraid, Daniel goes
on with his applications three times a
day, and is found on his house-top max
ing prayer. He is caught in the act.
He is condemned te be devoured by the
lions. Rough executioners of the law
seize him and hasten him to the cavern.
hear the growl of the wild beasts, and
l see them paving the dust, and as they
put their mouths to the ground the
solid earth quakes with their believing.
/ SEQ their eyes roll, and l almost hear
tho fiery eyeballs snap in the darkness.
These monsters approach Daniel. They
have an appetite keen with hunger.
With one stroke of their paw or one
snatch OF their teeth they may leave
him dead at the bottom of the cavern.
But what strange welcome Daniel re-
ceives from these hungry monsters
They fawn around him, they lick his
hand, they bury his feet in their long
name. That night he has calm sleep,
with his head pillowed on the warm
necks OF the tanned lions.
But not so well does Darius, the King,
sleep. He loves Daniel, and hates this
stratagem by which he has been con-
DENIED. All night long the King walks
the floor. He can not sleep. At the
least sound he starts, and his flesh
| creeps with horror. lie is impatient
for the dawing of the morning. At the
first streak of the daylight Darius hast
ems forth to see the fate of Daniel.
The heavy palace doors open and clang
shut long before the people of the city
waken. Darius goes to the den of lions;
| he looks in. All is silent His heart
stops. He feels that the very worst has
happened; but gathering all his
strength, he shouts through the riffs of
the rock: 80, Daniell is the God whom
thou servest continually able to deliver
three?" There comes rolling up from
the deep darkness a voice which says:
20, King! live forever. My God has
sent His angel to shut the lions
mouths that they have not hurt me-"
Then Daniel is brought out from the
den The demagogues are hurried into
it, and no sooner have they struck the
| bottom of the den than their flesh was
rent, and their bones cracked, and their
blood spurted through the riffs of the
rock, and as the lions make the rocks
tremble with their roar, they announce
to all ages that while God will defend
His people, the way of the ungodly
slall perish.
| Learn first from this subject that the
greatest crime you can commit in the
eyes of many is the crime of success.
What had Daniel done that he should
DO flung to the lions? lie got to be
Primo Minister. They could not for
| give him for that, and behold in that a
touch of unsanctified human nature as
seen in all ages of the world. So long
as you are pinched in poverty, SO long
as you are running the gauntlet be-
| tween landlord and taxgatherer, so long
as you find it hard work to educate your
children, there are people who will say:
Poor man, l am sorry for him; he
ought to succeed, poor mani"
But after awhile the tide turns in
your favor. That was a profitable in
vestment you made. You bought at
/ Just the right time. Fortune becomes
| good-humored and smiles upon you.
Now you are being in some department
successful, your success chills some one.
Those men who used to sympathize
with you stand along the street, and
they scowl at you from under the rim
OF their hats. You have more money or
moro influence than they have, and you
ought to be scowled at from under the
rim of their hats. You catch a word or
two as you passed by them. stuck
up" says one. 'Got it dishonestly,'
says another "Wiu burst soon," says
third. Every stone in your new house
is laid on their hearts. Your horses
hoofs went over their nerves.
Every item of your success has been
to them an item of discontinue and
despair. just as soon as in any respect
you rise above your fellows, if you are
moro influential, you cast a shadow on
tho prospect of others. The road to
honor and success is within reach of
the enemy's guns. jealousy says: Stay
down, or I'll knock you down" 81
don't like you," said the snowflake to
the snowbird. why don't you like
me?" said the snowbird. "Ohr' said
the snowflake, you are going up
and / am coming down" Young
merchants, young lawyers, young
doctors, young mechanics, young
artists, young farmers, at certain
times thore were those to sympathize
| with you, but now that you are becom-
ing master of your particular occupa-
ton or profession. how is it now, young
lawyers, young doctor, young artists,
| yoang farmers-how is it now? The
greatest crime that you can commit is
the crime of success.