Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-04
Discourse of DR.. Talmage in the
City Of Waco Yesterday.
Being Cast Into the Lions Den, Daniel
Emerges Therefrom Unframed.
A Beautiful Story.
Character is Like the Goldflnch Of TonquIn
Magnificent While stan ling Firm, but
Loses Its Eeau,y 70 Flight.


o-day delivered the following discourse
on the text: "Then the king com.
manded, and they brought Daniel and
cast him into the den of lions.'' Daniel
vi, l6.
Darius was king of Babylon, and the
young man Daniel was so much favor
lie with him that he made him prime
minister, or secretary of state. But nc
man could gain such high position with
out exciting the envy and jealousy of the
people, There were demagogues In
Babylon who were 20 apprecIative OF
their own abilities that they were af-
fronted at the elevation OF this young
man. Old Babylon was afraid of young
Babylon. The taller the cedar, the
more apt Il is TO be rIyen of the light
ming.
These demagogues asked the king to
make decree that anybody that made a
petition TO any one except the king with
in thirty days should be put TO death.
King Darius, not suspecting any foul
play, makes that decree. The dema-
gOguss 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 supplicntions three times a
day, and is founo on his housetop max
ing prayer. He is caught III the act. He
is condemned to be devoured by the
lions. Rough execute 1ers of the law
seize him aud hasten him to the cavern.
l hear the growl of the wild beasts, and
see them
PAVING THE DUST,
and as they put their mouths to the
ground the solid earth quakes with their
believing. l see their eyes roll, and l
almost hear the 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 q strange welcome
Daniel receives from these hungry mon
sters. They fawn around him, they lick
his hand, they bury mis- feet in their long
name. That night he has calm sleep
with his head plllowed on the warm
necks of the tanned lions.
But not so well does Darius the king
sleep. He loves Daniel, and hates the
stratagem by which he has been con-
demned. All night long the king walks
the floor He cannot sleep. At the
least sound he starts and his flesh creeps
with horror. He is impatient for the
dawnIng of the morning. AT the first
streak of the daylight Darius hastens
forth TO see the fate of Daniel. The
heavy palace doors open and clang shut
long before the people of the city wakeu.
I'm hu pF ha
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, go DAN
iell is the God whom thou servest contin-
ually able to deliver thee?" There
comes rolling up from the deep darkness
voice which says: 30 king! live for
ever. My God has sent his angel to
shut the lions mouth that they have not
hurt me.
Then Daniel is brought out from the
den. The demagogues are hurled 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 squirtPd through the riffs of the
rock, and as the lions make the rock
trrmble with their roar, they announce
to all ages that while God will defend
His people, the way of
THE UNGoDLY SHALL PERISH.
Learn first from this subject that the
greatest crime that you can commit in
the eyes of many is the crime of success.
What had Daniel done that he should be
flung to the lions? He got to be prime
minister. They could not forgive him
for that, and behold in that touch or
human nature as seen in all
ages of the world. So long US you are
punched in poverty, so long as you are
running the gauntlet between landlord
and tax gatherer, so long as you find it
hard work TO educate your children,
there are people who Will say, "Poor
man, 1 am sorry for him; he ought to
succeed, poor manu-
But after awhile the tide turns in your
favor. That was profitable investment
you made. You bought at just the
right time. Fortune becomes good
humored and smiles upon you. Now you
are being in some department success
full, your success chllls 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 more influence
than they have, and you ought to be
scowied at from under the rim of their
hats. You catch a word or two as you
passed by them. 'Stuck up,' says
oue. "Got it dishonestly,' says an
other. "WilI burst soon says a 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 re-
;pect you rise above your fellows, il you
are more virtuous, If you are more wise,
# you are more influential, you cast a !
shadow on the prospect of others. The
road to honor ana success is within reach |
IF the enemy's guns. Jealousy says: |
Stay down. or III knock you downs
i do not like you, - said the snowflake |
10 the snow bird. why dou't you like |
ne?' said the snowbird. "0h!" said |
he snowflake, '.you are going up aud l
am coming down. Young merchants, |
Young lawyers, young doctors, young |
young artists, young far
ners, at certain times there were those |
% sympathize with you, but now that |
ron are becoming master of your partic-
llar occupation or profession, how is it
low, young lawyers, young doctors.
Toung artists. Young farmers-how is ii
lowF The greatest crime that you can,
commit is the crime of success
A 4