Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-09-11
SUNDAYS SERMON.
ONE OF REV. DIR. TALMAGE's
STERLING DIsCoURsEs-
Subject. I'm the Lions DEM

with him that he made him Prime Minister
or Secretary Of State. But no man could
gain such a high position without exciting
the envy and jealousy of the people. There
were demagogues in Babylon who were 80
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
tt Is TO be riven OF the lightning.
These demagogues asked the King to make
decree that anybody that made a petition
to anyone except the King within thirty days
should be put to death. King Darius, not
suspecting 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 day. and
is found on his housetop making prayer. He
Is caught in the act He is condemned to 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 see them paving the dust, and as they
put their mouths to the ground the solid
earth quakes with their believing. see their
eyes roll, and l almost hear the fiery eye
balls 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 receives
from these hungry monsters They fawn
around him; they lick his hand: they bury
his feet in their long names. 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 condemned. All night
long the King walks the floor. He cannot
Rlapn AT the lQacf sound ha 90 rte a IA.
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 waken Darius goes TO
the den of lions; he looks In. All is silent He
heart stops. He feels that the very worst
has happened: but gathering all his strength
he shouts through the riffs of the rock: 20
Daniel is the God whom thou seryest CON
tinually able TO deliver theer 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.n
Then Daniel is brought out from the de,i
The demagogues are hurled into il, 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 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 be should be flung TO
the honsi He got to be prime minister
They could not forgive him for that, and be-
hold IN that touch Of unsancti6ed 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 between
landlord and the tax gatherer, 30 long as you
find it hard work to educate your children.
there are people who viii say, 'Poor man, /
am sorry for him; he ought to succeed, poor
manm
But after while the tide turns in your
favor That was a 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 successful your success chills
some one. Those men who used 10 sym
pathize 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 scowed at from under
the rim OF their hats. You catch a word or
two as you pass by them. Stuck up says
one one. Got it dishonesty says another.
win 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 respect you rise
above your fellows, if you are more virtu-
Gus, II you are more wise, If you are more
influential, you cast shadow on the pros
pect 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" Il do not like you.n |
said the snowflake to the snowbird. 1why |
don't you like mey' said the snowbird. |
'OhF' said the snowflake, ''you are going |
up and l am coming down" Young mer- |
chants, young lawyers, young doctors, young |
mechanics, young artists young farmers, at |
certain times there were those 10 SYM |
pathize with you, but now that you are be-
coming master OF your particular occups-
ton or profession, how is it now, young |
lawyers young doctors, young artists, young |
farmers-how is it nows The greatest crime |
that you can commit is the crime Of success.
Again my subject impresses mo with III
value OF decision Of character in any depart |
ment. Daniel knew that il he continued hi |
adherence to the religion of the Lord h, |
would DO hurled TO the lions but having eat
Ais compass well he sailed right on
For the lack Of that element OF decision OF /
Sno4 oCoeF 10 eminent IN Daniel many men
are ruined for this world, and ruined for tho /
world 70 come. A great many at forty |
years OF age are not settled in any respect |
because they have not been able to make up /
their mind. Perhaps they will go West Per- |
haps they will go East. Perhaps they will |
not. Perhaps they will go North. Perhaps |
they may 20 South. Perhaps they will not. |
Perhaps they may make that invest /
ment in real estate or in railroads.
Perhaps they will not. They are like
a steamer that should go out of /
New York harbor. starting for Glasgow. and
the next day should change for Havre de
Grace, and the next for Charleston, and the
next for Boston, and the next for Liverpool l
these men on the sea Of life, everlastingly |
lacking ship aud making no Roadway or J,
they are like man who starts TO build |
house in the Corinthian style and changes
It to Doric aud then completes il in the |
Ionic, and is cursed by all styles of archi-
lecture.
Young man, start right and keep on.
Have decision OF character. Character Is /
like the goldfinch Of Tonquin: it is magnif-
cent while standing firm, but losses all its
beauty In fight. How much decision OF /
character in order that these young men NAV
H. Nl.rfae III.