The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-09-17
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject. "ln the Lions DEM

LENT: !hen the KtnG commanded, ana
uiey Drought Daniel and cast hin, into the
den of lions. s."-Daniel vi, 1G.
Darius WIS King of Babylon, and tho
young man Daniel was so much favorite
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 de.nagogues in Babylon who were SO
0pprecative 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
1t 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 thew
want, because they know that no ono can
keep Daniel from sending petitions before
God for thirty days.
80 far from being afraid, Daniel goes on
with his supplications 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
or 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
earth quakes with their believing. see their
eyes roll, and I almost hear the fiery eve
balls snap i'll 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 we'll 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
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 waken. Darius goes to
the den OF lions; be looks in. ALI 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 servest con-
tinually able to deliver thee!" There comes
rolling up from the deep darkness a voice
which says: 20 King! live forever. Ny God
has sent His angel to shut the lions mouths
that they have not hurt me.n
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
Zones 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 he should be flung to
the lions? He got to be prime minister.
They could not forgive him for that, and be-
hold in that touch Of unsanctified human
nature as seen in all nSes Of the world. So
long as you are pinched il poverty, so long
as you are running the gauntlet between
landlord and the tax Catherer, so long as you
find it hard work to educate your children,
there are people who will say, Poor man, I
am sorry for him; he ought to succeed, poor
manm
But after while tho 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 to 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 he scowled 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.
b;,.l
stone in your new house is laid OH 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 virtu-
Gus, if 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
said the snowflake to the snowbird. "Why
don't you like me-" said the snowbird.
sOhr' said the snowflake, you are going
up and 1 am coming down." Young mer:
chants, young lawyers, young doctors, young
mechanics, young artists, young farmers, at
certain times there were those to SYM
pathize with you, but now that you are be-
coming master of your particular occupa-
tion or profession, how is it now, young
lawyers, young doctors, young artists, young
far1ners-how is it now? The greatest crime
that YOU can commit is the crime Of success.
Again, my subject impresses me with th
value Of decision Of character in any depart
ment. Daniel knew that if he continued hi
adherence to the religion Of the Lord h
would be hurled to the lions, but having SET
his compass we'll he sailed right on.
For the lack of that element Of decision oil
character so eminent in Daniel many mer
are ruined for this world, and ruined for the
world to 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 60 West. Per-
haps they will go East. Perhaps they will
not. Perhaps they will 60 North. Perhaps
they may go South. Perhaps they will not
rerhaps they may mako that invest
ment in real estate or in railroads.
Perhaps they will not. They are like
a steamer that should 60 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
these men on the seq of life. everlastingly
tacking ship aud making no headway. Or
they are like man who starts to build a
house in the Corinthian style and changes
it to Doric, and then completes it 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
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