The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-09-11
TALMAGES SERMON.
The Lessons Taught by the Story
of Daniel.
True Religion Not for the Sabbath and
the Church Alone, but to be Pres
Ont at All Times as a Guide
90 Our Lives.

che following discourse at Waco, Tex,
on . 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, l6.
Darius was King of Babylon, and the
young man Daniel was so much favor
/ lite with him that he made him Primo
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
afIronted at the elevation of this young
man. Old Babylon was afraid of young
Babylon. The taller tho cedar the
more apt it is to be riven by the light
ming.
! These demagogues asked the King to
mako 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 TO be devoured by the
/ lions. Rough executioners Of the law
! seize him and 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.
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 re-
| cciveS 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 we'll 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 no starts, and his flesh
| creeps with horror. lie is impatient
for the dawing of the morning. At the
! first streak of tho 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: 30, Daniel is the God whom
thou servest continually able to deliver
three?' There comes rolling up from
the deep darkness 4 voice which says:
80, King! live forever. My God has
sent His angel to shut the lions
mouths that they have not hurt NO."
Then Daniel is brought out from the
/ den. The demagogues are hurried into
/ 1t, 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 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 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 arc 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, ! am sorry for him; he
ought to succeed, poor mani"
But after awhile the tide turns in
your favor. That was profitable in
vestment you made. You bought at
tust the right time. Fortune becomes
good-humored and smiles upon you.
Now you are being in some department
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 word or
two as you passed by them. "Stuck
up" says one. Got it dishonesty"
says another. "Will 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
more influential, you cast shadow on
the 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 th~ snowflake to
thu snowbird. "Why don't you like
me2" said the snowbird. "Oh!" 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 there were those to sympathize
with you. but now that you are becom-
ing master of your particular occupa-