Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-09-01
RELIGION IN POLITICS.
Or. TALMAGE'S PRACTICAL SERMON
FOR PRACTICAL MEN

When the Ballot Box rs Surrounded by
Corruption Is the Time for the Chris
tian to Work Hartiest-DanieI's Expe-
ricnec.
WACO. Tex, Aug 31-Dr. Talmage
today delivered the following discourse
I'd. and they brought Daniel and cast
him into the den of lions Daniel
81, Is
Darius was king of Babylon, and the
young man Daniel was so much ia
vorite with him that he made him
prime minister, or secretary of state.
But no man could gain such high po-
sition 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
of the lightning.
These demagogues asked the king to
make a decree that anybody that made
petition to any one except the KING
within thirty days should be put to
death King Darius, not suspectlng
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 supplications three times u
day, and is found on his housetop 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. hear the growl of the
wild beasts, and I 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 ap-
petite 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
a 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.
SAVED BY GOD.
But not so well does Darius the king
sleep. He loves Daniel, and hates this
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
waken. Darius goes to the den of Ii
ons; 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 thee?" There comes rolling up
from the deep darkness a voice which
says: 80 kingl 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 hurled into
it, and no sooner have they struck the
4 &C.
rent, and their bones cracked, and their
blood spurted through the riffs of the
rock, and as the liens 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.
THE CRIME OF SUCCESS.
Learn first from this subject that the
greatest crime that you can commit i'll
the eyes of many is the crime of sue
cess. 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 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
between landlord and tax gatherer, so
long as you find it hard work to edu-
cate 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
Nbot +o10
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 more 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 dishon-
estly," says another. 'Will burst soon, y
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 virtuous, if you are more wise, if
you are more influential, you cast a
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. Il do not like you," said the
snowflake to the snowbird. ''Why
don't you like me?" said the snowbird.
''Ohl" said the snowflake, you are
going up and 1 am coming down"
Young merchants, young lawyers,
young doctors. young mechanics,
young artists, young farmers, at GER
tain times there were those to SYM
pathize with you, but now that
you are becoming master of your
particular occupation or profession,
how is it now, young lawyers, young
doctors, young artists, young farmers,
how is it now? The greatest crime that
you can commit is the crime of success.
DECISION OF CHARACTER.