The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-02-14

that | shall escape most fearful death.
But this was not the question with him
He knew that he could not obey til,
King in this particular without SHINING
against God. Noble young man How
many there are who compromise with evi
under much less trying circumstances
| than those which surrounded Daniel
There are some who may be regarded as
policy men. You do not know where to
| find them when interests of vital import.
ance are at stake. They consent to that
They say, Il am in public business, and
am dependent on the community for my
support. AS do not wish the ill will of
any one, you will please excuse me from
taking sides" DO you suppose that
Daniel would have talked after this
manner? No, he would have been
ashamed to associate with such milk and
water men. With him the great ques-
ton was, what Is duty? and when in
formed, he did it though the roar of the
lions was in his ears. Young men, imi-
tate his example. Dare to do right, dare
to DO true, aud it will be well with you :;
for the work of righteousness is peace,
and the effect thereof, quietuess aud as
surance forever. Again, his piety loaS de-
g0tjonal. He prayed and gave thanks be-
his (,hI III 10 ,,l
unbending like the sturdy oak, and he
derived his strength from "a daily COM
munion with God. When he knew the
writing was slgued, he went into his
house, and his windows being open to
ward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon lis
knees and prayed and gave thanks before
his God, as he did atoretime. The ex-
preston, las he did aioretime," shows
that prayer was his daily habit he
prayed three times day, that is, he re-
tired into his chamber for secret prayer
three times day. Though his life was
a busy one, he still found time to pray.
lie is not therefore surprising that 'he
had an excellent spirit in him." nor is it
to be wondered at, that the princes aud
presidents of Babylon who conspired
The man who imagines that his business
allows him no time to pray, makes
great mistake. Prayer gives strength to
the spirit, iOrtitude to the soul; it tran
quillzes the mind lifts the believer above,
aud gives him the victory over the
world. Young men, nothing can insure
a safe passage through this world like a
lie of prayer. 1t was not B!byIon that
made Daniel great, but Jerusalem. He
went into his chamber, he looked to-
ward Jerusalem, to the holy of holies he
looked toward God. His strength was
not in Baby Ion but in Jerusalem, the
city of the great King. If you have not
yet begun to look Heavenward, look at
once. Make God your friend and if He
is for You, who can be against you?
Again, his piety aoas heroic. When Bel.
shazzar made a great feast to a thousand
of his lords, and drank wine before the
thousand, he commanded that they
should bring the golden vessels which
his father, Nebuchaduezzar had taken
out OF the temple at Jerusalem. Aud as
they were there drinking wine and prais,
ing their gods of silver and OF gold, in
the same hour there came forth the ting-
ers of mans hand and wrote over
against the candle stick upon the plaster
of the wall of the Kings palace, and the
King saw the part of the hand that
wrote, aud his countenance was changed
and his thoughts troubled him, so that
the joints of his lons were loosed and
his knees smote one against the other.
Aud when the wise meu and the astrolo-
gers could not interpret the writing,
Daniel was sent for, II whom the King
said, ''if thou canst read the writing and
make known the Interpretation thereof,
thou shalt be clothed i'll scarlet aud have
a chain of gold about thy neck aud thou
shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.
And Daniel answered and said, Let thy
gifts be to thyself and give thy rewards
to another. Yet will read the writing
to the King and make known the inter.
probation" After reviewing the life of
his father, NehuchadDezzar, he turned
npon the King aud said, Thou, o Bel
shazzar, his son, hast not bled thine
heart and thou knowest all this. You
have lifted up YOUR heart against the
Lord of Heaven and have drank wine
out of the sacred vessels of his house
and have praised the gods OF gold and of
silver which can neither see nor hear.
And the God in whose hand thy breath
is, and whose are all thy ways, thou hast
not gloritied. This is the writing that
Was written and this is the interpreta.
ton. Mene-God hath numbered thy
kingdom and finished 1t. Tekel-thou
Art weighed in balance and found want.
ing. Peres-thy kingdom is divided and
given to the Modes aud Persians. In the
'dne uiSu1 was DolsuaZZ 1t, Ming OF the
Chaldeans, slain. What sublime courage.
Daniel does not talk like subject to a
king, but as ii he himself We're "a king
seated on his throne and addressing the
neanest culprit in his realm. What
gave him such boldness? 1t WAS his relig.
Gus character; he now stands as Gods
to the king, to declare the
judgments OF Heaven which were at
;he very door, and he did it without fear.
traits which stood prominent in the life
IF this model young man. HIS piety was
practical, devotional and heroic. He
Stunned no duty, feared no danger. He
was as true to God as is the needle to the
pole. No wonder that on one occasion
As he was praying aud making supplica-
ion before the LORD, that an angel APP
peared to him saying, "Oh, Daniel, | am
zone to give thee skill and understand
lug, for thou art greatly beloved. 1t is
still true that the man who possesses
these traits OF character is greatly beloved
in Heaven. Then initiate the example
Of this model young man and be true to
ID.
School Commissioners.
The board met on Tuesday all the
members being present
The quarterly accounts OF the schools