Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-05-12
DANIEL AND DARIUS.
DR.. TALMAeE's PRACTICAL DIS
COURSE TO YOUNG MEN.

Tho Value of Character and Codliness.
BhooELYN, May s.-Dr. Talmage took
Tor hissubiect today the character of Dan
lei and drew from it lessons of sound prac-
tical value for the young men, of whom SO
large number are always to be seen
among the most eager and attentive listen
rrs III the Tabernacle congregations. His
text was Daniel vi, ., Daniel WAS first"
mere IN romance can you find anything
equal to what Daniel was in reality? A
/ young man, far away from home, intro
nlced into the most magnificent and most
absolute palace of all the earth The king,
wishing to make this young man prod
ICY IN personal appearance, orders his at
tendants To see that he has plenty of meat
aud wine, and Daniel refuses these delica-
cies and insists on vegetable diet, refus-
ing everything but pulse and water, wav-
ing back all the rich viands with deter
mined No; ! thank you" He surpasses
all the princes in brilliancy. As this sun
rises higher and higher in the armament,
II puts out all the stars, and If there is
anything the stars hate it is the sun.
Daniel becomes so much of favOrite
with King Darius that our young hero is
promoted TO be prime minister or secretary
Of state-the Frelinghuysen or the Bis
inarck of the ancients. But no man ever
attained such high position without excit-
ing the envy of others. The meanest and
wrathiest passion of the soul is jealousy.
lou see il among all professions and occu-
pations am sorry to say you see it as
much among clergymen as among other
classes OF men. 1t is passion bitter as
nell and 1t il Immediately recognized, and
yet, though It blackens the man who in
duges in it. men will kindle this fire
which consumes only themselves.
| There were demagoguesin Babylon, who,
highly appreeiative of their own capacity,
doubted the policy of elevating such
young man rs Daniel. They said: "Why,
we know more than he does We could
manage the public affairs better than he
can manage them The idea of putting
\ Dan in such place as that Old Baby
Ion was afraid of young Babylon They
began TO plot his ruin. He was an illustri-
Gus target The taller the cedar the more
apt 10 be struck with the lightning.
| These demagogues asked Darius TO
make an unalterahle decree that any man
who within thirty days shall ask petit
ton of any one except the king, shall be
] pun w DdilhS, ihb tillNtfuNlillE any
foul play makes such a decree The dem.
agogues have accomplished their purpose,
for they knew that Daniel would not stop
sending up petitions to his God, and Dam
el. instead of being affrighted by the de-
cree, went three times a day to his house
top for prayer. He is caught in the act
He is condemned to be devoured by the
lions Such healthy young man will be
~ 81 h.
they ever had. BY the rough execution
ers of the law he is hurried away toward
the den.
IN THE LIONS DEN.
hear the growl of the monsters, ANA
their paving of the dust. and as their
mouth is placed to the ground the solid
earth quakes with their below. The door
is removed and Daniel showed into the den,
which was all agleam with fiery eyeballs
that seem TO roll and snap in the caverns.
They approach the defenseless man. Their
appetite was sharp with hunger. One
stroke of their paw, one crunch Of their
teeth and he would have been lifeless
How strange welcome Daniel receives
from the monsters. They fawn about him.
They cover his feet with their long name
They are struck with the lock Jaw That
turbed. with his head pillowed on the
warm neck of the tanned lions.
But King Darius was not SO happy. lie
loved Daniel and he hated the stratagem
by which his favorite had been condemned.
II PAGES his floor all night. He cannot
sleep. At the least sound he starts and
his flesh creeps with horror. A bad con-
science will make the bravest man cow
ard. He watches eagerly for the dawn,
which seems 50 long in tarrying. At the
first streak Of light he starts out TO find
ont the fate Of Daniel The palace gate
opens and jars heavily behind him while
vet the city is asleep. lie comes to the
den. He looks through the erevices but
sees nothing. He dare not speak. Expect
ing the worst, his heart stops.
Gathering strength. he puts his mouth
TO the riffs in the rock and cries, "Oh,
Daniel, is thy God whom thou servest con
tinually able to deliver thee from the
lionss" An answer comes rolling up out
of the darkaess: "0h. king. live forever.
NV God hath sent his angel and hath shut
the lions mouths. that they have not hurt
me. " The young man is brought out and the
demagogues who made the plot are thrown
in. But they hardly struck the bottom OF
the den when their flesh is rent, and their
bones cracked, and their blood spurted
through the riffs, while the fierce mon
sters shook the rocks with their terrible
roar. announcing TO all ages the truth that
while God defends his people, the way Of
the wicked shall perish.
THE oFFENsE or SUCCESS.
Now, you see from this subject that in
the eyes OF many the greatest ofiense you
can commit is success. OF what crime had
this young man been guilty that he should
come under the bitter hatred Of the dema-
rogues9 Why. he had got to be prime
minister of Babylon. That they could not
forpive. Behold in this sketch touch Of
human naturel As long as poverty pinches
YOU. and you run the gauntlet between
taxgatherer and landlord, and you have
hard work to educate your children, there
VIII be multitudes to say; Poor fellow.
He ought to succeed. How sorry am for
himf'
But after awhile you begin TO emerge
from the darkness That was a capital
investment You purchased at Just TIE