The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-05-13
AT THE TABERNACLE.
DR., TALMAeE MoRALlzES ON THE
LESSON OF DANIELS EXPERIENCE.

1
Political and Commercial Lions.
BROOKLYN, May s,-Dr, Talmage tool
for his subject today the character O
Daniel, and drew from it lessons o.
sound practical value for the young
men, of whom so large a number are
always to be seen among the most eager
and attentive listeners in the Tabernacle
congregations, His text was Daniel vi
2, Daniel was first"
Where in romance can you find any
thing equal to what Daniel was in real
ityP A young man, far away from home
introduced into the most magnificent
and most dissolute palace of all the
earth The king, wishing TO make this
young man prodigy in personal ap
pearance, orders his attendants to SET
that he has plenty of meat and wine
and Daniel refuses these delicacies and
insists on a vegetable diet, refusing
everything but pulse and water, waving
back all the rich viands with a deter,
mined mo, thank you" He sur,
passes all the princes in brilliancy. Al
this sun rises higher and higher in the
| armament it 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 sec.
tetary of state-=:the Frelinghuysen OF
the Bismarck of the ancients. But nc
man ever attained such high position
without exciting the envy of others.
The meanest and wrathiest passion OF
the soul is jealousy. You see it among
all professions and occupations. l am
sorry to say you see 1t as much among
clergynen as among other classes of men.
1t is passion bitter as hell and it is i'm
mediately recognized, and yet, though
1t blackens the man who INDUCES in it,
men will kindle this fire which consumes
only themselves.
There were demagogues in Babylon,
who, highly appreciative of their own
capacity, doubted the policy of elevating
such a young man as Daniel. They
said: why, we know more than he
, does. We could manage the public af-
fairs better than he can manage them.
The idea of putting Dan in such place
as that Old Babylon was afraid of
young Babylon. They began to plot his
ruin. He was an illustrious target.
The taller the cedar the more apt to be
struck with the lightning
THE MALICE OF DEMAGOGUES.
These demagogues asked Darius to
make All hnalterable decree that any
man who within thirty days Shall ask a
petition of any one except the king shall
be put to death. Darius, not mistrust-
ing any foul play, makes such decree.
The demagogues have accomplished
their purpose, for they knew that Dan
iel would not stop sending up petitions
to his God; and Daniel, instead of being
atfrighted by the decree, went three
times a dayto his housetop for prayer.
He Is caught in the act He is con-
demned to be devoured by the lions:
Such healthy young man will be fot
the leonine monarchs the best banquet
they ever had. By the rough execution:
ers of the law he is hurried away toward
the den. hear the growl of the mon
eters and their paving of the dust, and
as their mouth is placed to the ground
the solid earth quakes with their bel
| low. 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 ap-
proach the defenseless man. Their ap-
petite was sharp with hunger. One
stroke of their paw, one crunch of their
teeth and he would have been Efeless.
How strange welcome Daniel receives
from the monsters. They fawn about
him. They cover his feet with their
long names. They are struck with the
lockjaw. That night Daniels sleep IL
calm and undisturbed, with his head
pillowed on the warm neck of the tanned
lions.
But King Darius was not so happy.
| He loved Daniel and he hated the strata
| gem by which his favorite had been con-
demned. He PAGES his floor all night.
He cannot sleep. At the least sound he
starts and his flesh creeps with horror.
| A bad conscience will make the bravest
man coward. He watches eagerly for
the dawn, which seems SO long in tarry.
ing. At the first streak of light he
starts out to find the fate of Daniel.
The palace gate opens. and jars heavily
behind him while yet the city is asleep.
He comes to the den. He looks through
the crevices, but sees nothing. He dare
not speak. Expecting 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
continually able to deliver thee from
the lions?" An answer comes rolling ny
out of the deep darkness: "Oh, king
live forever. My 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 dem.
agogues who made the plot are thrown
in. But they hardly struck the bottom
of the den when their flesh rent, and
their bones cracked, and the blood
spurted through the riffs, while the
fierce monsters shook the rocks with
their terrible roar, announcing to al
ages the truth that while God defends
his people. the way of the wicked shall
perish.
JEALOUSY Is CRUEL AS THE GRAVE.
Now you see from this subject that il
the eyes Of many the greatest offens.
you can commit is success. Of wha
crime had this young man been guilty
that he should come under the bittel
hatred of the demagogues? Why, h,
had got to be prime minister of Baby
lon. That they could not forgive. Be
hold in this sketch touch of human
nature. As long as poverty pinches you
and you run the gantlet between tn
taxgatherer and the landlord, and yo,
have hard work to educate your chill
dren, there will be multitudes of men t
say: Poor fellow. He ought to succeed
How sorry l am fcr him." But ate
awhile you begin to emerge from tn
darkness. That was capital invest
ment. You purchased at just the RICH
time. Fortune became good natured an
smiled. You builded your own house
You got to be one of the first men O