Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-05-20
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: Lessons From the Story
of Daniel"

equal to what Daniel was III reality! A
young man, far away from home, intro
duced into the most magnificent and most
dissolute palace of all the earth. The king,
wishing to make this young man prodigy
in personal appearance, orders his attend
ants to see that he has plenty of meat ami
wine, and Daniel refuses these delicacies and
insists on vegetable diet refusing every
thing but pulse and water, waving back all
the rich viands with a determined ''No; l
thank you" He surpasses all the princes in
brilliancy. As this sun risss higher and
higher in the tirmanent it puts out all the
stars, and if there is anything the stars hate
it is the sun.
Daniel becomes so much of a favorite
with King Darius that our young hero is
promoted to he prime minister or secretary
of state-the Frelinghuysen the Bis
marck of the ancients But ever
attained so 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 occu-
pations. l am sorry to say you see it as
mucn among clergymen among other
classes of men. 1t is passion bitter as hell
and it is Immediately recognized, and yet,
though it 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 young
man as Daniel. They said: why, we
know more than he does. Wec could manage
the public affairs better than he can manage
them. The idea of putting Dan i'll such
place as that" Old Babylon was afraid Of
young Babylon. They began to plot his
ruin. He was an illustrious target. Tie
taller the cedar the more apt to be struck
with the lightning.
These demagogues asked Darius to make
an unalterable decree that any man who
within thirty days shall ask petition of
any one except the king, shall be put to
death. Darius not mistrusting any foul
play, makes such decree. The demagogues
have accomplished their purpose for they
knew that Daniel would not stop sending up
petitions to his God, and Daniel instead of
being affrighted by the decree, went three
times day to his housetop for prayer. He
is caught in the act. He is condemned to
be devoured by the lions. Such healthy
young man will be for the leonine monarchs
the best banquet they ever had. By the
rough executioners of the law he is hurried
away toward the den.
hear the growl of the monsters, and
their paving of the dust and as their mouths
are placed to the ground the solid earth
quakes with their below. The door is re.
moved 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 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 night Daniels sleep is 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 stratagem by
which his favorite had been condemned.
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 a coward. He watches
eagerly for the dawn, which seems SO long in
tarrying. At the first streak of light he
starts out to find out 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
pecting 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 up out of the 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 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 monsters 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.
l Now, you see from this subject that in the
( eyes of many the greatest Offense you can
| commit is success. Of what crime had this
| young man been guilty that he should come
| under the bitter, hatred of the demagogues?
Why. he had gone to be prime minister Of
| Babylon. That they could not forgive. Be-
| hold in this sketch touch of human nature!
| AS long as poverty pinches you, and you run
| the gauntlet between taxgatherer and land
| lord, and YOU have hard work to educate
| your children, there will be multitudes to
say: "Poor fellow. he ought to succeed. How
sorry I am for him"
But after awhile you begin to emerge from
| the darkness That was capital invest
| ment. You purchased at just the right time.
| Fortune became good natured and smiled.
| You builded your own house. You got to
| be one of the first men on the street. Now
| as you pass a number Of those late SYM
| pathizers stand on the corner of the street.
| They scowl at you from under the rim of
| their hats. You have more money now
| than they have, and you ought to be scowled
| at from under the rim of their hats.
Before you get fully past you hear a word
| or two. Stuck up" says one. Didn't get
| ithonestly," says another. "Will burst soon, ~
! says third. Every stone in your new
| house was laid on their heart. Your horses
| hoofs went over their nerves. Your carriage
! tire cut their neck. What have you done,
| outrageous culprit? You ought to be cast to
| the lions. You have dared to achieve sue
| cess. Depend upon it that if in any one re-
| spect you rise far above your fellows-if you
| are more truthful, more wise, more eloquent,
| more infiuential-the shadow of your success
| will chill somebody. The road of honor and
| virtue is within reach of the enemies guns.
| Jealousy says, Stay down or [ will knock
| you down." In midair a snowflake said to
| snowbird, 81 don't like YOU" "Why don't