Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-05-19
DANIEL AND DARIUS.
DR.. TALMAeE's PRACTICAL DIS
COURSE TO YOUNG MEN.

The Value Of Character and Goodness.
BRooKLYS. May s-Dr. Talmage took
for his subject today the character Of Dan
iel and drew from it lessons of sound prac-
tical value for the young men, of whom SO
large a number are always to be seen
among the most eager and attentive listen
.ers iu the Tabernacle congregations His
text was Daniel vi, 2, Daniel was first"
Where in romance can you find anything
equal TO what Daniel was in realityi A
young man, far away from home, intro
duced into the most magnificent and most
dissolute palace of all the earCh. The king,
wishing to make this young man a prod
ICY in personal appearance, orders his at
tendants to see that he has plenty of meat
and wine, and Daniel refuses these delica-
cies and insists on a vegetable diet, refus-
ing everything but pulse and water, wav-
ing back all the rich viands with deter
mined mo; thank you" He surpasses
all the princes in brilliancy. AS 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 a favorite
with King Darius that our young hero is
promoted to be prime minister or secretary
of state-the Frelinghuysen or the Bis
smarck 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
You see it 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 q passion bitter as
hell and it is Immediately recognized, and
yet, though it blackens the man who in
'dulges 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 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 to be struck with the lightning.
These demagogues asked Darius to
make an unalterable decree that any man
who within thirty days shall ask petit
tion Of any one except the king, shall be
put to death. Darius, not mistrusting any
foul play, makes such decree. The dem.
agogues have accomplished their purpose
for they knew that Daniel would not stop
sending up petitions to his God, and Dan.
iel, instead of being affrighted by the de-
cree, went three times day to his house
top for prayer. He is caught in the act
He is condemned to be devoured by the
lions. Such a healthy young man will be
for the leonine monarchs the best banquet
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, ant
their paving of the dust, and as thei
mouth is placed to the ground the solit
earth quakes with their below. The doo
is removed and Daniel showed into the den
which was all agleam with fiery eyeball
that seem to roll and snap in the caverns
They approach the defenseless man. Thei
appetite was sharp with hunger. On
stroke of their paw, one crunch of thei
teeth and he would have been lifeless
How strange a welcome Daniel receive
from the monsters. They fawn about him
They cover his feet with their long name
They are struck with the lockjaw. Tha
night Daniels sleep is calm and undis
turbed, with his head pillowed ON tn
warm neck of the tanned lions.
But King Darius was not so happy. H
loved Daniel and he hated the stratagen
by which his favorite had been condemned
He PAGES his floor all night. He canno
sleep. At the least sound he starts ant
his flesh creeps with horror. A bad cor
seaence will make the bravest man a COW
ard. He watches eagerly for the dawT
which seems so long in tarrying. At tn
first streak of light he starts out to fin
out the fate of Daniel The palace gat
opens and jars heavily behind him Will
yet the city is asleep. He comes to tn
den. He looks through the crevices bu
sees nothing. He dare not speak. Expect
ing the worst, his heart stops
Gathering strength, he puts his mout
i to the riffs in the rock and cries, "Ol
Daniel, is thy God whom thou servest col
4 tinually able to deliver thee from th
lions?" An answer comes rolling up ou
of the darkness: "Oh. king, live foreve
My God hath sent his angel and hath shU
the lions mouths, that they have not hui
me-" The young man is brought out and til
4 demagogues who made the plot are throw
in. But they hardly struck the bottom
the den when their flesh is rent, and the
4 bones cracked, and their blood spurte
q through the riffs, while the fierce MOI
sters shook the rocks with their terrib
roar, announcing to all ages the truth tn;
while God defends his people, the way
the wicked shall perish.
THE oFFENSE OF SUCCESS.
Now, you see from this subject that
the eyes of many the greatest offense yc
can commit is success. OF what crime hs
this young man been guilty that he shou
come under the bitter hatred of the dem
gogues? Why, he had got to be prin
minister of Babylon. That they could n
forgive. Behold in this sketch touch
81 human naturel AS long as poverty pinch
you, and you run the gantlet betwet
n taxgatherer and landlord, and you ha
hard work to educate your children, the
win be multtudes to say: "Poor fello'
He ought to succeed. How sorry am
himr'
But after awhile you begin to emer
from the darkness. That was capt.
investment You purchased at just t
right time. Fortune became good natur
and smiled. You builded your own hous
You got to be one of the first men on t
street. Now, as you pass, number
| those late sympathizers stand on the ct
ner of the street. They scowl at you frc
& under the rim of their hats. You ha
more money now than they have, and y
ought to be scowled at from under the n
| of their hats.
+ Before you get fully past you hear
word or two Stuck up" says OF
"Didn't get it honestly" says anoth
Twill burst soon," says third. Eve
stone in your new house was laid on tn
heart. Your horses hoofs went over tn
KS nerves. Your carriage tire cut their net
What have you done, outrageous culpr
Ne You ought to be cast to the lions. Y