The Globe-republican., 1892-05-23
Daniel and Darius.

! Daniel and Darius.
DR.. Talmage took for his subject thu
character of Daniel and drew from il
lessons of sound practical value for thu
young men. his tex. was Daniel vi, 2
"Daniel was first"
Where in romance can you find any
thing equal to what Daniel was in real
ity? A young man, far away from home,
introduced into the most magnificent anC
most dissolute palace Of all the earth.
The King, wishing to make this young
man prodigy in personal appearance
orders his attendants to see that he has
plenty of meat and wine, and Daniel re-
fuses the delicacies and insists on a
vegetable diet, refusing everything but
pulse and water, waving back all the
rich viands with determined 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 il 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 Bismarck of the ancients. But
no 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 it as much among
clergymen as among other classes OF
men. 1t is passion bitter as hell and
i: is Immediately recognized, and vet,
though it blackens the man who INDUCES
in it, men will kindle this fire which con-
sumes 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. We could manage the public at
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 illustrions target. The
taller the cedar the more apt to be struck
with the lightning.
These demagogues asked Darius to
make an unalterabIe decree that any
man who within thirty days shall ask
petition OF any one except the King.
shall be put to death. Darius, not mis-
trusting any foul play, makes such de-
cree. The demagogues have accom-
plished their purpose, for they knew that
Daniel would not stop sending up petit
lions 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 mouth is placed to the
ground the solid earth auakes with
their below. Tho door is removed and
Daniel showed into the den, which was
all agleam with fiery eyeballs that seem
to roll and snap in the cavcrns. 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
lockjaw. 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 STRAIT
agem by which his 'avorite 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 tate 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 crew.
ices 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
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
wheE their flesh is rent, and their
ZONES 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