The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-05-25
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINEs SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: Lessons From the Story
OF Daniel"

iEAT: >>DunteL 1CQS HrSG. '-Danlel W., .
Where in romance can you find anything
equal to what Daniel was in reality? 4
young man, far away from home, intro.
dissolute palace of all the earth. The king,
wishing to make this young man q prodigy
in personal appearance, orders his attend.
ants to see that he has plenty of meat and
wine, and Daniel refuses these delicacies and
insists on a vegetable diet refusing every
thing but pulse and water, waving back all
the rich viands with q determined mo; I
thank you" He surpasses all the princes in
brillancy. As this sun ris's higher and
higher in the irmanent it puts out all the
stars, and if there is anything the stars hate
it is the sun.
Daniel becomes so much Of q favorits
with King Darius that our young hero Is
promoted to be prime minister Oh secretary
of state-the Frslinghuysen or the Bis
marck of the ancients. But no man 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 1t as
muca among clergymen as among other
classes OF men. It is a passion bitter as hell
and it is Immediately recognized, ant yet,
though it blackens the man who INDUCES in
il, men will kindie 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 be does. We could 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 llustrious target. The
taller the cedar the Eore apt to be STRUCK
with the lightning.
These denagogues 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
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 executloners 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 eyaballs that seem
to roll and snap in the caverns. They ap-
proach the defenselsss man. Their appetite
was sharp with hunger. Ons 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 80 happy. he
loved Daniel and he hated the stratagsm by
He PAGES his floor all night. Hs cannot sleep.
At the least sound he starts and his flesh
creeps with horror A bad conscience will
make the bravest man coward. BE watches
eagerly for the dawn, which seams 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. de looks through the crevices
but sees nothing. He dare not speak. Ex.
pecting the worst, his heart stops.
Gathering strength, he puts his mouth to
the riffs in the rock and cries, ''Oh, Daniel,
is thy COD whom thou servest continually
able to deliver thee from the lons?' An
answer comes rolling up out OF the darkness:
"Oh, king, live forever. My God hath sent
His anger 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 tine truth that while God defends His
people, the way OF the wicked shall perish.
Now, you see from this subject that in the
eyes OF many the greatest otfense you can
commit is success. Or 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 mature!
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 20
say: "Poor fellow. he ought to succeed. How
sorry am for himr'
But after awhile you begin to emerge from
the darkness. That was a 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 q number Of those late sym.
pathizers stand on the corner OF the street.
They scowl st 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
it thonestly," 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 culprite You ought to be cast to
the lions. You have dared to achieve sue
cess. Depend upon it that il in any one re-
\spect you rise far above your fellows-n you
are more truthful, more wise, more eloquent,
more inHuential-the shadow Of your success
virtue is within reach of the enemies guns.
Jealousy says, "Stay down or l will knock
YOU down." In midair snowflake said to a
snowbird, sI don't like you" "Why don't
YOU like me@ said the snowbird. Because" !"
replied the snowflake, "you ats going upland
! am coming down."
Success is often synonym for scorn. The
first thing a man wants is religion. The
second is grit. If you do not want to face
wild beasts you must never get to be prime
minister. II you are now, as young man,
rising in any one respect bless God for your
advancement but wish to say before quit
this thought, look out for the lions. Young
merchants, young lawyers, young physi.
clans, young ministers have much sympathy,
and kind advice is given them at tirst but
as you become your own masters and begin
to succeed in your different occupations and
professions, how is it then, young mer-
chants, young lawyers young physicians
Again behold in our subject an exhibition
of true decision OF character. Before
Daniel were condemnation and death, if he