The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-05-11
DANIEL AND DARIUS.
DR.. TALMAGE'S PRACTICAL DIS
COURSE TO YOUNG MEN.

of - Man who Dared DisObey a King.
The Value of Character and Goodness.
BROOKLYN, May s.-Dr Talmage took
for his sui ject today the character of Dan
lei and drew from it lessons Of sound prac-
tical value for the young men. of whom so
large number are always to be seen
among the most eager and attentive listen
ers in 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 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 prod
ICY in personal appearance, orders his at
tendants to see that he has plenty of meat
aud wine, and Daniel refuses these delica-
cies and insists on vegetable diet, refus-
ing everything but pulse and water, wav-
ing back all the rich viands with deter
mined No; / thank you" He surpasses
all the princes in brffffancy. 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
marck of the ancients. But no man ever
attained such high position without excit-
ing the envy of others. The meanest and
Erathest 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 a 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 a petit
ton Of any one except the king, shall be
put to death. Darius, not mistrusting any
foul play, makes such a decree. The dem
agogues have accomplished their purpose,
for they knew that Daniel would not stop
sending up petitions to his God, and Dan
lei, 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 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.
N THE LIONS 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 quakes with their below. The door
S removed and Daniel showed into the den,
which was all agleam with fiery eyeballs
hat seem to roll and snap in the cayerns.
They approach the defenseless man. Their
appetite sharp with hunger One
stroke Of their paw, one crunch of their
teeth and he would have been lifeless
How strange a 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 undis-
turbed, 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 ali night. He cannot
sleep At the least sound he starts and
his flesh creeps with horror. A bad con-
science will make the bravest man a cow
ard 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
set the city is asleep He comes to the
Zen. He looks through the crevices but
ices nothing. He dare not speak. Expect
ing the worst, his heart stops.
Gathering strength, he puts his mouth
70 the riffs in the rock and cries, "Oh,
Daniel. is thy God whom thou servest con-
dnually able to deliver thee from the
ions" An answer comes rolling up out
If the darkness: "Oh. king, live forever.
Ny 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
iemagogues who made the plot are thrown
n. But they . 'dly struck the bottom of
he den when their flesh is rent, and their
bones 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 way of
the wicked shall perish.
THE OFFRNsE OF SUCCESS.
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 dema-
gogues? Why, he had got TO be prime
minister Of Babylon. That they could not
forgive. Behold in this sketch touch of
human naturei As long as poverty pincbes
you, and you run the gantlet between
taxgatherer and landlord, and you have
will be multitudes to say: Poor fellow!
He ought to succeed. How sorry am for
himP'
But after awhile you begin to emerge
from the darkness. That was a capital
Investment. You purchased at just the
right time. Fortune became good natured
and smiled. You builded your own house
street. Now, as you pass, a number of
those late sympathizers stand on the cor
ner of the street They seowI at you from
under the rim of their hats. You have
more money now than they have, and you
ought 70 be scowled at from under the rim
OF their hats.
Before you get fully past you hear
Didn't get it honestly" says another
Will burst sOon," says third. Every
stone in var new house was laid their