The Portland daily press., 1897-02-22
MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL.
DR.. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress
Square Church Yester day.

Rev. DR.. Blanchard delivered the third
of bis sermons on "Studies in the High
or Criticism" yesterday morning. The
subject was 1.-THE Message of the Book
of Daniel.
The text was taken from the Saith verse
of the Nv chapter: "And he doeth &C.
cording to his will in the army of heaven
and among the Inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand or say unto
him, what doest thou?
In one of the darkest hours of the
American Revolution, Thomas Paine,
a free thinker, who believed nightly in
God and Immortality, wrote an address
which he called 'The Crisis In 1T ap-
peared the famous words: "These are
the times that try mems SOULS" The
people, discouraged by disaster, were in
spired by the words of the address. 1t
was read at the head of the regiments
of the army. 1t made the soldiers ready
for battle. Tie fight at Trenton showed
their rene vel vigor. Thattaddress was
a.summons, to courage and patriotism
and persistence. The psople and the
army responded.
The Book Of Daniel was such an ad-
dress. In one Of the darkest hours of
Jewish history, it summoned men to
courage and patriotism and persistence.
The book had an extraordinary expert
ence. 1t had a hard fight to obtain a
place in the canon of sacred scripture.
When this was accomplished and Chris
tisns afterwards made Old and New
Testsments oanonical, the interpreta-
tions of Daniel we're often far fetched
and grotesque. 1t was believed in later
years that its prophecies referred to the
Pope and to Napoleon Bonaparte. The
canon of sacred scripture means the 40
ceptance of certain books by scholars as
being worthy of separation from ordi-
nary writings. So far as we can learn,
the first separation and sacredness came
from Ezra and Nehemiah. These said
that the Penateuch and the Prophets and
letters Of the Persian King were sacred.
Gradually the royal letters were omitted,
Dean Stanley thinks that the great jew
ish hero Judas Macabaus, completed the
Jewish canon. Into this the book of
Daniel finally made its way.
The Higher Criticism shows Its date,
the circumstances of it's origin and its
plain message to the Jews. 1t was writ
ten about 1875 Be-, by An unknown au-
thor. The old theory was that it was
composed by Daniel in 537 b. G. But its
Persian and Greek words and its evident
references to Antiochus Epiphanes
make evident it's late date. 1t originated
in the dark days of persecution. Alex
ander the Great had conquered syria
and much of the East. At his death
his empire was divided among several.
Seleucus il Syria and Ptolemy in Egypt
we've prominent. At first the Jews We're
favored by Ptolemy. Then the ruler OF
Syria, in later years, conquered Palss-
tine. One of the line of kings was the
strange king called Antioohus Epi-
phanes, which means the illustrious.
Some of his deeds made men call him
Epimanes-the mailman. He determined
to destroy the Jewish religion. Other
conquerors were content to subiugate
the Jews and leave them free in worship.
He besieged Jerusalem when a revolt
had occurred; took it by storm; muir
dered its inhabitants. Then within the
limits of the temple, he caused Greoian
altar to be erected. Then to the horror
of the surviving Jews he ordered drove
of sswine to be sacrificed. A broth made
from the flesh was sprinkled over books
and the Holy OF Holes, Desperation fred
the Jews. In that hour, this book ap-
peared. Its message rang out clearly.
God is all powerful; He deposes kings;
He suffers iniquities to come; He allows
nations to rife; but in His own time
He will overthrow the wicked. Babylon
had risen and fallen-so his visions
meant. Media had followed. Persia
had ruled and fallen. This last, awful
Greek power would be smitten. Let the
people of Israel remain faithful to their
religion. Their God. would give them
finally the victory. Into the heart of
Judas Maccabaus these words went. Into
the heart of the people they passed.
Judas fought and won. The hated Greek
rule was overthrown. The message of
Daniel had done its work.
Later times have needed this message
that God reiGns and that however long
tyranny endures it is overthrown at last.
Washington was strengthened by the
words of Thomas Paine He was also
strengthened by the words Of Scripture.
He believed God would give victory to
America. Lincoln was inspired by these
ancient documents. He was very famil-
Jar with the Scriptures. He believed
God was with him. He believed that
God would save the Union. He saw how
the Scripture show mans faith in over
ruling power. He read their ccndemna-
ton of wickedness, OF apostacy, of
towards. he heard the voice Of God
summoning him to courage and patri-
otism and persistence. In Cuba, today:
in Armenia, in Crete in Greece, men
may well ask, "Has God forgotten u.s.?
Will Tyranny always prevail?" They