The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13


teners dumb with confusion and shame.
The words Of those prayers are not re-
corded; if they were. 1 am sure they would
interest and thrill us with their impas-
stoned fervor and conscious faith in God.
1 tell you that is a sublime spectacle that
should inspire men to-day to do and dare
for conscience, right and God. You say
that is the sort of man. He is not
the reeds, not a reed shaken with the wind
We need such inspiration, such examples,
for there is growing feeling that we are
hood" An eminent divine has said:
I'VE not only do not burn people
nowadays for their opinions. but we have
ceased to believe there are any opinions
worth being burnt for"
We must not, we dare not, believe that
the age Of heroism is past. Not only in
Daniels time, but now in the busy hauntS
of men we must sometimes stand alone
alone for truth, for purity and God.
General Havelock standing bareheaded be-
fore his troops in India; what is he doing?
He Is calling upon the Lord his God before
the fight. George Washington believed In
prayer. and before the battle of Valley
Forge was heard to commit his way unto
the Lord. William Wilberforce the great
emancipation of the slave went straight
from the closet of prayer to the British
House of Commons. Sir Towel Buxton,
his coadjutor. prayed earnestly about a
certain division, or vote In the House or
Commons and says: What led to that de-
cision? If ever there was subject wnlch
occupied our prayers 1t was this. ! SIN
cerely believe that prayer was the cause
of that vote
These were true men, who in an age Of
doubt dared to believe in and practice pray
err An important lesson We may learn
from this narrative is, that the unseen ana
actual In a word, Daniel was prepared be-
forehand for this emergency. BY years or
inward discipline he had learned TO subdue
Think Of the factors in this mans great
ness of character. He was temperate
fine specimen OF physical MANHOOD; thtFe
is something breezy and inspiring IN the
phrase Muscular Christianity" manly re-
ligion.
he has infinite resources. 1t is sometimes
asked in the presence CT colossal ana TT
umphant wrong and injustice, Nnere Is
God? Where is the Just dehVerer ~
tience; 1T is true Daniel flnds hlmselI teIll-
porarily discounted and his enemies Vi 1oi
ious He was dragged to the lions. Wen
what of that? God can take care OF nm.
You remember in Pilgrims Progress now
Christian came suddenly unpleasantIy close
to a roaring lion but how on going brave
" forward he discovered that tale roarlhs
was the worst part of the business, for inc
The message for us is this: IF we would
do something faithfully we must oeheso
firmly Danlei o,te 6e M are open 10 Cole
ridges criticism: You only believe mat
you believe" Inspiration, strength, comes
10 those who believe that God is and that
He hears our prayers. Happy is that man
If whom the worst that can be said is this.
I'VE find no fault except 1t be concerning
the law of his God"
Dare TO be a Daniel.
Dare TO stand alone;
Dare to have 81 purpose true,
Dare to make it known.
Character founded on such fixed prin-
ciples and answering devotion 70 the rignt
as Daniel had Will stand the test when the
moment for heroic action comes.
Ii is OF such stun that heroes are ma1s.
They may live their lives without tno
worlds applause: they may never have OPP
portunity for signal exhibitions OF herelsla.
vet in the everyday struggle In their owl
immediate circle or Individual hearts they
are heroes every inch. Obscure. unrscoss
nized. such an one glorifes humanity SA0
knows himself d hero strong.