The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1899-07-26

| LIGHT FROM OTHER SCRIPTURES
| Doing Right at Any Cost. ENampes.-
| retcr. Joseph. John the Baptist, Abraham.
Moses. Gideon. Elijah. shadrach, Meshach,
Abclnego. Promises OF Ddivcrancc. 8
| Chron. 20I5, Ia psa. ~: 1872, 3: 5OI5, 81 4.
$50 Job. l.i0. lsa. iO:29-3i; niL Il; 5t.l7
! Rom. s:32 IS. 80: Eph. 6;S; Pet t:i2, 10. s
| Pet 40. Rev. $40; John lf:i. IS a.
TtME.-Betwccn 5sS-536. the two year.
during which Darius was reigning under
Cyrus
PLACE.-Babylonia. a part only Of the
| great empire OF Cyrus
THE JEWS IN ENIl.E.-The exile had
now continued nearly 20 years, and the time
OF the return was near at hand
| RULERS. Cyrus. King of the " hole en-.
plre OF the Medes and Persians Darius
the Mede. king at Babylon. subject to Cy.
| fus. Canon Tristram thinks he was placed
| there at the request OF the MedCs. TO paCify
| them, and says. This Darius Is only once
| alluded to IN the Greek classics"
EXPLANATORY.
/. Daniels Past Experience. i Daniel
must have been between so and 90 years
old az this time. lie had had many trials
OF his character and his faithtulncss
The severe trials 20 which he had been
subjected had hitherto resulted only
in raising him to higher honors and
success. /. In his determination to
keep from dcfiling his religion (chap
~. .. I'm his faithful presentation of the
true God to Nebuchadnczzar. telling
him the most terrible truths (chap. a..
=. In his faithful reProof and warning
Of Belshazzar (chap. 81.
| II. The Trap.-Undcr Darius, Daniel
was recognized as n man OF great abil.
| ity and integrity. and one who could I've
trusted implicitly. Accordingly, he
made him one Of the three presidents
over 100 governors OF as many prov.
iIrccs into which the Kingdom was sub
| divided. Ii was not long before the
other officers determined that in some
way or other, by fair means or foul.
they must get rid OF Daniel
Ill. Daniel Goes Straight On IN the
Way of Duty. 10. "Now when Dan.
lei knew that the writing was signed: :"
IL made no difference as To his conduct.
lie would say as Nehemiah said to
Shemaiah:" should such a man rs |
nee?" Neh. GID Windows being
open -. toward Jerusalem" Pray.
| ing toward Jerusalem was not an act
Of superstition. II was ca a rccogni-
ton Of Gods promise 20 Solomon in IA
vor Of those who looked toward this
center Of His worship Il Kings s:35-4il.
| (2) IL was recognition Of the God OF
Israel. and OF his promise that His peo-
| pie should return TO their home. (Sl
II was an aid TO the spirit ~ devotion.
] The place and it's associations have an
| influence upon our spirits, and give
! them wings, o. weigh on them like
burden. "Kneeling upon his knees;"
| \ fitting attitude for humble PRAYER,
favoring the spirit Of devotion. Three
times days" Like the psalmist (Psa.
j5:l7).
". The Trap Sprung.-Ns. HIS. VII.
Then these mem" The princes who
had been plotting against Daniel AS
sembled:" As in Y. 6. assembled or
ran hastily" so as to come upon Daniel
suddenly and detect him in the act. II.
And spoke before the king. Hast
thou not" etc. As soon as they had the
proofs they presented them TO the
king. The law Of the Modes and Per
slams, which altereth not:" In this
two principles are involved: one, the
existence of a settled law or rule by
which the king himself theoretically az
any rate. Is bound, and which he can
not alter; the other, the inclusion. nm.
der this law or rule, of the irrevoca-
bility OF royal decree, or promise. '.
-. The leaders were now sure Of their
case. Every door OF escape was shut
against Daniel. They had simply TO
announce TO the king that Daniel was
guilty.
V. Daniel in the Lions Den.-Ns. iG-
Is. V. l6. They brought Daniel and
east him into the den Of lions" This
was according to oriental custom on
the evening Of the same day. The
story OF the den Of lions is strictly in
keeping with Babylonian usagrs. THE
king spake:" As they were putting Dan
iel into the den. Whom thou seryest
continually" 4 precious testimony to
the religious character and fidelity of
the prophet. Compare Matt. 27:43;
John Is:3s.l Todd. VIZ. "Stone
laid upon the mouth OF the den:" The
mouth was the door through which the
animals were put into the den. Is.
THE king e. passed the night fast
ing" The idea that lies AZ the basis Of
fasting is grief so deep that it takes
away the desire for food.
VI. The Delivernnce.-Ns. 1929. V.
10. The king arose very early" Lit
orally Tin the dawninP. in the glimmer
OF morning" V. %. My God hath sent
His ANGEL" Daniel does not say wheth-
er the angel was visible or not. The
winds and the lightning are Gods an
Fels, according 20 the psnlmist. limo
cency was found In me-" Daniel de-
clares that he had been faithful 10 God
and TO the king, and hence God had
seen fit TO deliver him. V. %. BE
cause he beleyed:" and had shown il
by doing right at all costs. God never
fails those who trust in Him.
VII. Retribution.-Th who were
Instrumental in the attempt upon Dan
iel's life were cast themselves into the
Zen OF lions, NTH all their families.
PRACTICAL.
Whoever does well. and Is faithful
and true, where others are dishonest
nj al u,tgf axr,anf 10 L..