Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-29
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON v, THIRD QUARTER, iaTERNA-
TIONAL SERIES, JULY 80.

Comments by VIM. X. Fisher Subject.
Daniel In the Den of Lions, Daniel o; 10
e3-Goiden Text: The Lord Is Thy Keep
or, Pisa. 49, 8.
If there ever was time when 1t was
necessary for Christians to beware Of
/ seducing spirits, 1t Is now. for in our
| day, as never before, are men trying 10
/ make the Word of God of no effect.
1 Heretofore this has been the work Of
/ the avowed enemies of the Nhrist OF
! God, but with the so-called advance in
/ thought and higher criticism, many
| who profess to love God are endeayor-
! ing to tear the written word TO pieces.
| There may be some points upon which
! men have right to differ, but loyalty
! to the Lord will prevent our being
! switched off into the mists worldly
/ philosophy where we will agree with
4 the rejectors OF Christ that the Bible
/ Is mainly book of fiction and bundle
/ of mistakes. True Christians know
| In whom they believe, and SO accept
! without reservation, facts recorded in
! the Bible. To the true children Of God,
I the Story of Daniel and his visit TO the
/ lions Is not mere fiction which is TO
a beautiful lesson OF obedience and
| loyalty to God In the face Of threat
! ened persecution; no, 1t is far more
| than that The Story of Daniel in the
| den Of lions is an historical fact, left
upon record to show lis that the Lord
Is our keeper, and he will never leave
US nor forsake us IL we are true to
him.
In studying this lesson we should es-
pecially get hold OF the thought that
the Scripture lesson il history, and
NOT fction
Daniels wisdom and his faith and 10y
atty had been tested; he had shown
his pureness OF motive and stability
OF character in refusing to defile HIM
self by eating the kings meat and
drinking his wine by giving a faith
full presentation of the true God to Ne
bnchadnezzar and faithfully warning
him, also in his faithful reproof and
warning TO Belshazzar. Peloubet says
''in all these God rewarded him instead
of permitting him to suffer for his right
doing"
Daniel was true to the king so long
as being faithful to him did not cause
him to be untrue to his God. but when
1t became a choice between serving
an earthly potentate and "the king of
all kingdoms, Daniel did not hesitate
for a moment. He did not close his
windows, but left them open before
Jerusalem. He did not go less fire.
quentiy than usual, but gave thanks
three times day "as aforetime"
Such action in our times would be de-
signated, even by many processing
Christians, as hard-headedness and
lacking in diplomacy; the general trend
of the human thought being that "a
half loaf is better than none" Along
this line Of argument many who mean
right are caused to do wrong, but If
we are guided by Daniels example we
will square our lives by the Scriptural
declaration that wrong should never be
done that good may come of 1t. In
writing of Daniel praying with face
toward Jerusalem, Geikie says it is
ian attitude still observed by Jews all
over the world; as all Mohammedans,
in the same way. turn their face in
prayer towards Mecca. In every syn
agogue, and in every mosque, there is
always mark In the wall. showing
the direction of the holy place" Dam
iel was not defiant, although his action
may have seemed so; he was true to
God,
II. ''Then these men assembled, and
found Daniel praying and making sup
plication before his God" They had |
had the decree passed especially for |
Daniel. and so it was but natural that |
they should assemble to get evidence |
against him.
10 Then they came near, and spake !
before the king concerning the kings |
decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, |
thet every man that shall ask petit |
ton of any God or man within thirty !
days, save of thee, O king, shall be |
cast into the den of lions? The king |
answered and said, The thing is true,
according to the law of the Modes and |
Persians, which altereth not"
Rawlinson says, In this (the law of |
the Modes and Persians) two princi-
pies are involved: one, the existence
of settled law or rule by which the
king himself, theoretically at any rate.
is bound, and which he cannot alter;
the other, the inclusion, under this law
or rule, of the irreyocability Of royal
decree or promise. Both of these prin-
ciples are recognized as Medo-Persi
by profane writer's" Farrar says ITO
alter it would be a confession of sall-
bility, and therefore an abnegation OF
Godhead."
before the king, That Daniel, which is
of the children of the captivity OF Jul
dab, regardeth not thee o king, nor
the decree that thou hast signed but
maketh his petition three. times cay"
Peloubet says THE leaders were now
sure of their case. Every door Of es-
cape was shut against Daniel. They
had simply to announce to the king
that Daniel was guilty"
IA Then the king, when he heard
these words, was sore displeased with
himself, and set his heart on Daniel
to deliver him; and he laboured till
the going down Of the sun TO deliver
him.
10 Then these men assembled unto
the king, and said unto the king, Know.
o king, that the law OF the Modes and
Persians is. That no decree nor statute
which the king establisheth may be
changed"
Commentators point out the fact that
the law has heen 'sbpnt" IN suif certain