Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-08
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II. THIRD QUARTER. INTER
NATIONAL SERIES, JuLys.


Daniel In Babylon, Daniel 4; s-2I--
Golden Text. Daniel Purposed in His
nsart That He would Not Deaile Him.
self, Daniel II s.
Higher critics" would have us be-
lieve that the book of Daniel is not
history, but IAN Imaginative story
based upon facts" GLADDEN. declares
it to he "the noblest and most import
ant religious fiction ia the whole BIZ
bie.'' But those OF us who are not
swayed by the se-called wisdom Of the
world. are satisfied 10 accept 1t, with
child-iike simplicity. as real history
and real prophecy, written by Daniel
himself; visions OF events near at
hand, but reaching into the far dis
tant future" Ii is written in two
different languages, Hebrew and Chal-
dee the generally accepted explana-
ton of this is that Il part OF the origi-
nal, in Hebrew, was lost, and the Ara
maize translation was supplied in Its
place. Peloubet says, THE lesson Is
full OF instruction for us all. We are
taught 10 do right at all hazards, TO
gain control of our appetites, keeping
the body under; as means OF moral
education into true character. Hence
ITO -lCtAt ttNFth tito az tAt' ttANtN Va tN+ff
perance and reform and temperate
life:' but as to whether the book is
fact or fiction he says The questions
are still open. The battle is not end
ed Scholars are still divided in opin-
ion, and it is well not 70 be too posi-
tive on either side" Well. we Will
run the risk. and will accept 1t for
what ii is declared to be. and realizing
that the Incidents recorded there real
ly did occur, and that God caused the
lions to have the lock jaw while Dan
iel was paying them a visit; and that
the Lord took the three Hebrew chill
dren through the fiery furnace, and
brought them out without even the
smell of smoke upon their garments, SO
lie will bring us off more than conquer
or eve-y time, If we put our trust IN
him.
In the last lesson we looked upon
Israel during the years before its fin
al captivity. To-day we pass over
more than n century of time. and into
the kingdom of Judah. and look upon
that nation mt the beginning of its cap-
tivity, which came upon it for the same
sins that ruined the northern king
DOM
The Scripture lesson commences with
the eighth verse: Daniel did not be-
lieve that the ends justified the means,
but he purposed that he would stand
firm even though 1t meant apparent
disaster; he would not weaken, even
though compromise would keep him
ont of trouble. and gain him the spec
ial favor of the king: he preferred the
approving smile of the King of all
Kingdoms. The condition or kind of
I at nH
with the Jewish law. The wine was
refused. no doubt. because it was the
kind that "movetl itself Alright" His
refusal was not of the bravado style,
but he wisely requested the one into
whose charge they had been commit
ted 'stIat he might not defile himself =
The divine favor Verse %, was with
Daniel; he. no doubt was brought into
favor with the prince of the Eunuehs
by the spirit of the Lord working upon
the heart of the, prince.
and the prince of the eunuchs said
unto Daniel, | fear my lord the king,
who hath appointed your meat and
your drink"
"Melzar' 11th verspl. is not prop
or name, but SIGNIFIES as IL is rendered
in the revised version, "the Steward"
or the chief butler, who take charge
of the food
BY 'puse" d2th verse;, we are told
that Daniel meant grain, vegetables
and herbs He asked that as a test,
this should be their diet for ten days.
The test was made and the victory
won; Peloubet speaks of it as a
crown of victory" and says ii con-
tainsd several jewels, these he ex-
plains as the best physical condition:
bodily health, strength, beauty and en-
ergy, fitting the body for its best work
and its highest joys: to these he adds
"the finest mental powers and highest
culture
.'rhe end of the days 0Sth verse;.
was three years. (See verse > Of this
chapter).
"And the king communed with them;
aud among them all was found none
like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and
Azariah; therefore stood they before
the king"
"And In all matters Of wisdom and
understanding, that the king inquired
Of them. he found them ten times bet
ter than all the magicians and astrolo-
gers that were in all his realm"
The revised rendering is "And in
every matter of wisdom and under
standing concerning which the king in
quired of them; he found them ten
times better than al! the magiclans
and enchanters that were In all his
realm The magicians were the
learned class: the scribes, the priestly
class. while the astrologers Tor en-
chantersl were the scientific men,
versed in magic and occult science"
And Daniel continued even unto
the first year of king Cyrus"
The first wear of CYRUS was 534 b. G.
when Cyrus. having CONQUERED Baby
lon. issued his edict for the rebuilding
of. the temple. Daniel had thus about
IN s.