The Yale expositor., 1900-11-09
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
AN ESPECIALLY TIMELY DIS
COURSE.
The Man Faithful tn God Is tho Most
Faithful to His Country and to HIS
FeiIowmsn--An Example from the Life
OF Daniel.

This discourse OF DR.. ralmage is ap-
propriate for all seasons, but especial
ly in times of great political agitation.
The text is, Daniel vi, 16, Then the
king commanded, and they brought
Daniel and cast him into the den oi
lions"
Darius was king of Babylon, and the
young man Daniel was SO much ia
vorite with him that he made him
prime minister, or secretary OF state,
But no man could gain such a high
position without exciting the envy and
jealousy OF the people. There were
demagogues in Babylon who were so
appreciative Of their own abilities that
they were aifronted at the elevation o.
this young man. Old Babylon was
afraid of young Babylon. The taller
the cedar the more apt it is to be
riven of the lightning. These dema-
gogues asked the king to make Il
decree that anybody that made y
petition to anyone except the king
during period of thirty days
should be put to death. KinS
Darius, not suspecting any foul pay,
makes that decree. The demagogues
have accomplished ali they want, be-
cause they know that no one can keep
Daniel from sending petitions before
God for thirty days.
So far from being afraid, Daniel
goes on with his supplication5 three
times day and is found on his house
top making prayer. He is caught in
the act. He is condemned to be de-
voured by the lions. Rough execu-
TONERS OF the law seize him and hast
en- him to the cavern. / hear the
growl of the wild beasts, and 1 see
them paving the dust, and as they
put their mouths to the ground the
solid earth quakes with their below
ing. l see their eyes roll, and l almost
hear the fiery eyeballs snap in the
darkness. These monsters approach
Daniel. They have an appetite keen
with hunger. With one stroke OF
their paw or one snatch OF their teeth
they may leave him dead at the bot
TOM of the cavern. But what q
strange welcome Daniel receives from
these hungry monsters! They fawn
around him; they lick his hand; they
bury his feet in their long names.
That night he has calm sleep with his
head pillowed on the warm necks Of
the tanned lions.
But not so well does Darius, the
king, sleep. He has an attack Of ter
rife insomnia. He loves Daniel and
hates this strategem by which he has
been condemned. All night long the
king walks the floor. He cannot sleep.
At the least sound he starts, and his
flesh creeps with horror. He is impa-
tient for the dawning of the morning.
At the first streak of the daylight Da-
rius hastens forth to sec the fate OF
Daniel. The heavy palace doors open
and clang shut long before the people
OF the city walSen. Darius goes to the
den of the lions. He looks IN. All is
silent. His heart stops. He feels that
the very worst has happened; but,
gathering all his strength, he shouts
through the riffs of the rock, 80 DAN
iel is thy God, whom thou servest con-
tinually able to deliver thee?" There
comes rolling up from the deep dark
ness q voice which says 20 king,
live forever. My God has sent his
angels to shut the lions mouths that
they have not hurt me-" Then Daniel
is brought out from the den. The
demagogues are hurled into it, and no
sooner have they struck the bottom OF
| the den than their flesh was rent and
their bones cracked, and their blood
spurted through the riffs in the rock,
| and as the lions made the rocks trem-
BILE with their roar they announce
to all ages that while God will defend
his people the way of the ungodly
shall perish.
| Daniels Greatest OYense.
Learn from this subject that the
greatest crime you can commit in the
eyes of many is the crime Of success
What had Daniel done that he should
be flung to the lions? He had be-
come prime minister They could not
forgive him for that, and behold in
that touch of unsanctified human
nature as seen in all ages OF the
world. So long as you are pinched In
poverty, so long as you are running
the gantlct between the landlord and
taxgatherer, SO long as you find II
hard work to educate your children
there are people who will say: Poo.
man, l am sorry for him." But after
awhile the tide turns in his favor
That was profitable investment yoy
made. You bought just at the right
time. Fortune becomes good humor.
ed and smiles upon you. Now you are
in some department successful, anS
your success chills some one. Those
men who used to sympathize will
you stand along the street and they
scowl at you from under the rim o
their hats. You have more money OF
more influence than they have anC