Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-11-05
EVERYDAY RELIGION
DR.. TALMAGE SAYS IT IS GOOD I'm
BUSINESS AND POLITICS.


WAS Never Too Busy tC Worship
God-whoIesoEae Advice to ssSun-
day" Christians-Be Honest In All
Things.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4.-This discourse
Of Dr. Ta1mage is appropriate for all
seasons, but especially in these times
of great political agitation The text is
Daniel vi, 16, t'Then the king COM
manded, and they brought Daniel and
cast him into the den of lions.'
Darius was king of Babylon, and the
young man Daniel was so much a
favorite 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 affronted at the elevation of
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 demagogues
anybody that made a petition to any
one except the king during a period of
30 days should be put to death. King
Darius, not Suspecting any foul play,
makes that decree. The demagogues
have accomplished all they want, be-
cause they know that no one can keep
Daniel from sending petitions before
God for 80 days.
So far from being afraid, Daniel goes
ON with his supplications three times a
day and is found on his house top max
ing prayer. He is caught in the act. He
is condemned to be devoured by the
lions. Rough executioners of the law
seize him and hasten him to the cav
ern 1 hear the growl of the wild
beasts, and / see them paving the
dust, and as they put their mouths to
the ground the solid earth quakes with
their believing. l see their eyes roll
and 1 almost hear the fiery eyeballs
snap in the darkness. These monsters
approach Daniel. They have an appe-
lite keen with hunger. With one
stroke of their paw or one snatch Of
their teeth, they may leave him dead
at the bottom of the cavern. But what
a 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
the tanned lions
The Crime of Success.
But not so well does Darius, the
king, sleep. He has an attack of ter
rife insomnia He loves Daniel, and
hates this stratagem 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 i'm
patient for the drawing of the morn
ing At the first streak of the daylight
Darius haStenS forth to see the fate
of Daniel The heavy palace doors
open and elang shut long before the
people of the city waken. Darius goes
TO the den of the lions; he looks in.
All is silent His heart stops. He
feels that the very worst has hap
Dened. but gathering all his strength,
he shouts through the riffs of the
rock. "Oh, Daniel. is thy God whom
thou servest continually able to de-
liver thee?" There comes rolling up
from the deep darkness voice which
says: ''Oh, king, live forever. My God
has sent his angel to shut the lions
mouths that they have not hurt me-"
Then Daniel is brought out from the
den. The demagogueS are hurled into
1t, 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 of the
rock, and, as the lions make the rocks
tremble with their roar. they announce
to all ages that while God will defend
his people, the way of the ungodly
shall perish.
Learn first from this subject that the
greatest crime that you 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 become
prime minister. They could not for
give him for that. and behold in that
a 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 gantlet
between landlord and taxgatherer, so
long as you find it hard work to edu-
cate your children, there are people who
will say, Poor man. / am sorry for
him; he ought to succeed. poor man."
But after awhile the tide turns in your
favor That was a profitable invest
ment you made You bought just at
the right time. Fortune becomes good
humored and smiles upon you. Now
you are in some department success
full and your success chills some one.
Those men who used to sympathize
with you stand along the street. and
they scowl at you from under the rim
OF their hats. You have more money