The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-08
I slslIl GEl'S SERMON.
VI B SPECIALLY TIMELY pIs-
;a ESs COURSE.

sFEclALLN TIMELY pIs-
COURSE.
Nan EAithfal to God /, the Mo-.
gSsthsni = HIS Country and to His
slsossmen An Example from the Life
Daniel.
opyright, 1900 Louis Klopsch. N. Y,
sInas discourse Of DR.. Talmage is APP
sqprtate for all seasons, but especial
gln times OF great political agitation.
ne text is. Daniel vi, 16, "Then the
ing commanded. and they brought
aniel and cast him into the den of
Mons, y - =
DARIUS was king of Babylon, and the
Dung man Daniel was so much a ia
Qrlte with him that he made him
Eime minister, or secretary of state
sut no man could gain such a high
Rosition without exciting the envy and
ealousy OF the people. There were
1emagogues in Babylon who were SO
ppreciative Of their own abilities that
hey were affronted at the elevation OF
Ehis young man. Old Babylon was
AFRAID OF young Babylon. The taller
me cedar the more apt it is to be
riven Of the lightning. These dema-
gogues asked the king to make a
9ecree that anybody that made a
PETITION to anyone except the king
nring period of thirty days
should be put to death. King
DARIUS, not suspecting any foul play,
makes that decree. The demagogues
nave accomplished all 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 applications 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. l 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
Inc. see their eyes roll, and l almost
near 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
Nm Of the cavern. But what a
strange welcome Daniel receives from
hese hungry monsters! They fawn
POUND him; they lick his hand; they
Try his feet in their long names.
That night he has calm sleep with his
head pillowed on the warm necks Of
the tanned lions.
4 But not SO well does Darius, the
King, sleep. He has an attack of ter
rific insomnia. He loves Daniel and
hates this strategem by which he has
Peen condemned. All night long the
ing walks the floor. He cannot sleep.
the least sound he starts, and his
creeps with horror He is impa-
lent for the dawning of the morning.
9 The first 6treakNof the daylight Da-
forth Ito see the fate of
The heavy palace doors open
ing shut long before the people
81 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 happened; but,
gathering all his strength, he shouts
i through the riffs of the rock, 80 Dan
lei is thy God, whom thou servest con-
! tinually able to deliver thee?" There
comes rolling up from the deep dark
ness 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
!. sdemagogues 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,
Z and as the lions made the rocks trem-
N 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 Ofense.
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
3 be flung to the lions? He had be-
I 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 gantlet between the landlord and
1 taxgatherer, SO long as you find it
hard work to educate your children,
there are people who will say: Poor
man, am sorry for him." But after
awhile the tide turns in his favor
+ That was profitable investment you
made. You bought just at the right
time. Fortune becomes good humor-
ed and smiles upon you. Now you are
in some department successful, 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 or
more influence than they have, and
/ you ought to be scowled at from under
the rim Of their hats. You catch a
word or two as you pass by them.
stuck up" says one. Got it dishon-
estly.. SAYS another. "Will burst