The daily Republican., 1902-11-24
PASTOR SHAPES
TIMELY SER MON,
We Are Weighed in the Bal
ances and Are Found
Wanting
THE SIN OF UNBELIEF.
1t .Outweighs the Heaviest
Deeds Of Philanthropy
Unsuggested by Spirit
of God. \


day morning from the text, "Tho,
art weighed in the balances aue
art found wanilng"-Daniel 5, II.
1t was a most inspiring discourse.
Mr.. Shape said IN part: "Bel.
shazzar was the last king OF the
Cbaldeau dynasty, that rules in
Babylouia. The line Of Baby lonia n
kings, becomes exactly known to
us from the year b. &. ~, in the
calculation OF which the astronomi-
cal work OF PtoIemy Is invaluable,
With his aid we know 10 kings and
the years Of their reign. The book
OF Daniel begins with the reign Of
Nebnchadnezzar called the father
OF BeIshazzar, though this was
probably in the sense of ancestor.
His reign lasted forty-three years,
and at his death llloarud anu as.
cends the throne, who was murder
ed alter two years. rule. Nerigas-
solassarus succeeds him, who built
the palace at Babylon and died al
ter tours years reign. His con, a
mere lad takes his place bu: after
nine months rule is murdered. when
Nabonldus, one of the conspiratora
against him succeeded to the throne.
lie relgned seventeen years peace
fully but all the while he ls prepar.
ing for war with Cyrus which he
sees is inevitable. Ia the year 539
the attack comes,
shortly before! this Nabonidus
had associated with him in the gov
ernment of the kingdom, his son
Belshazzar. On the approach OF
Cyrus he takes the field him self at
the head of the army, and leaves
Belshazzar his son to guard the city.
So our book of Daniel calls Belchaz-
Ear king. Belchazzar guards the
city, hut overcOnEdent- in hislown
strength, and reclilessly indulging
in impious festivities, keeps an in
sufficient watch and allows the
enemy to enter tho city by the chan
mel of the river, which they had
drained by months Of digging. Baby
lon is surprised and taken aud Bel
shazzar is slain, 1t was while en-
gagged in these wicked festivities
that the band writing on the wall
is seen. Belshazzar has invited
thousand Of his lords to IA great
feast, and princes and wives and
drink wine out of the
golden anH silver vessels which
NebuchadneZzar had taken from
The tempt, at Sar salem. 1t was
hl9n bDn"r .,u le king paid to
the !o..' ... ...e . st, in that he
,sr"A!i rln" nsIu o them. In the
luiNS' N th'lr Dacchanaliau orgies
'ho,. -an.u forth fingers of mau's
i2nu and wrote lpon the wall under
the candlestick and the king saw the
part of the hanl that wrote He
8 Immediately troubled and fright
med. His knees smote together. his
pals,l, and he cried
With 4 loud voice for the astrolo-
gers and soothsayers to be brought.
>ne by one they come only to con-
fess their Inability to unravel the
,uzzle on the wall, until the queen
ellis the king of Daniel. He is i'm
sent for and dislaining
he offer of kinSly presents, faith
ully and fearlessly interprets the
mystic writing. lllsubstance it was
his; God had numbered the days
# the kingdom and the king, one
vas to be eovcrthrown, and the other
illed. The kingdom was to DO di-
'idel and given to the Meles and
'ersiaus. and the king himself
Weighed in the balances and found
1t is to this latter part of
he Interpretation we are to cOnfine
urselvcs at this time
"COnsider BelshaAAar S sin. TWAS
he sin Of sacriIege. Those golden
nd silver vessels out OF which with
npioLs hands lie drank the wine
'ere vessels from the temple of Tho
ord Even the candIes.cIi may have
nee adorned the Lords house in
erusaIe N. We do not know positively
hose hand it was that placed the
ystic writings on the wall. but il
lay have been the same hand that
rote the ten commandments on tho
HO tablets OF stone. Some believe
LAT Gods chief Messenger, Gabriel,
i'd that. Ii 50 the amanuensis of
Cd is the Nemesis OF Bslshazzar.
cd cannot luck with complaceacy
J the dissertation OF these vessels to
. mean and unClean use.
"lils sin was pride. lie haS lust
zen elevated to the position of
harding the city in the absen;e OF
le real king. bis father. lie IS. so to
,eak, the temporary king. And he
,nnot bear the added dignity. He
ses his head fgurativeIy spe akiug
Id soon loses it literally. Pride
oeth before destruction and an
lughty spirit before fall.
Ills sin was impurity. The
'unken orgies in which they en-.
,ged were of such character as
'ly to please the lewd and licen-
Jus. The queen was there by
ecial command of her lord, aud
| his wives and concubines. In
e midst Of sinful and sensual in
llgence God speaks to him. And
en- rs he arrested tue attention Of
desponding Elijah with a still
laIl voice, 30 he calls drunken
ng to his senses without noise or
oxen word.
His sip was idolatry. They
aise the gods Of iron and wood
id stone, which see not nor hear
ID in whom the breath of God 10
It. Going after other gods is to
r God spiritual adultery and
ultery or idolatry God thunders
ainst in Sinai's law. Mel who
day worship gold and silver and
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