The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-10-05

mention those of profane history
and modern times, Joseph was
chief adviser Of Pharaoh in Egyp.
and Daniel of Darius in Babylon.
In neither instance was there any
thing in the religion Of the incum-
bent to unfit him for affairs of
State. On the contrary, there was
much that qualified. But religion
! did not shelter from the shafts of
envy. Though "chaste as ice or
pure as SNOW" he could not es-
cape calumny. No "crime was so
great as daring to excel"
The answering rectitude of
this fearless Hebrew was a con-
sta1t rebuke to his fellow-oficials.
Just at this juncture the king
took steps toward a civil-service
reform and mediated making Dan
lel head Of the bureau. 1t looked
as if their populations were about
to be unearthed. Salf-preservation
as we'll as jealousy now prompted
the conspiracy against the life of
this incorruptible servant of the
State.
The plot was well suited to the
kings vanity and weakness. It
was cleverly suggested that ODE
dience to this decree would be
conspicuous recognition ofthe fact
that the king not only reigned by
Divine right, but that he himself
was Divine. This is a fgment of
antiquity which Sui viyed even to
our own day in the Divine nature
accorded until recently to the Mi
kado of Japan.
Daniel had room built on the
fiat roof Of his palace, sky -parlor,
where, isolated from his house
hold, he could give himself to de-
votion. For fifty years his face
upturned in prayer at the lattice
had been familiar sight to the pass
erby. The very inveteracy of his
habit is what suggested the trap
to his enemies. The decree is
sealed 1t is irreversible. Dan
iel knows it. Will he desist or
continue? His life is the forfeit.
Lynx eyes are on his lattice. At
the appointed hour he appears
there according to his custom. 1t
is not with the spirit of bravado;
not because he is reckless and
headstrong; but because a princi-
pie is at stake, and he is the most
conspicuous representative of his
race. AS he does, so will they.
The power of a thousand sermons
is concentrated in his conduct in
this emergency. Great in the
council-chamber, he is greater in
the closet of prayer.
The weakness of Darius makes
good foil for the courage of Daniel.
Ifhe had not the adage, "a bad
promise is better broken than
kept" he had at least the princi-
pie which underlies it, for that is
perennial. The promise to do an
unjust and inhuman thing is best
kept in the breach of it. Or if
this fiction of the remediless pen
atty must be observed, then Darius
should have gone to the den in
Daniels stead. The palace and
the den-What a contrast! In
that building "the marvel Of man
kind, " the monarch of the world.
was restless and unhappy. He
loathed the dainties of his banquet
room, nor would he listen to music.
Sleep forsook him. An upbraid-
ing conscience aud consciousness
of unkingly weakness were his
companions.
In the den Daniel had the indie
scribable JOY of an approving con-
science, void ofoffense toward God
and man. He had the fulfllment
of the promise, HE shall give His
angels charge concerning thee"
His security was complete, his
companionship angelic. The stead
fastness Of Daniel and his conse-
quent mi raculous deliverance was
the finishing touch in the provi-
Dental process of preparing the
Hebrews for their exit from bon
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