The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-12-28
remained untouched, and as we have

remained untouched, and as we have
already said his conscience troubled
him, for 1t was an a~bomination for a
Hebrew to partake of food which had
been offered to the heather Gods, and
was not food from the kings table
rendered sacred by reason of having a
portion offered to their gods?
This fact had been emphasized and
impressed upon his mind during the
formal ceremony that afternoon when
they had been received into the pal
ace, for each had been given a new
name In token of their dedication to
the service of the king in the names
of the Babylonian gods. To him had
been given the name of Belteshazzar,
prince of the god Bel, and now they
were expected to partake of meats and
drink offered to idols.
But what else could he do?" he
asked himself again. why should he,
a Hebrew slave in a heather court,
draw such fine distinctions? Did not
circumstances absolve him from his
obligations to the God of the He
brews? And then too, how tempting
did the viands look before him. He
felt impatient with himself for letting
such thoughts trouble him and gave
outward expression to the inner irri.
tation by a shrug of his shoulders and
a gaVapa chakn nf Mic head
This Ashpenaz, who had just en-
tered the hafl, noted, and sent for him.
"Wha a comely-looking youth he
is" the prince muttered to himself as
he waited. Thoughts Of home have
robbed the boy of his appetite" And
then aloud as Daniel came before him
and bowed, he said, abruptly:
"What ails thee, my son? Speak,
and fear not" he added, as he noted
Daniels confusion.
Now it was not in the nature Of
Daniel to dissemble and so frankly he
told the prince that it was defilement
for a Hebrew to partake of that which
was offered to idols.
But are not these, thy brethren.
eating of the meat which the king has
sent them%' inquired Ashpenaz, in
surprise. why shouldst thou let the
laws of the Hebrews trouble thee
here? Thou art no longer in Jerusa.
lem but in Babylon. Act in accord
ance herewith"
"But why may not plain food which
has not been offered to the gods be
given thy servant to eat?'
plain food" exclaimed ~Ashpenaz,
in alarm. plain food! Dost thou not
know that thou art to be prepared to
go before the king? and why should
he see thy face worse looking than
these thy brethren? Then shall ye
make me endanger my head to the
king. I fear my lcrd the king, who
hath appointed your meat and your
drink"
With these words Ashpenaz dis
missed Daniel and he returned to
his place but the food before him re-
manned untouched. That night three
of his friends came to him and in
quired of him why it was that he had
not eaten and what it was that Ash
penaz had said to him, for they had
observed what had TRANSFERRED.
Il am resolved replied Daniel,
simply, that l will not defle myself
with the kings meat"
"Then what will you eat" demand
ed Mishael, We are in Babylon now,
not Jerusalem, and We cannot starve."
but the God Of the Hebrews still
lives. I will serve him." Daniel re-
sponded, firmly.
let us ask, Melzar, our steward, to
test us and see If the plain diet work.
eth i'll with u.s." exclaimed Hananiah,
suiting his action to the words and
starting off in the direction of the
steward, who had Just appeared in the
doorway.
e Finally after much persuasion, and
many misgivings on the part of Mel
Ear, the latter gave his consent to the
test, and thenceforth Daniel and the
young men he had Influenced to faith
fitness to their God had their plain
food to eat, and at the end of the
ten days which had been agreed upon
and Melzar had looked upon their
face he was delighted with their ap.
pearance and declared that they
should continue to have the same food.
Not long after this Ashpenaz was in
speeding his wards and in his rounds
found Daniel and his friends.
"Ah," he said, as he greeted Daniel,
IT thought thou wouldst be wise. See
how fair and well-favored thy counte-
nance is, and see these thy friends
here are as comedy as thou. Surely
the kings meat was what thou didst
need"
And A%shpenaz passed on before
Daniel could speak well-pleased with
himself and thu conditions about
him.
Thus time went on, and although
Daniel and his companions were often
the butt of ridcule at the hands OF
their associates who reveled in the
good things sent from the kings table.
and although it cost them many a
struggle to remain firm to the reso-
luton so bravelg made in the face of
difficulty and danger, they had their
.well-earned reward in the end, for at
the end of three years when they
went into the presence of the king and
we're examined before him it was
found that among them all there was
none like unto Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael and Azariah in wisdom OF
mind, and beauty Of physique.