Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-01-09

]
use OF the young men whom the kiEg
was having trained hor his service.
And the change had been a welcome
one, Tor these Hebrew princes had
oeen accustomed to the comforts and
injuries OF the royal court at Jerusa.
lem. and when IL was told them that
tney We're TO be educated in all the
learning or the Cha:deans, they all
leit. especially Daniel, more reconciled
10 their lot. So ii was that when the
evening meal was served all were In
quite cheerful mood, and fell to
eagerly partaking of the rich bounties
spread before them.
All but Daniel The food before him
remained untouched. anC as We have
| already said his conscience troubled
him. for 1t was an abomination for
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 q
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. Tor 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 shrug of his shoulders and
savage shake OF his head.
This Ashpenaz, who had Just en-.
| tered the hall, noted, and sent for him
What 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
What ails thee, my son? Speak.
and fear not" he added. as he noted
Daniels confusion.
Now II was not in the nature OF
Daniel to dissemble and so frankly he
told the prince that ii was defilement
for Hebrew to partake of that which
was offered to idols.
pYt
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 We
| make me endanger my head to the
king. I fear my lord 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 1T was that he had
not eaten and what 1t was that Ash.
a
observed what had transpired.
81 am resolved" replied Daniel.
| simply, that / will not defile 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 II the plain diet work
eth Ill with u.s." exclaimed Hananiah,
| suting his action to the words and
| starting off in the direction Of the
steward. who had just appeared in the
! doorway.
! lndlly AFTER uuCH PERSUASION, ana
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
fulness 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