Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-27
MIR. CLARK ON DANIEL III.

Ezra westcote Clark. author of the
International Sunday School Lessons.
refers. In a recent issue, to Daniel
2:31-35, which reads as follows:
Thou, o king, sawest, and behold
great image. This great image,
whose brightness was excellent, stood
before thee; and the form thereof was
terrible
This images head was of fine gold.
his breast and his arms of silver, his
belly and his thighs of brass.
His legs of iron, his feet part of
iron and part OF clay.
Thou sawest till that stone was
cut out without hands which smote
| the image upon his feet that were
| OF iron and clay, and brake them to
| pieces.
Then was the iron, the clay. the
| brass, the silver, and the gold, broken
| to pieces together, and became like the
chaff OF the summer threshingfoors;
and the wind carried them away, that
no place was found for them: and
the stone that smote the image be-
came a great mountain, and filed the
whole earth"
This image Mr.. Clark says, was
meant to typify:
the rise of four all-powerful world
monarchies. Their reign was not to
be eternal. A power was to come
that, like white stone out OF a clear
sky, would crush the image and, fall
ing to the ground. would grow into
mighty mountain.
observation-disclosures the Great, ruling
the Assyrian- Babylonian empire with
its Oriental splendor, represented the
head of gold. Its integrity destroyed
by Its prosperity and its vital strength
sapped by its superiority of luxuries, 1t
passed from power to give place 10
the succeeding kingdom.
Cyrus the Great god of the sun,
ushered in the glorious era Of the
Medo-Persian empire. Here were
found the breast and arms Of silver.
For two centuries the world paid trib-
ute TO this dynasty. Once more the
pomp OF prosperity sounded the knell
OF the nations glory, and a young
giant OF the Attic trailed the colors of
the second empire in the dust.
Alexander the Great, the invinc-
ible warrior and victor of a hundred
campaigns, defeated the Persian hosts
at the battle OF Arbela and succeeded
to the throne and established the new
Greco-Macedonian empire, together
with their learning and art into the
uttermost limits OF the then known
world.
THE Caesars built their empire on
the ruins OF Alexander's domains and
shifted the center of the worlds ac-
tivities from the East at Babylon TO
the West at Rome. The rule of iron
had come, Caesar Augustus ruled as
king of kings and lord OF lords All
religious, civil and political powers.
privileges and titles were vested In
him. Rome and her unconquered leg
ions ruled the world,
Peace was found In all the contin-
ents and commercial prosperity swept
the tlthes of the nations up TO Rome
Travelling was safe and scholars and
seers carried the learning Of the trib-
utary countries to her gates. Peace
was proclaimed from the temple of
Janus. IL was q peace, however IN
which there was no enduring Joy. The
/ cry OF tho prophets was stilled. The
| peace OF Jerusalem Was hollow
mockery Religion as represented IN
| Judaism was dormant and nearly
| dead. The soulless Journalism Of the
rltualistlc church had taken the fire
| Of spiritual foryor out OF the Jewish
heart Peace had come at the price
| OF faith.
Like a white stone out of a clear
shy 20 shatter the colossal image.
| came the Son OF David, the Prince OF
Peace, the Savior of the World. the
! Messiah single enthusiast standing
! bareheaded on the Joppa rond an
! u0unees the coming of tho new king
! dom, A celestial choir welcomes the
| birth OF the heir to the throne A
white dove brings the heavenly attes.
latlon and the voice of the clouds pro-
claims the inauguration of his reign.
A dozen disciples become the faithful"
so runs Mr.. clarlS's exposition which
may be regarded US typical OF Chris
tian thought throughout the civilized
world today. Much as we admire the
pith and breyity OF Mr. ClarRs explain
alton we prefer that given by the
Prophet Daniel himself in the verses
80 10 "A. as follows;
This is tho dream; ana we will tell
the interpretation thereof before the
king
Thou. o king, art a king OF kings:
Tor the Goo Of heaven hath given thee
a kingdom. power, and strength, and
glory.
Aud wheresoever the children OF mon
dwell. the beasts OF the field and the
fowls Of the heaven hath he given into