Mexico Missouri message., 1909-08-05

20 king, be not deceived" replied
Daniel, with a smile of incredulity,
for this is but clay within, and brass
without, and did never eat nor drink
anything"
AS Daniel finished speaking the face
of the king became livid with anger,
and turning him about, he directed |
one of his servants to summon the |
priests which served before the great |
god Bel, and when they had come, he
exclaimed, his voice shaking with in |
tense passion:
Daniel here declareth that Bel eat |
eth not of those things which the king
provldeth daily. If ye tell me not
truly that Bel eateth these things, !
then We shall die. But If ye can GER
tify me that Bel devoureth them, then
Daniel shall die for he hath spoken
blasphemy against Bel"
Thou hast spoken well" said Dan
iel, looking full into the eyes Of the
assembled priests.
1t was agreed that test should be
made that the king and Daniel should
shut and seal the doors of the temple
after they had placed the usual
food and drink and offering before
the image. And the priests little
regarded the matter, for under the
table they had made privy entrance,
whereby they entered in continually
and consumed those things which
were set before Bel But Dan.
tel was as subtle as the priests them
selves, and unbeknown to them he
caused his servants to strew the floor
of the temple with very fine ashes.
! Then were the doors shut and sealed
with the kings seal.
In the morning with eager step
came the king and Daniel with him,
and the king said
"Ah, ha, are not the seals whole?"
Yea, my lord, they are whole"
Then the king commanded that the
doors be opened, and when they had
gone within behold the table was
empty, and the king cried:
Great art thou, o BEL and with
thee is no deceit at ALL"
But Daniel only laughed, and point
ing to the pavement where the ashes
had been spread, he said:
Mark we'll whose footsteps these
be-"
And when the private entrance had
been disclosed to the king he was
very angry and he caused the priests
to be slain and delivered Bel and
the temple into the hands of Daniel,
who caused them to be destroyed.
Now there was also in the same
place a great dragon which the peo-
pie Of Babylon worshiped. And the
king said unto Daniel:
wilt thou also say that this is Of
brass? Lo, he liveth, and eateth and
drinketh. Thou canst not say that
he is not a living god. Therefore
worship him"
NAY" responded Daniel, but /
will worship the Lord my God; FOR
he is the living God. But give me
leave, o king, and l shall STAY this
dragon without sword or staff"
} And The king having given his con
sent. Daniel took pitch and fat and
hair and having made of them great
! balls he took and threw them into
the great yawning throat OF the
8 dragon from which issued hot and
scorching breath. Now, as soon as
) the pitch balls had reached the in
3 terror of the dragon they burst into
; fierce fame and caused the image tc
burst asunder in the middle. TheT
! turning to the king, he said:
z These be the gods ye worship
Z But when the people of Babylon
2 heard that Daniel had destroyed no
Z only Bel but the dragon which they
z worshiped, they were wroth and mad
z common cause against him, declaring
3 that il he we're not delivered into thei
3 hands they would rebel against tn
q king and destroy him. Now whei
9 the king saw the straits into whicl
3 he had fallen he gave Daniel int
3 their hands and they cast him int
z the den where were seven lions, fierc
3 and hungry. There Daniel was TO
4 six days. But God by mighty spiri
3 carried his prophet Habbacu fror
I. Jerusalem to Babylon, bearing a bow
q of pottage and broken bread, whic
= he gave into Daniels hand and h
4 was strengthened. And on the seN
!: enth day came the king, and when h
!: found Daniel safe he cried: Great
8 the God of Daniel"
And he caused Daniel to be draw
forth and those who had sought hi
hurt we're cast in thither and wer
- devoured of the lions.