Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-08

lives. I think Daniel was the first to
come to the conclusion, and he deter
mined upon a fixed purpose which
should sway his life. Iimagine he told
it to his friends and that they agreed
that they, too, would have that as their
controlling purpose. 1t is this: that
they wound never forsake or dishonor
God, but would always be loyal to Him.
whatever 1T might cost them. This was
the motif, as musicians call it, the lit
tie strain that is constantly appearing
throughout the whole of the music OF
their lives Devotion to God was the
motif 1t explains every incident in
his life.
THE TEST.
The test came at once. When the
meal was served, it was found that it
consisted of meat and wine that had
been Offered to idols If Daniel and his
friends ate of it. they would compromise
Cod they would be guilty of the appear
ance, at least, of worshiping the gods
to whom the meat and wine had been
dedicated Therefore they could not in
loyalty and devotion to Jehovah partake
of it. Daniel did not have any scruples
about taking meat or wine. He was
neither vegetarian nor teetotaler, for
in Chron. 1913 we learn that he both
ate meat and drank wine after that
period of fasting was over. Not that he
was glutton nor drunkard, but he
simply did what every one did then
and until few years ago, took the light
sour wine with his meals that is fur
nished abroad now, and which the mar
jority of the people and travellers take.
To use this passage therefore to teach
temperance in the ordinary acceptation
of the term, therefore, is to abuse 1t.
1 yield to no one in the desire for total
abstinence worldwide, but resent the
abuse of Gods word for teaching it. 1t
was loyalty and devotion to Jehovah that
made Daniel and his friends refuse to
partake of the meat and wine offered to
idols and subsequently served at their
table.
Daniel was exceedingly tactful in the
way he accomplished his result He
did not antagonize his superior Off
GERS. but he put the proposition to them
so fairly that they could not well refuse.
The trial was to be for ten days; the
result he left with God.
At the end of that time he had won.
Trust in God and loyalty to Him had
commanded His blessing. Vegetables and
water with loyalty to God are more pro-
ductive than moderation even in meat
and wine without loyalty to God. He and
his companions were in better health
than any OF the others, not because VI
the food they had taken, but because
cod had honored their trust and obedi-
ence to Him.
They were allowed to continue during
their whole college course the diet which
honored God, and when they came up
for the rigid examination before Nebu-
chadnezzar, he found them far ahead
of all the others not only in physical
appearance, but also in mental attain
ments.
What Daniel and his friends did is
possible for you, and for the humblest
child today. Not once nor twice viii you
be put to the test of showing your 10y
atty and devotion to God. 1t may be
may not be in the matter of wine 1t may
be in the thousand other ways. Let this
be the motif however that shall appear
and reappear in the music of your life
God first at any cost. "And whatso-
ever he doeth shall prosper.