Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-23
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1 secure an edlct mat would prevent IAN
/ iel's performing his religious duty. Dan
| iel no doubt was outvoted. for Darius
| was informed that the president and all
/ his officers favored the proposed orders
/ Darius was deceived as TO what was the
real purpose of the law. His vanity was
pleased. but the life. Of his most faithful
servant was endangered because his enc
mics sought to make his religious loyalty
1 weapon for his destruction.
| 4
Plan.
When Daniel learned that the writing
Lad been signed he did not hesitate, but
| Immediately went into his house and con-
| tinued to pray three times daily. as in the
past. with his face toward Jerusalem. He
did not wait for the storm to blow over.
| He would not stoop to secret pra yers or
perform his devotions SO that he could
| not be seen. The force of his character
was revealed by his public prayers at the
! time when sacrifices We're once offered in
the temple and toward the old site. Just
as the Mohammedan prays now, facing
Mecca. the eNiied Jew prayed with his
face toward Jerusalem.
In the glory of his old age, the habits
formed early in life of communing at
definite hours in his prayer room, which
was a sort of arbor with lattice windows
1utung out from corner of the roof OF
his house. had been fixed in his character.
declared in private conversation at an
hour when the trials of his office were
the greatest, that prayer was his main
stay and support. SO Daniel found in his
season of prayer that which gave him
his power THE secret of the Lord is
with them that fear Him Whenever
Daniel needed to understand the secret
things of God he learned them by prayer.
In this test OF his love. loyalty and life
he opened his windows TO thank God for
the opportunity that trouble had brought
to him to prove his faith true wor-
SHIPPER Of Jehovah. the God of the Jews.
The prospect of peril did not change his
habit of prayer. rather il demanded that
he draw near to God for strength.
The achievements of Stonewall Jackson
as a strategist were due to his forming
his plans of battle in prayer. Washing
ton found amid the perils of Valley Forge.
as did Lincoln when the burden of the
war pressed the heaviest upon his heart,
comfort. cheer and courage by praying TO
the God of nations. The victories of
PRAYER have not ended. Many a disciple
called upon to face danger has found in
prayer that God is our refuge and
strength, and present help i'm time OF
trouble. Assured that God would he with
him and sustain him. he faced the trial
confident that the issue would he for his
good and Gods glory. In such a spirit
Daniel viewed the peril that confronted
him because he dared to pray. as his
custom had been in the past, to Jehovah.
y y y
Peril.
The spies that Swallowed him, trying
to find some error or fault upon which
to base a charge against the grand old
man of the Jews, had no difficulty in
seeing and hearing Daniel in the hour
of his devotion to his God They saw
him advance without the sign of age
rf- in Of nd ia r.
away look toward the desolate city Of
his hearts desire. making humble
supplication 10 the gracious God III
heaven In prayer. possibly the one con-
tanned in the ninth chapter. The other
two presidents. satraps and officials
who had combined to secure his over
throw rushed to the scene when in
formed that he was praying as usual
Their plans had succeeded Daniel was
caught in their trap. They FASTENED
to Darius to demand that the law,
which could not be changed, be en-
forced When Darius saw how he had
been deceived and that the real motive
behind their subtle scheme to require
that honor be paid to him was in
reality only intended as snare to
catch Daniel in the meshes OF the law
he was overcome by anger because he
had blindly fallen into their trap. He
tried to find way out. but being weak
like PLATE he did not dare to stand
up for the right He evidently had
forgotten the law that held that the
king could do no evil IL was slave
to the custom OF the court, and finally
ordered the execution of the decree.
1t probably was after a conference
with Daniel that he was led TO order
the enforcement Of the law and at the
same time commit his aged seer to the
protection of God. expressing the hope
to Daniel that thy God, whom thou
servest continually, He will deliver
thee"
i X X x
Protection.
They lost no time in hurrying Daniel t.
the den OF lions-1hal was probably pit
CT cave of the palace grounds. These
lions were a. .:"tan,cd II the taste Of
human boo. ear il was not an uncon-
mon p;,r.isauI@nt 10 cast criminals or vic.