The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-09-01
Daniel Companions
in the Fiery Furnace

Specially Arranged Tor This Papss

| helper and I will not fear what man
| shall do unto s."-Heb. 1876
TfME.-The septuasint account states
| that the occasion vac the organising cit
les and countries. and all the inhabitants
| Of the earth from India to Ethiopia" ana
| places the date in the 18th year Of Nebu-
| chadnezsar. This would put the event In
| the last part Of n. c. Sc, Immediately
| after the destruction Of Jerusalem, on the
kinG's return TO Babylon.
PLACE.-Babyion. the plain Of Dura.
somewhere In the vicinity Of the city.
PLACE IN THE H1BTORY.-Jerusalem
| destroyed. The Jews In captivity through
out the Babyionic empire. Daniel In the
service Of the empire in some part. Jere.
miah In Jerusalem. King Zedekiah an
Jshoinchim captives Al Babylon. Dss-
hiei at Chebsr In Babyionia-
30 far % We can learn, Nebuchad.
nessars great assemblage Of people
from oil over his empire had for its
Kingdom. He had just returned from
. triumphant campaign against bis
enemies In the west and south
against Egypt Syria and Arabia--and
he celebrated his return by the erec.
ton Of q colossal image and q grand
religious festival. The golden image
might mark the close Of a period Of
conquest and inaugurate q period Of
peace. The victories Of peace were
to absorb the remaining half Of his
reign.
The empire was composed Of
various countries and races. diverse
from one another Ia disposition, char.
acter and interests. They were united
BY no natural afinity. but BY conquest.
The whole empire might easily fall
to pieces.
Nebuchadnexsar would bind these d..
verse elements by the power Of r.
ligious worship. at . common center,
Of one chief god over all the multitude
idols. A. the Jews were bound togeth.
Or By . magnificent temple at their
capital, Jerusalem. whittier oil went
up to worship. 80 NebuchadnessaS
would place ct his capital . huge and
costly image. the glory and attraction
Of the empire. His making Babylon
magnificent city would aid this
work. Great Notifications. towers.
walls. temples. gates Of bronze. hang.
Ing gardens. palaces. public buildings
Of blue. red. yellow and white. the
Tower Of the Seven Spheres. the Won.
der Of Mankind pAlace-ali these
would attract people to the capital. ~
Aohammedans are drawn TO Mecca.
The multitudes were gathered On
the plain around the golden image gilt.
tering and radiant In the sun. BESIDES
the ofncers In their richly colored at.
tire. there was . motley gathering Of
tribes from every direction. All d..
versities Of speech and dress and man.
ners were there.
Heradls cried aloud their proc.
lamation In all languages. that
when the bands struck their martial
music all the people must fall down
and worship the golden image: And
whose falleth not down and worship
eth shall the same hour be cast into
the midst Of burning fiery furnace"
The bands played. and the whole
multitude bowed their faces to IN,
ground. Then a strange thing TOOK
place: three men stood up alone, and
were conspicuous all over the plain.
like a city set upon a hill. by their
unbowed forms and their splendid
robes Of once. These three were,
Shadrach. Meshach and Abed.nego the
three young men who Joined with Dan.
lei In refusing to defile themselves
with the kings meat
Then Nebuchadnexxar in his rage
and fury said: Now II We be ready.
TO obey, the past will be forgiven. Hut
va uynr0ktn h.,r t,a q,
mace! Let the music sound. And who
Ia that God that shall deliver you out
OF my hands!
The three, with truly magnificent
and unninching courage. appear TO
have answered promptly and without
hesitation, showing that they had care
fully considered the subject and that
with them It was a matter Of settled
and Intelligent principle: I'VE have
no need TO answer thee" to explain
how God could deliver them. or why
they must obey him. There was no
time, nor would the king under.
stand, IF It be so. we are cast into
the fiery furnace, In spite Of all you
say. our God whom We serve Ia able
TO deliver U.S."
They were put into the furnace.
A writer thinks they were bound hand
and foot with their own clothes. Tho
king sat watching the issue of the
matter. looked through the door into
the furnace. and saw a sight at which
he was astonished and terrified. He
was astonished that the three men
were not consumed; that they were
loose; that fourth was with them.
The thought flashed upon him that he
has come into conflict with a new and
unknown power. He rose up In haste,
expressing the strength OF his aston
ishment and terror. The princes
saw these men. The deliverance was
public. unmistakable. and proved by
many witnesses. The king recognized
the power Of the Jews God.
The miracle would make such an
impression on the princes and peo-
pie that the king could more easily