Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-30
Purity and Strength
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOMXINS.
Text, Dim. 4. $40.
Text, Dan. !. $40.

The splendid story Of Daniel and his
friends Is a religious and a sanitary
message. The body Is influential In the
moral and spiritual life, and we are to
care for our physical nature, first, as Il
matter of reverence for iod. sine. the
body Is tho temple OF the Holy Ghcs:
q Cor. GID, and second, as n matter
OF health and happiness. or old mon
We're inclined to dcspise the body. They
thought OF II as a mer. bit Of clay to
be broken and doomed II perish when
the soul left 1t at death. IL was even
counted az an evil thing, ana men
Imagined they were serving tioG when
they abused 1t. cut It, starved 1t. Think
God, we ire learning now not only hat
the body is holy, being made III the
Image OF God, but that we are bound
to care for 1t. developed 1t. nourish it.
In order that We may live and serve
as upright, splendid children of our
Father.
Simplicity Of food. cleanliness, ex-
eroise and sleep are a part of the Chris
t!an's duty as we'll as prayer. worship
and goodness. Daniel would not par
take OF the luxury Of the kings table
because II was harmful. He demanded
plain food that his body might ne pure
and 1T for whatever service Cnl should
demand OF him. And doubtless his
courage to do right in the face Of his
plotting enemies, his ability 10 hear
Gods voice and 70 receive His mes
sage, and his power to interpret dreams
and see visions resulted from che sound.
clean. well-nour!shcd body which. from
the very first, he son2hc 20 possess
We ought to ask God to bless our
bodies to give us health and strength.
and then we should do our part III car
ing for our bodies, living :'Ght and
resisting evil. );
PURITY OF HODY
RESULT OF PURE HEART
My strength is as the strength Of
ten because my heart Is pure. cries
Sir Galahad Tennyson's splendid
knight. Purity of the body results
from a pure heart. from which all evil
thoughts are banishcd. David ASKED
God to try him and know his thoughts.
and only as our thoughts are thus
cleansed can we hope for strength. We
live In days when great temptations as
sail Books pictures, evil living try
to draw us from the ways Of righteous
ness. and knowledge Of sin does not al
ways assure the wisdom which leads
men toward holrefs We must watch
and pray. We must look 70 Christ for
help. we must fight error in whatever
guise II approaches. Create within
me a clean heart" was David's prayer.
II the heart keeps right. the life Will
be right. /, MAS Daniels loyalty 10
God that made him rests, the tc:npta-
tons Of Babylon.
Temperance was q part of Daniels
arrnor. His brain WINS clear because he
would not touch that which wrought
(, confusion OF mind How strange {; is
: that which they know viii make them
wild and unbalanccd
Bu, what especially impresscs us in
our lesson is Daniels courage. He was
n captive. stranger in n strange land.
II Was easy 70 look TO God for help
and 10 do right when In far-awav Jcru-
salem the temple worship and the ren
Commandments hold 'h- right Of wa.-;
but here in babylon all was wild with
the license OF hcathcndom. and he vas
prisoner. and apparently could only
do as he was hidden. IIero!sm is born
In hard places. II is born where evil
rules: II arises when manhood has
to face death. Dare TO be a Daniel
rang the old Moody and Sankey hymn.
and II struck an appealing note There
is kind OF bravery on the field of bat
tie where bullets are flying; there is
finer kind Of bravery when the man
In civil life, in his home and In the
town. stands up for Righteousness. Yet
Daniels courage was not born Of his
own power. He never could have been
so brave had he not drawn from God
and He blessed him. because Daniel
obeyed.
HELD FAST no HIS
FAITH IN GOD
First. he held fast TO his faith in
God, even when threatened See him
praying three times q day though he
knew the lions den was awaiting him.
Note his Acknowledgement Of God as
his deliverer: My God hath sent His
angels and hath shut the lions
mouths" Read his prayer to God In
chapter Q. When we trust In our God
then indeed purity and temperance and
strength are given TO us. II you want
TO be a splendid, brave man OF char
acter and goodness. my friend. do not
neglect your prayers. 1t may seem a
little thing to YOU to knecl down In
the morning and thank God for his
care through the night. and ask Him
to guide you through the day; but It
brings the Hosts of Heaven TO guard
you. and make you the child of Christ
all through the hours Of toll.
Second. Daniel spoke the truth even
when called upon to condemn kings.
Nebuchadnezzar was terrible and
cruel ruler. but Daniel told him In
plain language that he had sinned and
that God would punish him. Belshaz-
Ear feared neither God nor man. but
Daniel rebuked him for his shameless
deeds. 1t is fine thing to rebuke vice
and to stand bravely before men and
declare the sins which are their ruin.
God cannot give strength to tho man
who is afraid to stand up for the
right, who compromises and apollo
glzes and lowers his ideals of purity
and temperance and honor. He has no
character who yields to those who
would lead him astray lest he should
offend them. The moral coward is the
poorest and cheapest thing on the face
of the earth. Only TO him who hates
evil and fights 1t whenever and wher-
ever he finds 1t can God give the crown
OF manhood.
REMAINED HUMBLE,
KIND AND TRUE
Third, Daniel remained humble and
kind and true in spite of his exaltation
and blessedness. at the end OF his
book we find him the same earnest,
God-fearing man as at the beginning.
so many people are spoiled by success.
by prosperity. by honor! So many
think themselves worthy OF praise be-
cause of their religious faith. and look
down upon the fallen world as from n
superior station, and alas! like I.ucifer,
they fall because they forget God in
thinking OF themselves.
a great and good man once told
me that he had n severe trial in his
life. The one person whom he loved
I and trusted would never speak n word
OF praise or encouragement to him,
y, Ion ed fnr tel,