Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL
~
Er BNI rYLSOrE

kInkdOn an pfecautlon against the
menace Of Egyptian influence. but in
his gathering together in his court or
/ the most promising young men rroIn
4 the various subject nations. Now he
/ proposes 70 further SOlidlfy his en-
/ pirs by the ests blisnment Of a state
religion. An image OF his chosen
deity was made and set up in a plain
near Babylon, and there the people
were gathered together, with repre-
sentauves Of all dependant kingdom.,
70 unite In worship Of one god. The
Babylonian emperor knew nothing
bout the doctrine OF freedom OF co.-
science. He presumed that when ne
compelled outward obeissnce TO his
state religion he had secured the re-
ligious loyalty OF all the people. Al
least that is what he designed in
making this public dedication OF tuo
idol a matter Of national import But
he reckoned without the fidelity Oh
three children OF Abraham who re.
fused 10 debase themselves by even
an outward reverence for a false god.
IT II notable that these three Je~.,
young men who had been honored and
trusted by the king, made no apollo
gies for their conduct The king was
al first disposed to demonstrate with
them and would have given them n
cree, The young Jews calmly gave
him 70 understand that, Whatever
debts of gratitude or loyalty they owed
him as their king, the matter OF tneIr
conscience was one thing In which
he could not command them. They
were willing 10 take the consequences,
whatever these might be, rather than
yield a principle OF faith in the true
God. They did not know that Jeho-
Ia y
wrath Of Nebuchadnezzar, but tn->
did know that he was able 10 do so.
Their refusal to participate in idola-
trous worship was not based on any
expectation that God would come TO
their aid, but because they were de-
tcrmined TO do right even IL IL meant
torture or death. How Jehovah did
gloriously deliver them from the liery
furnace. and how that deliverance
was accomplished in such a way as TO
command the respect OF a pagan mon
arch. is only another demonstration
Of Gods ability to suspend the Jaws
of nature as reward for fidelity and
as an object lesson to those who might
be weak in faith.
Daniel had avoided n clash with the
sumptuarv regulations Of the palace
by stroke OF diplomacy ard gentle
manly tact. In this case, however,
the issues were squarely presented.
The young men of Judea must choose
between obcylng God and Nebucnaa-
nezzar. They did not hesitate over
the decision even when called beforp
an angry king. They had done right
and they had no excuses to offer. In
fact. they gave the king to understand
that under no circumstances would
they bend the knee to any but the
true God. Sincere rectitude is never
hesitating nor apologize. II has no
need to belt has no right to be- The
only right way for a servant of Goo
is to do right without hesitatng or
apology, and with a cheerful disregard
Of the consequences. Compromise
with evil never did do any good Do
ing evil that good may result has
always proved delusion, for the oniy
legitimate fruits of evil is more anu
greater evil.
The mistake we often make nova
days Is due to two considerations:
first, we are not always sure that we
know the right, for sophistries and
human notifications of divine law
have clouded our consciences and we
sometimes mistake zeal for per-
sonal fad as zeal for Jehovah; ana
second. We are too much swayeo py
considerations for expediency instead
OF clinging to the unqualified right.
II is really very rare that we nave
an absolute doubt In ourinner hearts
as TO what is right or wrong. bur we
love to argue about what is exped-
tent. Paui's wise admonition for US
to adjust ourselves to environment
and seek to teach the truth by in
duction rather than by blune assertion
mas been overdone sometimes until we
hesitate TO make a plain, open-and-
shut declaration of our stand for the
right On the other hand, many mis-
take their desire to stand up for the
right for a duty 10 assert their recti-
tude belligerently under all circum-
stances But for shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego the issue was plain and
they met II nobly, and we can make
no mistake in following their example.
Let us make no mistake about this
matter. Every child of God is nov
called upon TO emulate the creed OF
Mohammed and spread his faith by
brute force upon an unconverted
people. We are told 10 tell the truth
to all people, but we are not asked To
cram It down their throats This very
process of enforcing an uniformity of
creed was what Nebuchadnezzar at
and what these three faith
ful Jews resisted. Many such at
tempts have been made in later years
In the name of God, and godly people
nowadays are not free from the ambi-
tion to crystalize their religious be-
liefs and observances into laws to en-
force the compliance OF people who
may believe differently. Strong eff
forts have been made to compel IL
portion of our free American citizens,
In a country where freedom of con-
science Is an acknowledged principle,
TO unite with the majority in the 90.
servance of an universal sabbath. al
tho these people hold the observance
" a different day an essential item %,
their faith. And church-loving, God
fearing people are making the mistake
OF trying to enforce attendance or
n-believers upon church worship by
The enactment Of laws to prevent them
from enjoying day of rest in any
other way. Man must be convinced
Of his duty to God. not coerced. We
are initiating Nebuchadnezzar.
But one thing Is sure-we are every
one of us who call upon the holy
name OF God in duty bound to bear
living and persistent witnesses to our
loyalty to Jehovah. We are not good
Christians II we are ashamed to let Il
be known at all times, in all places
and under all circumstances that we
ire uncoinpromising servants of the
living Cod We are not good Christ
ans when we apologize for our faith
1r seek to Keep 1t in the background