Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-09-15
LEGION lTEXT-nanIel z


and called tipon all the people 10 wor
slim tbe irhnge which he set m. He
hacked thiA demand by civil authority
The pcpaltE for rcfu,al t. bow down
ind Worship the IMAGE wa3 - ). cat
into the burning fer furnace. lnr'..
Ing Imagesj are set up In many place.
md men and women are being called
unon TO boty down and worship them.
Some of these images are money.
fashion, scholarship, worldly ambition
measures. ,etc., and woe he To those
who will nbt worship before them.
u. The Behavior Of the Hebrews
wv. S-1S). % the accusation by the
envious spies wv. S-12).
Daniels bhree friends had been pro-
NOTED 10 positions of honor AMI re-
sponsibllty3 Certain Choldenns whose
envy had been excited by the promo
ton of these Hebrews. sought occasion
against thclm This they found when
the Hebrews would not bow down To
and Worship the image. EnvlOus eyes
nre ALWAYS watching Gods faithful
ones. Had these Chaldeans been faith
fully worshlping, they would not have
seen the Hebrews,
(2) The Kings rage wv. 1870.
He calls the Hebrews before him,
questions them and gives them another
chance. The offense was not serious
they we're defying the authority of
the one Wild had honored them In their
promotion lit savored Of lngrat,tude.
After closely questioning them he give
them another opportunity TO consider
their positibn before consiguing them
TO the Ore. His supreme mistake was
in the challenge he made TO the God
of the Hebrews. He seems to have
forgotten entirely the confession he
had n5ds vferonoe to God (2:47).
They replied without passion or fenr
The ucace yf God filled their henrts.
Their bchaYior Is an expression OF
triumphant faith. ave are not care,
IN, TO answer thee in this matter. If It
he 50, cur God whom we serve Is uble
20 delixarI rs from the burning fiery
furnaces. ana he will deliver US out of
thine band. o king. But II not. he
II known INTO thee, o king, that we
will moi seve thy gods, nor worship
the golden Image which thou Inst set
M" They courngeously showed their
contemnt Cor denth. They were not
nfrad 10 &c, hut were afraid to sin
against God. They knew Tint 10 how
down before This Image was TO dlsobey
and dlshdno God, While they did not
know whnt God would do, In the prem.
ises they knew thnt he would do tho
rich, thing. These. Hebrews were far
away from home, exposed to the most
sp1ere temptation. but they saw their
duty clearly set before them. Gods
law plainly settled II for them. They
did rot try to find an excuse to evnde
their duty. and seeing the way clearly
they acted accordingly.
~. The Glorious Issue wv. 19-SO)'
~ The harmless furnace (vv. 1929.
The Infatuated king ordered the heat
Of the furnace TO he intensified. his
most mighty. men to bind the Hebrews
aud fling them into the fire. Though
tho heat was so intense that the SOL
dlers who cast them into the furnace
were slain, the Hebrews were seen
walking loose In the fire without my
hurt. Equally astounding was the fact
that fourth one WINS seen with them
(2l The convinced king wv, 1929
The spectacle was so wonderful that
the king called the Hebrews together
Glt Of the fire. They came forth un'
hsuped. for the fire had no power ove'
their bodies; not even n bnir Of thclr
heads was singed their coDts changed
nor the smell Of Are upon them ". 27)
(3) The kings decree ". 29).
This was most foolish and wicked
Even king has no riaht to kill people
for not worshiping God.
(4) Promotion Of the Hebrews "
S0).
Their fidelity in this trying orden
resulted in their promotion instead OF
downfall. May we learn from this Tint
(a) God alone Is Lord Of the con
science. Ots's faith ond WORSHIP
should be determined by the individual
before his God. No church, king Of
ruler has n right TO interfere,
ib) We SHOULD meet religious intol
ernnce by bdng obedient to God rsthe
than mar.
tc) God win support those who ar
faithful.
td) We should prepare for fler'
trials, and through them all be tru
In n,,r .n1sAf>1na