The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-21

Lions Den- 4
Plotters Perish in Their Own Pit.
This is one of the dear old stories,
which children love, and cultivated
men and women must know II they
are to understand countless literary
illusions. Now is good time to get
the event fixed in its setting; espe-
eially since its scene is now newly
center of world interest. Great
changes have taken place since the
last lesson. The naughty Nebuchad-
nezzar, king of kings, who threw the
three young Hebrews into the f1eryI
furnace, has become insane, his sue
cessors have had their little day. ana
his throne itself has been overturned
The great Babylon has become a vas
sal kingdom. The first step of DAN
ieps Interpretation of the image OF
Nebuchadnezzar's dream has been full
filled.
A new king rules, new nation
prevails. Cyrus. the Persian, has con-
Quered Media, and, at the head OF the
Medo-Persian Empire, has overthrown
Babylon. Cyrus himself reigns at
Shushan, in Persia, and Darius is ms
viceroy in Babylon With regal pow
ers, Darius plans the government.
placing one hundred and twenty sa-
traps "a familiar word to all who have
studied Xenophon) over the territor-
ial divisions, and three presidents
presidents over these. Daniel, the sage
ana statesman, was one Oh the pTcSl-
dents, though now an old man.
\, An Exile and Some Monarchs.
A bit of Latin was often in my
mind as 1 roamed over the ruins of
Assyria and Babylonia and succeed
mundi''-''So passes the glory of
earth For kings and even dynas-
ties and empires were only as strata
in the accumulated layers of dirt
ruins. The kings of some of the
stele that 1 saw amid the ruins along
| the Tigris could not be identified
tho they were full of most boaStful
biographical statements. The average
person does we'll who can keep in
mind the names of the greater en-
| pires and their order, along with the
names of the foremost rulers.
But there is no difficulty about re-
membering Daniel. And amid all
| the mutations and transformations of
| the centuries in this Tigris- Euphra-
ties region the people of Daniel have
/ stood fast, worshiping the one true
! God Myriads of them are still to
! be found in the territory which was
1 once the Medo-Persian; and now they
| seem to be coming to their own
again. For this war may be the final
| deliverer of the Jew. History is more
A! wonderful than prophecy. The vim
dication of Gods word and of Gods
people is written large in the records
/ of time
/ PIotters and Their Plan.
Quite as the Hindus in a govern
/ ment office in India scheme against
the Mohammedans. so the Chaldeans
4 under Darius plotted against this
Jew Daniel, who was set over them
/ all He excited their jealousy; and
i.all men familiar with ''office politics
know what this means; and also theil
fear, for his principles stood as Il bar
rier against grating. One homes
man in a corrupt organization car
spoil the schemes of the most promi
nent and Sskillful predatory plotters
if he has the. courage of a Daniel
This has frequently been illustrated
in our own national life.
| Orientals are adopts at subtlety an6
intrigue; and the plot of the satraps
against Daniel was based on theil
knowledge of the vanity of the king
1t was not a hard thing for Darius
any more than for the present en-
peror of Japan, to believe himself {
god. He gu1ped down the allurins
bait thrown to him by the courtiers
never suspecting the hook it held. Il
, we did not understand something OF
human nature, and the groSSneSs Of
the flattery which men will accept
this part of the story might seem in
! credible. Yet we have the example Of
| the late Roman emperors; and, re
J. Gently, of a European monarch who
| seems to look upon himself as the
important member of ME unC
| Gott' partnership. Darius readily
and thoughtlessly, assented to the pro
position that no god but himself
should be worshipped for the space Of
thirty days. under peril of the lions.
Trapped!
Never trap was sprung with greater
1 tic
| fine compliment was paid to DAME
by his enemies, for they knew that hi
would never crook the pregnan
hinges OF the knee" to any other Goo
than Jehovah. They also knew tina
he was too much of a man to dodg'
saying his prayers as before. Beins
without fear and without reproach,
he could be counted on to be true t,
his highest allegiance; and this ma
neuver of his enemies made that high
. er fidelity seem like a breach of hi
worldly loyalty. Daniels character
like his heart, was fixed; he was nov
, an old man, and he could be counted
upon not to play false to his God.
All honor to the stalwart men VIII
do ''as aforetime," in the face of Sa
tan himself Christian history ha
/ as its brightest pages the record o
the Daniels who have stood fast: VIII
have dared to defy councils, courts
kings ard churches, in obedience t
their convictions. These are the king
men. They follow in the train o
the great and steadfast Christ, VIII
knew how to die, but did not know
how to save his life at the expens
of his honor. The "stonewalr' sor
of man, as faithful at praying as a
fighting is the sort upon whom mai
and God rely. Even the enemies o
| right know where to find him always
Untroubled by Trouble.
| day. He is a foolish sailor who build
his boat only for fair weather. No,
. trouble should be prepared for, blu
I not worried about. Daniel was no
{ upset by this plot of his enemies. H
{ went about his work as usual, an
rraved with his windows open towar
Jerusalem, even as he did every day
a La ,.raS NOT uaunIinelY oStentatiouS L