Evening star., 1922-07-22
Reports of Daniels courageous ac-

Reports Of Daniels courageous ac-
tions at Belshazzars feast would
reach Darius, the commander of the
conquering army of the Medes and
Persians. very soon after he assumed
control of Babylon. Daniels character
and capacity would be appreciated by
the sensual and sordid soldier. The
fact that fully fifty years previous
the venerable Hebrew had prophesied
that a new world power would rise.
which would be the hammer God
would use to destroy the Babylonians.
would appeal to superstitious orien-
tai. 1t Is not surprising that Darius
should be impressed by the preson-
ality OF the eminent statesmen, who
had been recalled to power the night
Babylon was conquered, and who
probably. with the death of Belshaz-
Ear, may have welcomed the conquer
ing commander to the palace as the
military governor Of the land.
Darius, whose identity has not been
completely and satisfactorily estab-
lished. reveals one of the elements of
his successful leadership by his selec-
tion of Daniel to be the chief premier
Ito whom the viceToys were to give
accounts SO that the king might not
suffer loss" Darius. who was prob
any TedllZeu tndI lDdHlel
executive experience and uprightness
Of character would relieve him of all
worry concerning the civil admins
tration of the kingdom. which Cyrus
had divided into 127 provinces. whose
viceroys were to share in the govern
ment of the new world power. While
Daniel had enemies. whom he had ex-
posed in their grating plans during
his services in connection with the
Babylonian kingdom, his elevation by
Darius served to increase the number
Eminence arouses envy. In the case
of the chief premier, or president, the
fact that he was an alien, who had
not fought in the ranks of the con-
quering army, and that his monothe-
istic faith kept him from worshipping
their national gods would serve to
increase their animosity, which grew
largely out of the fact that he would
not share with them in any grating
proposition. Hostile intrigues develop
quickly in oriental courts. Daniel's
enemies could not find anything in
his public record or private life that
could not stand the searchlight of
publicity. They recognized that their
only hope to ensnare him was through
his religious fidelity.
1t was a tribute to Daniels un-
blemished religious life and spiritu-
calculations upon his devotion to Je-
hovah. They expected that he would
obey God rather than man if they
could succeed in securing an edict
from the king prescribing that none
of his subjects for the next thirty
god or man save the king, and that
the penalty for disobedience would
be consignment to the lions pit.
Darius was informed that the Presi-
dent and the other officers favored
this law. This would indicate that
nj al
was not informed concerning the true
purpose Of the law. They had ap-
pealed to his vanity and to the Per
sian custom of worshiping their
kings among their gods. Upon the
face Of II the edict appeared to call
Babylonians to worship the king as
the representative of the Supreme
Power and invested with his dele
gated authority.
Daniel understood that this decree
was practically his death warrant,
but he did not hesitate to continue,
as his custom had always been to
pray three times daily toward Jeru-
salem. He did not wait for the storm
to blow over. He would not stoop to
private devotions or change his
method of praying SO that he could
not be seen when at his devotions to
Deity. The habits formed in his
youth OF communlng with God stood
the test of trial. He had found. as
nearly every executive OF the United
States has in trying times. help in
prayer. The secret of the Lord is
with them that fear Him" When the
test of Daniels love, loyalty and life
came, the eminent servant of Jeho-
vah opened the windows of his prayer
chamber and facing Jerusalem,
proved his faith as true worshiper
of Jehovah, the God of the Jews.
Peril sent him to the mercy seat for
strength and-help.
The enemies of the great statesman,
who probably was at the time of our
lesson about ninety years of age,
had rushed when the edict was signed
to advantageous positions to watch
Daniels movements. 1t was not be-
cause he did not respect the edicts of
the king, for Darius had no more loyal
subject and truer friend than the
premier, whose life the king had en-
dangered by his command that in
fringed upon the soul liberty of the
great executive and others of his
faith. He cid not believe that the
state should. dictate in matters of re-
lieion. He was a puritan. He lived
a long way from Plymouth Rock; he
had been dead for 1000 years when
that compact was signed in the cabin
of the Mayfower. He had never read
a line of John Milton: he knew moth
ing of Oliver Cromwell. But he was
a puritan none the less. He insisted
upon the rights of the individual con-
science as against the dictates of