The Republican., 1922-07-20
SUNDAY, JULY %
DANIEL AND THE LIONS
Daniel 6

Daniel 6.
Who through faith subdued kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of
liOns.-Hebrews 11:33.
THE SOURCE OF POWER
When Constantine the Great saw
some statues representing some of
Rome's famous men, he said: mine
shall be made kneeling, for that is
the way l have risen to power" And
there are others who have proved the
truth of what that far away king
believed. "Havelock's saints" might
be laughed at in the piping days of
peace, but when the Sepoys rose these
praying men stemmed the tide of dis
aster. Gordon at Kartoum, Living
ston in Ilala, Cromwell at Marston
Moor, Howard at Gettysburg, Philip
at Saratoga, Foch at Amiens and
Washington at Valley Forge all test
ed the truth of that old kings word.
And Daniel had learned the secret
centuries earlier for it is the man
who becomes partner with the AL
mighty who reaches a place of power.
Darius reorganized the empire by
dividing it into administrative dis
tricts under Satraps, over whom were
three raen responsible only to himself
for their activities, and of these Dan
lei was first. 1t must have been ear
ly in his reign when he had sum-
moned these newly appointed chiefs
to Babylon for instruction and coun-
sci that the story occurs, for they
would not be permanently at the capi
tai but at their own particular dis
trict. Character had come to power.
Darius would certainly know the at
titude Of Daniel toward Belshazzer as
well as his service to the state in the
preceding years and he was a shrewd
judge of men when he lifted charac-
ter next the throne. jeremiah, if he
had consented to come to the same
city would have soon found himself
sitting in high places also through
the favor of the king whose business
it was to know what the men on the
other side the lines were thinking as
well as those in his own camp. In
despotism and democracy alike char
acter is power and the chiefest ele-
ment in developing it is prayer Out
of all proportion to their numbers
Christian men occupy positions of in
f1uence in every line of life from the
White House down. No saloon keeper
has ever occupied the presidential
chair, and it would be quite impossi-
BILE for him to reach it.
THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF
POWER
Somebody is sure to scatter tacks
on the seats of the mighty. Daniel
was not the first, nor was he the last.
The "outs" are out for the Gins" no
matter what happens. 1t is never
logical for it is quite impossible for
one to fill the place of another-each
has his own in Gods world and to
be fitted for it and to occupy it is all
sufficient for any life. o, but it isn't
place but position that is desired?
Certainly only one could have that
and the rest would be no better stu
ated than before. But he's a Jew!
Race prejudice is concerned in this
old scene as it is in making this a
"white mans world" today. One
would think that all the flag would
be discolored if a negro held office
under it tho he night be conspicuously
fitted for its occupancy. Character
and not color is the test of democracy.
But we can't get anything out of him!
Oh! Old Honesty is in the way of
personal grab is he? And here is the
real foundation Of the trouble for
every one of these men was desirous
of using Office for personal gain.
China has been rottened with graft
from top to bottom and in Judea the
most holy associations are used to
benefit the exploiters of them. Indeed
the West need not throw stones for
there have been occasions when even
American Office holders have declared
"To the victors belong the spoils."
And whenever the administration
changes Washington gets new horde
of applicants because of party service.
Over the grave of one at least of our
Presidents could be written, Died of
office seekers" Daniel could not be
bribed, threatened or cajoled into re-
garding his Office other than as pub
lie trust so he must be gotten out of
the way. Yet the most careful scrut-