The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-21

YES little Dit ABOUT omar
Khayam," responded the self-confi-
dent youth Barring the fact that
there is more of Fitzgerald than of
Omar in the familiar version of the
"Rubaiyat." the poem, plus rugs,
fairly represents the average per-
Daniel and Esther who are better
known characters from Persian his
tory than the cynical poet, ARE in the
popular mind associated with Baby
lonia, the land of the exile>o Judah.
The transition of empire-one of
the momentous events of history
from Babylonia to Persia is lightly
passed over by Bible readers; but the
fact is worth remembering that the
personality of Daniel bridged the shift
of world dominion, from Babylon to
Persia, where it was to remain until
Alexander the Great broke the Per-
sian power
No full fair facing of this old
familiar story is possible without a
look at the Jersia of today, afresh
problem nation, and the scene of
recent events that easily link up with
the experiences of Daniel. 1 do not
alludet primarily to the Kaleidoscope
military changes during and since the
world war; tho it may be of incidental
interest to some readers to know that
on the way to Persia before the ar
mistice, was given a note of intro
duction by Rudyard Kipling to Cen
eral Dunsterville, who was the
''Stalky'' of the famous story. and who
was in command of the British troops
in western Persia.
When Nations Failed.
Dunsterville was "let down by the
politicians and the war office, who
also failed and betrayed most perfidi-
ously the Christian Persians or Assyri-
ans, at Urumia, and later near Bag
dad. The abandonment of the dis
armed Christian fighting men by the
ID
was quite on all fours with the aban-
donment of the Armenians in Cilicia
by the French.
And what shall we say of the
American government, which looked
On unmoved while its own nationals,
tackled, and destroyed by consequent
pestilence, and their property seized
and their life work wrecked, with
scarcely a protest from Washington
to this day? Tens of thousands of
the Christians under the missionaries
care were killed: but who has heard
the government protest, or seek resti-
tuition? Yet when possibilities of oil
concessions to American business men
arose, Washington at once busted it
self and seemed to waken up to the
significance of Persia. Both the Eng
disappearing nations in their dealings
with Persia sorely need an accession
of the Daniel spirit, which puts moral
officialdom lacks nothing more sorely
than the supplanting of a horde of
place-holding politicians by men of
the Daniel mold.
b. A Different Office-HoIder.
No commentary upon the Daniel
story that 1 have ever seen points out
the significant fact that, altho Daniel
was an old man and an office-holder,
he had not succumbed to the most
insidious of the temptations of age
and public position: which is to put
caution, Conservatism" prudence
ahead. of sturdier virtues. Usually
years and place and prosperity dull
the edge of youths art1or for idealism
and reform. College reunions show
no sadder sight than the eager-souled
knights-errant of undergraduate days
who have become pot-bellied pluto
Gratis, with never a dream left; who
meet the cynic's definition: They
have plenty to retire on, but nothing
to retire to-"
Daniel was different He carried
into old age the undimmed heroism
and faith of youth. He had not learned
to compromise. He was still the same
champion of high principle that he
had been when in youth he declined
the palace wines and dainties. Of
course, there have been, and are, many
Daniels, who have kept the faith thru
the enervating years; men like Ru-
dof Blankenburg, late mayor of Phil
adelphia, who continued to be war
horses of good citizenship to the end
Because he was loyal to his noblest
conviction in youth, and kept on be-
ing loyal thruout the years, Daniel
was able to preserve unbowed the
hoary head of age. Mortals, angels
and God himself~take delight in a fine,
unsulhed. heroic youth: But what is
their pride in the tested veteran who
has carried thruout a long life the
chivalry, the courage and the ardor
of young manhood! We cry to youth.
Dare to be a Daniel" but, equally
inspiring is the challenge of Daniel to
men past middle age to carry on in
the choice qualities of clean and fear
less youth For theTe are lions dens
for the aged as truly as there are fiery
furnaces for the young.
Keeping Fit" For Ordeals
Anybody who means to bring forth
fruit in old age" is going to succeed
only by keeping fit in soul turnout
youth and manhood. Even the most
sensational and reckless surgeon holds
forth no hope of being able to graft
monkey glands or govt glands that will
character. The only explanation of
The Daniel of the lions den, at Susa
N Persia, is the Daniel of the pious |
Hebrew home in Judah and of Nebu- |
,hadnezzar's palace in Babylon. Our
.odays are the sum of all our yester- |
lays That is why it is so tragicaIIy
more important than youth can under /
stand for it to obey John B. Coughs |
lying injunction, Young man, keep |
Tour record clean!"
Everybody knows that heroism is |
7 matter OF spirit, and not of muscle !
Daniel was no physical athlete, but |
lean ascetic, who had grown old |
without letting his soul muscles be-
,ome flabby- He kept himself in con-
iition spiritually, by living with the
windows of his life open toward
jerusalem. Thrice a day he prayed:
hat was a habit, which no trifle like
l courtiers' plot or a kings decree
'ould break. More yet: his whole
oeing was ORIGINATED Godward. He
ived his temporal life with regard to
IS eternal aspects God and the