Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-27
Sunday School Lesson
BY
DR.. Hugh T. Stevenson.

heather god and his blessing sought
upon it, The pressure Of social custom,
college traditions. school regulations
and the kings orders were all opposed
to his faith. Loyalty to Jehovah called
for Daniel and his three fellow Hebrew
students to decline any food that had
been offered to idols. He Influenced ms
companions.
After seeking divine guidance through
prayer they persuaded Melzar. their d.
rector, to allow them to try for sea-
son the use of cereals and the common
vegetables, which were used by the
peasants, and being abundant could be
secured from supplies that had not
been offered to any pagan idol. The
trial issued in their favor. Their plumb
ness of form. which Is the especial
pride of the Oriental, was superior to
that of their fellow students. They
surpassed in every line those who had
INDUCED in the use Of the wine ana
the choice foods taken from the king S
table, when the despotic king examined
them. Their fidelity to Jehovah brought
them position, popularity and power.
especially Daniel, whose life and labor
covered the whole period of the exile.
Interpreting Dreams.
One day Daniel found that his life
was endangered because the king had
demanded from the "Chaldeans" that
they should recall for him dream that
he had forgotten and tell him Its mean
ing. Daniel interceded and asked for
time to consult Jehovah. In answer
to his prayers God gave him revelation
that convinced the king Of the SUI
premacy of Daniels God. In that vision
and its Interpretation we have not only
a philosophy of history but some seen
in a picture of modern days. 1t points
out how ultimately a divine kingdom
is to be established among men. that
will eliminate wars and establish peace
among men through the establishment
of the kingdom of God. The king had
seen in his vision a reproduction OF
images that he had seen during his
waking moments and one that can be
found in almost any museum in the
East today. The image that the king
had seen in his dream was Of huge,
colossal human form of strangely mixed
materials. The substance of his dream
was no less natural than its form. The
one was suggested by the objects seen
in his daily life: the other by his press
ing anxieties concerning the future Of
his monarchy for he had hardly secured
a firm footing upon his throne.
In interpreting the image we would
do we'll to study also the seventh chap
ter. In that chapter the ferocious ma
trre of the political kingdoms is en-
phasized. Truly he has anticipated the
modern world with its nations drawing
its symbols from the fierce, cruel beasts,
like the Russian bear and the British
lion, as well as the American eagle.
Space does not permit the consideration
of the successive monarchies. The al
location of each part Is important, but
it is of less Importance to US than the
lessons taught by the Indignation OF
iron and clay in the fourth kingdom
1t suggests the artificial unity into
which the great conquering kingdom
tried to force its subjects. 1t teaches
us that It is not possible to build great
nation possessing world power upon
mere force.
There are three specific things con-
corning the stone cut out without
hands, which suggests its origin, its
duration and its destructive energy. IT
refers without doubt to the time, when
the God of heaven shall set up a king
dom. It points to the hour when the
rule Of force shall give place to that OF
brotherhood and love, peace and Justice
among men and nations The Kellogg
pact, proclaimed at the White HOUSE
last wednesday, is an effort along those
lines. 1t expresses the Christians anti.
| pathy against war and is the first steI
in outlawing it. May it prove to be thu
blessing that It seems to be in prevent.
ing strife in this very hour among al
nations and peoples.