Article November 15, 1913 Issue

Serving Continually

LOUISE KNIGHT WHEATLEY

When Daniel, at the command of Darius the king, had been cast into the den of lions, we are told that the king, after a night of anxiety and fasting, went very early in the morning to see what had taken place. The outlook was not promising. Without was the great stone, sealed with the royal signet and laid before the mouth of the den, while within were the hungry lions; yet there must have been in the thought of the king some faint shadow of hope that somehow his friend would yet be alive. The day before, when he had reluctantly pronounced sentence upon his trusted counselor, he had said, "Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." Now his first words show that his thought is still upon some higher power than any which he himself has ever known. "O Daniel," he cries, "servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?" We remember the brave, sweet answer: "O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me."

It is a significant fact that in addressing Daniel the king had twice referred to him as one who served his God "continually." This fidelity and steadfastness on Daniel's part, in the midst of persecution, intolerance, ignorance, and superstition, had evidently impressed Darius, just as it will impress us when we begin to see that this very thing was an important factor in securing Daniel's speedy release from his most trying situation. We are always interested in learning more of how Daniel, as the saying is, "made his demonstration," for this Hebrew captive of centuries ago is not the only person who has ever believed himself thrown into a den of lions, and some have not gotten out so quickly as did he. We may recall that for what appeared to be an endless length of time we beat upon the stone walls of our dungeon without response. We cried aloud for succor, but nobody seemed to hear. Surely, we thought, God is able to save us! He who is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever," will not fail us!

Just at this point we stopped beating upon the walls and began to think. God is indeed "the same yesterday, and today, and forever," but what were we doing yesterday, and the day before that, and the week before that, and the month before that? Were we acknowledging God's allness, reflecting His goodness, rejoicing in His presence and power, gratefully recognizing ourselves as the expression of this infinite All, this supreme I am of Spirit, or were we idly amusing ourselves in a satisfied sense of ease in matter? It is not an easy thing to readjust one's thinking in an instant. Christian Science teaches that "to understand God is the work of eternity, and demands absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire" (Science and Health, p. 3). As Christian Scientists we have undertaken a great and holy task, even the amelioration of sin, sickness, and death; shall we therefore be less earnest, less devoted, less steadfast than was this Hebrew captive of old, who went into his chamber thrice daily, opened his windows "toward Jerusalem," and "prayed, and gave thanks before his God"?

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