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!

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