Article October 9, 1943 Issue

The Lions' Den

IOLANI INGALLS

A Recent motion picture starring a well-known British actor illustrates with dramatic intensity the statement of the leading character that there are two kinds of courage—one "inside" and one "outside." The greater of these is shown to be the inner courage, the strength of honest convictions maintained in spite of opposition and hostility. Outer courage, which might better be called bravado, may be merely a kind of false front, a "face" boldly presented to the world but masking inner trepidation. The motion picture in which these qualities were exemplified has made a deep impression upon numbers of theater-goers. In the words of the leading character, "The heroism of the individual is contagious." Heroism, or true courage, is a mighty influence for good.

Among Bible events which have exerted a strong influence for good upon many lives is the account of Daniel in the lions' den—a source of particular inspiration in these times. It illustrates the potency of man's God-given inner courage to overcome material with spiritual forces. Mary Baker Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 134), "There is divine authority for believing in the superiority of spiritual power over material resistance." Daniel was a righteous man, so wise and intelligent as to be chosen for a position of responsibility by the king in whose realm he lived as one of a captive nation. Antagonism—and perhaps jealousy and hate—prompted the princes under him to contrive a means whereby they might rid themselves of their superior officer. But the only charge they could find against him was that he worshiped God and not man. To them the temporal king was the god of the nation. Accordingly, they devised a law prohibiting any other form of worship than that of the king of the realm.

Freedom to worship God according to the dictates of conscience is a foundation stone in modern democratic nations. The Supreme Court of the United States recently reversed an earlier decision which abrogated the right of a citizen to follow certain modes of conduct prescribed by his church. Some of the justices courageously acknowledged their error in having decided against religious freedom in the earlier case. Centuries ago, Daniel stood absolutely alone in a foreign court, faithful to the conviction that he should petition God only, and not any human ruler. He stood for freedom of worship. He refused to abandon the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

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