in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation."

How, but by the Spirit, did Daniel know he had the dream and could shew the interpretation? His confidence was in the God of heaven, not in men nor familiar spirits. Upon God he had called, and was assured that by his will the secret had been revealed to his mind. And now, in that faith he is ready to go before the king.'

"Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judea, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. The king answered and said unto Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven, that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the vision of thy head-upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O, king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as

for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom, that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mayest know the thoughts of thy heart."

How

How unlike the spirit of the carnal heart were the spirit and motives of Daniel? tionary, that the king should not

How precau

accredit him

with the wisdom, but that his mind should be directed to God as the Author and Giver. How meek and overflowing with the spirit of gratitude and reverence, and how careful to give God the glory. His humble soul delighted in that acknowledgement which at once precluded him from all importance in the matter, save that as God's servant he had sought unto him with all his heart, and submitted himself as the humble instrument of the Spirit.

Then said Daniel, "Thou, O king sawest and beheld a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee: and the form thereof was terrible." (See Daniel, xi., 31-44.) "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not

be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and the gold: the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."

The dream and its interpretation being revealed to the king, greatly humbled him, and he answered unto Daniel, and said, "Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldst reveal this secret."

Although the preliminary circumstances, to all human appearance, greatly endangered Daniel and his fellows, the result disclosed one of the most important prophecies on record. And thus God again revealed his power and wisdom; also, the remembrance of his promise to Abraham that he would preserve his seed, and through them bless the nations of the earth.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE FIERY FURNACE.

BUT the trial of their faith, who worshiped the Living God, was not yet complete. A darker day awaited them. More subtle still were the evil machinations that conspired against them; and more dreadful the conflict purposed, by the Foe of all righteousness. For "Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was three-score cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors and the captains, the judges, the treasures, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and when gathered together they stood before the image. Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at the time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sacbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: and whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the

midst of a burning fiery furnace. And at the time when the people heard the music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image. Wherefore certain Chaldees came near and accused the Jews, saying, O king, live forever. Thou hast

made a decree that all at the sound of the music shall fall down and worship the image. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the offices of the provinces of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego: these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast made. Then the king in his rage and fury commanded them to be brought, and they brought these men before the king: and the king said, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego? do ye not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image I have made, well; but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of the burning fiery furnace: and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?"

Thus is recorded another issue between the powers of darkness and the servants of God. The king, confident in his own sufficiency, menacingly enquires what God could save them