Page 139 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

desirability of getting Daniel out, what would be the course of procedure, since he is
high in favor with King Darius? We will have to confess in all candidness that his
administration of his office and personal integrity are such as to provide little or no

ground for criticism.”
“None can know that better than President Parmashta and myself,” spoke up
Adalia, “as we are daily confronted with his incorruptible honor, his patience under
trying circumstances, and his wisdom. His insight is so keen, his judgment and

decisions so unerring that one is inescapably impressed with the idea that he is
somehow supernaturally empowered. Our only ground of attack against him will be
on the ground of his religion and the worship of his God. His palace is in the center of
the city and most of us pass it every day, and there is something that many of us have

observed – he daily kneels before an open window and prays to his God.”
“Yes, yes,” agreed several, “The window is in plain view from the street and we
have seen him kneeling there frequently.”
“I have thought of a plan whereby we can smite him down for this very thing by

the hand of his friend, King Darius,” said Parmashta.

There was a look of perplexity and mystification that overspread their faces at
such an astonishing statement, but they remained silent as Parmashta continued:

“King Darius, we know, is a very vain man and is highly susceptible to flattery. Were
it not for the steadying hand of the old Jew upon him, he would have already given the
kingdom away to those courtiers who have discovered his weakness and have fawned
over him cline to have a weakness in that direction, but Darius excessively so. If he

can be adroitly flattered, he can be persuaded to make nearly any kind of decree.
“I have cast about in my mind how we can get him to sign a decree that will
incriminate Daniel the Hebrew for his daily supplications to his God, and exact of the
king the full penalty upon him according to the immutable laws of the Medes and

Persians.
“We will intoxicate Darius with flattery until he forgets everything and then
propose that he make and sign a proclamation that will make the king himself an
exclusive object of worship, for say, thirty days, and provide that any offender be cast

into the den of lions. We know that Daniel the Hebrew will utterly ignore such a
proclamation and that he will probably flaunt it publicly and continue to supplicate his
God before the open window. The old Jew is not made of the stuff to withdraw into

privacy to pray, in the face of such a ridiculous decree.”

All those present nodded their heads vigorously and murmured approval of the
ingenuity of the plan.

Then spoke Metach, one of the older Babylonian officials, prince over a rich and
populous satrapy: “The plan is brilliantly conceived, President Parmashta, and I do not