Page 146 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

questions obviously designed to make him clear himself of guilt. “I fear your efforts to
excuse me are in vain,” said Daniel. “I cannot plead ignorance of the law, for I was
well aware of its promulgation when I knelt openly and prayed to Jehovah my God.

To maintain the integrity and dignity of law, the king has no alternative but to invoke
against me the full penalty and cast me into the den of lions.” The lawyers, hearing
this, looked at one another and then in a hopeless manner toward the king. “The
decree, O King is framed with such care and clarity that there is no crack or crevice

for escape. We fear that what the Chief President has said is true.”

The king who had been pacing the floor, sat down and buried his face in his hands
and sobbed like a child. “Daniel, Daniel, I hate myself that my deluded vanity hath

inflicted this upon you, my best, my most honored friend. I should myself be cast to
the lions instead of you! Now I am completely frustrated, caught in the toils of the law
that I myself have made.”
“Be of good cheer, O King, I am not dead yet, and my God is well able to save

me from the jaws of the lions. I cannot be sure, but I somehow feel that he has a
purpose yet to accomplish through me to King Cyrus, and that for that reason, I will
be delivered, but if it turns out otherwise and He is pleased to take me hence, I am
content,” replied Daniel. “You may as well, therefore, command that I be committed

immediately to the den of lions,” he concluded.

Unwilling to turn Daniel over to the deputies of the Department of Public Safety
who usually carried out a sentence of capital punishment, the king called for the

Captain of the Guard and commanded that he should form the palace defenders into a
guard of honor to escort Daniel to the den of lions.
“I will walk with him at the head of the column until we get very near the den of
lions. But I cannot bear to see him actually let down into the den. You will see, Sir

Captain, that with padded ropes under his arms, the Chief President will be let down
into the den. Then you will restore the covering stone, place a strip across the crack
and seal it with this royal signet and with this other signet of the lords of Medo-
Persia.” With these words the king extended the two signets to the captain who receive

them and bowed low and retired.

After a few minutes the guard of honor had been formed and the king was notified.

During the brief delay, General Aspatha, having heard of the matter, had hastened to
the palace. He requested of the king that he might be allowed to accompany him and
Daniel to the den of lions.
“I shall heartily welcome it, General Aspatha. I would like to show to the people
that this is not an ordinary execution, and that by reason of the fact that the king and

the general of the armies is accompanying the ‘criminal’ we are ourselves in sympathy
with him and regret that any such proclamation was ever made. It may be that