Page 151 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

prophet did not forget the proper form in addressing royalty: “O King, live forever!
My God hath sent His angel and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt
me. Forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me: and also before thee, O

King, have I done no hurt.” If a man is practically innocent before God, can he be
guilty of hurt to man? Is not an adjustment God-ward the highest and the ultimate of
truth in the inward parts, truth, to the best in one’s self? Is this not what the Bard of
the Avon means when he said. “This first of all, to thine own self be true, and it shall

follow as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man?” Is it possible for
one really to be true to himself and ignore the relation to His Creator?

At the words of Daniel, Darius was beside himself with joy. With his own hand, he

ripped off the strip that was sealed with his own seal and with that of his lords, and
began to push the slab of stone himself. His attendants leaped to his assistance and
there was an aperture sufficiently large for Daniel to be drawn out.

The padded ropes were still in place as the guards had left them the night before. It
simply remained for Daniel to pass the rope twice around his body and to be drawn
up. The lioness and her two cubs watched, almost wistfully, from below as the body of
their friend-out-a-night ascended.

As he reached the top and stood on his feet, Darius forgot his kingly decorum and
embraced Daniel with tears of joy, still trembling like a leaf with the excitement of it
all. He examined him carefully, but could find no sign of injury upon him. Arm in arm

they walked back to the city and the king accompanied Daniel to the place of the
Prime Minister before returning to the royal palace.

But with Darius, the case was not closed. He dictated to his court-scribe a list of

names beginning with Parmashta and Adalia and including all of the satraps who had
come with them to make request about the decree, and later to accuse Daniel. When
the list was complete, he commanded the scribe to draft an order to the Director of
Public Safety to arrest not only all the men listed, but their wives and children as well,

and take them all out and cast them into the den of lions. To this mandate the king
affixed the royal seal.

It was immediately carried out. If there could be any thought in the minds of any
that the lions had lost their fierceness or had some ailment that made them spare the
prophet, it was promptly dissipated, as with wild roars they poured forth from their
caverns and tore in pieces these numerous victims before their feet could reach the
bottom of the den!

Then King Darius issued a proclamation to the peoples, nations and languages that