ship, but not his religion. He would gladly avail himself of Daniel's science; but he would have liked it separate and distinct from Daniel's religion. So it is with the world still; men admire an eloquent sermon, if there be not much gospel in it— they are pleased with an argumentative discourse, if it does not touch some tender part of their consciences. There are many who would be delighted with Christianity if they could only get rid of that continual appeal to their conscience which runs through the Bible. They have the greatest respect for the decencies of Christianity, and would even tolerate real Christianity, provided it does not become too earnest-too urgent for supremacy and mastery in the human heart.

But the king of Babylon not only wished to unteach Daniel his Christianity; but, in order to detach him still more completely from his Hebrew associations, he changed his name. He had the more reason for doing so in this case, because the names of each of the three children had "God" in it, and thus served to remind them of the religion they professed. But every name which the Chaldee monarch gave them was either merely civil and social, or contained an allusion actually idolatrous. "Daniel," for instance, signifies "God my Judge;" "Hananiah," the original of the Latin "John," means "Grace of Jehovah;" "Mishael," "Asked of God;" "Azariah," "The Lord is my Keeper." These names were to the exiled youths, witnesses for God, and mementos of the faith of their fathers. The king of Babylon, therefore, called Daniel "Belteshazzar," which means, "The treasurer of the god Bel;" Hananiah he called "Shadrach," "The messenger of the king;" and Mishael he called "Meshach,” a name denoting, "The devotee of the goddess Shesach;" and Azariah had his name changed into "Abed-nego," which signifies "The servant of Nego," one of the gods of Babylon. Thus Nebuchadnezzar heathenized their names, in hopes that he might thereby be the better able to heathenize their hearts. There is much in a name. A great poet has said—

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

Abstractedly and logically, he is correct; but practically we find

that there is a great deal in a name. So thought the king of Babylon; and when he changed the names of the young Hebrew captives, he imagined that he had made a grand step toward changing their creed and their character. But in this he was

mistaken the alteration of names did not alter the conduct of those that bore them. The Hebrew youths made no resistance, but quietly took the names assigned them, just as Christians have ever taken patiently the reproaches of the world, and borne them joyfully; but, even in this new nomenclature, they heard the undertone or echo of those dear and holy names which their fathers had given them; and they felt that though a tyrant might change their names, no tyrant can change a Christian's conviction or a Christian's heart. Neither the sheepskins nor the goatskins of the martyrs made them less lovely before God; the beauty of the king's daughter is not a beauty that man can make or mar; her beauty is within, it is a moral-a hidden, and so a lasting beauty.

The king of Babylon, we read, yet further to identify these four Hebrew youths with himself and his religion, sent them food from the royal table. We know that this was a mark of great generosity. It was, as it were, saying to these Hebrew youths, If you will become priests of our temple, we will give you an endowment from the state. I do not say here whether endowment is right or wrong. Truth can do without it, and may lawfully take it; but truth is not to be promoted by the sword, neither is error to be maintained by the treasury. This sending them meat from the royal table was a mark of esteem-a degree of preferment; and as such it should be received with gratitude; but it was refused in this case because it involved the sacrifice of principle. Every Jew was forbidden by the law to eat any but animals of certain classes which were called clean. Herein lay one objection to the Hebrew youths accepting the proffered honour of eating from the royal table. But whether our meat be from the table of the monarch or elsewhere, it must not lead us to abandon one jot of what we believe to be true, or to adopt the least item of what we believe to be unscriptural and untrue. The object of the king, as I have explained to you, was partly to engage their sympathies with heathenism, and partly to identify

them more with the idol gods whom he worshipped. But another objection on the part of Daniel and his friends arose from the fact, to which I have before alluded, that it was customary with the Chaldeans, as with other heathen nations, always to commence their meals by the dedication of their food to the idols whom they adored. Speaking of this subject, the apostle tells us, 1 Cor. x. 27, 28, "If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake: but if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake." This was just the case of the Hebrew youths; and in settling this question they argued thus: "Shall I," said Daniel, "ask my conscience, or shall I ask my appetite? shall I cease to live as an Israelite, or shall I cease to live as the protégé of my royal master? shall I give up the dignity reflected from the throne, or shall I give up the honour that cometh from God only?" Had Daniel been one of those modern easy, accommodating Christians, who when they go to Rome say, "We must do as Rome does," and when they go to Constantinople, "We must do as Constantinople does," he would have acted very differently. But he felt that truth has no latitude; the living religion of the living God knows no longitude. It is to be the same in London as in Paris; it is to have supremacy in all countries and in all climes; whether in Constantinople, or in Rome, or in England, we must be the worshippers of the living God, by Christ the living way, and through the teaching of the Holy Spirit, the comforter of all that believe. My dear friends, make the world bow to your religion; never let your religion bow to the world. Let the world fail, and let give way who will, the earnest Christian and the honest man never will give way. Do not try to be rude; that is not necessary. Do not offensively obtrude what you believe upon others; but when it is demanded-when you are called upon to sacrifice your principles and to deny your Lord, remember that there can be little hesitation when the question is whether you are to obey God, or to obey man. Daniel so acted, and Daniel was blessed in doing so.

followers of Daniel, and of all "those who through faith

and patience inherited the promises." Study Daniel, and copy him, as far as he copied Christ. We admire this star, because it shines in the light of Christ the original.

"Faithful found

Among the faithless; faithful only he,
Among innumerable false; unmoved,
Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,

His loyalty he kept, his love and zeal.

Nor number nor example with him wrought

To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind,
Though single."

LECTURE III.

LIVING TO GOD IN LITTLE THINGS.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank : So nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hannaniah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants."-Daniel i. 1-13.

IN

In my introductory discourse upon this truly interesting book, I have endeavoured first of all to show you that the assumption that the book was written at the epoch at which it is said to have been written, viz. about six hundred years before the birth of