T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S hand, and the writing was to tell the king that because of his disobedience to God, his kingdom was to be taken away from him. And that very night, some people marched up from their country, while the wicked king was drinking wine, and took his palace and city, and killed the king. These peo ple who took the city had a king of their own, called Darius, and king Dar ius grew very fond of Daniel. The country was too big for the king to rule over by himself, so he divided it into many parts and put a_prince over each part, and he put Daniel over all these men. This made the princes angry to have Daniel over them, and they tried to find out something bad about Daniel to tell the king. But Daniel loved God, and he was very faithful in all the work he had to do, and so the men could not find anything about Daniel that was not good. Of course these men had been watching Daniel, and they knew that he prayed to God every morning and evening and in the middle of the day. Daniel opened his windows facing to wards his old home, and prayed to God, just as he had done ever since he was a boy. Now these men went to the king and told him everybody wanted him to make a law, that whosoever should pray to God, or to a man, for thirty days, save to the king, should be cast into the den of lions. It pleased the king to think that everybody in his city would be praying to him as if he were a great god, so he signed his name to this wicked law. Now we know these men lied to the king, for they said everybody wanted this law, and Daniel was over all these men, and he did not want it. Now what do you suppose Daniel did when he knew what the king had done? Do you think he pulled down his curtains, or said his prayers in bed? No, indeed! He went into his house, opened his win dows as he had always done, and knc down and prayed and gave thanks to
722
Christian holds firm? Was Daniel ashamed of God before the statesmen with whom he was associated? Did not the king have some faith in Daniel’s God because of Daniel’s consecrated life? Does not the deliverance of the righteous usually mean the punishment of the unrighteous? What kind of a God did the king call Daniel’s God? What reason is given in verse 23 why Daniel was not harmed ?Under whose rule did Daniel continue to prosper? Does it ever pay to start a conspiracy? Is it not true that conspirators are al ways punished in the end? What did these officials wish to do by this con spiracy? In the end which did the peo ple and the king respect the most— Daniel or the conspirators? _ God Takes Care of Daniel. Dan. 6: 16-23. Memory Verse.|S-“What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.” Ps. 56:3. Approach.—Here is a picture, and I wonder how many of you know the name of the animals you see in the pic ture. Lions. Did you ever see a real live lion? Earl, BEGINNERS where did you see AND PRIMARY one? Out at the Mabel L. Merrill zoo in a big cage. Helen, where did you see a live lion? You saw several lions at the circus. Would you be scared to meet a lion that was loose on the street? Yes, indeed, we all would be afraid, for lions kill and eat people, and are not safe animals to have around. This morning we are go ing to hear about some lions and a brave man who loved God and trusted Him. Prayer. Lesson Story.—Who will tell me the story about a hand that wrote on the wall of the king’s palace? Yes, that was a wonderful hand for it was God’s
Made with FlippingBook Annual report