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Daniel a Type

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 5, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 10.

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Daniel a Type.

We take the following from a recent sermon by Rev. J. H. Morley, of St. Paul, as printed in a daily in that city:—
Daniel in Babylon is a type of the Christian in the world. Every Christian is surrounded by his temptations. It is not fanciful to draw an analogy between Babylon and the world, Daniel and the Christian. The world neglects God, and its temptations still solicit the Christian. Times change, but the temptation remains in changed form. There is no law against prayer, but there is the temptation to neglect it. Our own desires lead us astray, as Daniel was tempted by the luxury of Babylon. We may have moral cowardice just as really as Daniel would have shown it if he had obeyed the king’s command. We may be untrue to religious convictions, as Daniel would have been untrue if he had joined the idolaters.
Daniel’s protest against the idolatry and worldliness of Babylon should be our protest against irreligion and worldliness to-day. Men live for low aims. Living in luxury, they sneer at temperance as fanaticism; they despise a life of humble faith in Christ, and obedience. Entering political life, they prostitute official position to promote gain and go unwhipped of justice. Entering business they pile up money and estates to lavish upon themselves. There is much that is superficial in even our religious life. It tends to shallowness, to a refined epicureanism.
As Daniel lived a simple, a true, a heroic life in Babylon, and so in some slight way modified the men of his times, so accomplished his little part in God’s plan of bringing men to himself, so you, if you will be true to yourself and to your religious convictions; if, in the place where God puts you, you shall, in the fear of God, do your duty as he makes it known to you, then you will do what you can to make the world better. Our influence over the world comes from our ruling of ourselves.