CONSCIENCE POINTS TO A JUDGMENT TO COME.
THE universal belief of men in the retributions of another life shows that conscience gives a uniform lesson on this subject. No man feels safe. To every mind there is “a certain fearful looking for of judgment.” It is seen in the tendency of our race to dwell upon the dark side of every event, and to interpret every strange and mysterious occurrence as an omen of evil, or a token of divine anger. Men know something of their own wickedness. They know they are not punished as much as they deserve, and they are fearful that God is about to bring them to judgment. A fine illustration of this is found in the book of Daniel. “Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.” To insult the God of the Hebrews, he “commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was at Jerusalem;” vessels consecrated to the service of the Lord of hosts. The king and his companions “drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone. In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote upon the plaster of the wall.” No one knew the nature of the writing, nor could the wise men of the city read it. Yet, when the king saw the part of the hand that wrote, his countenance changed, and his knees smote one against another. But why this agitation and alarm? Why not regard this mysterious inscription as an omen of good? Why not fill up the vessels of God’s house, and drink deeper? Why not call for music, for the song, and the dance? Why not point to the inscription, and with exultation exclaim, “See, the gods have accepted the offerings of this night of revelry, and are well pleased. They have thus signified their pleasure. Yonder stands the sentence which promises long life to your king, and prosperity to his kingdom.” Not so thought that impious monarch. He could not read the writing, but he well knew it boded no good to him or his kingdom. Conscience told that wicked king that the God whom he had insulted was about to take vengeance upon him, and call him to judgment. And when Daniel gave the interpretation of the handwriting, he did but confirm what conscience had already made known.—Sel.