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XXV.-PALACE SHUSHAN; OR, BUSINESS

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INTEGRITY.

"Thy word, a wondrous guiding star,
On pilgrims' heart doth rise,
Leads to the Lord, who dwells afar,

And makes the simple wise.

Let not its light,

E'er sink in night,

But still in every spirit shine,

That none may miss thy light divine."

In the book of Esther an account is given of the palace Shushan. Its magnificence and splendor far exceeds any city known to the ancients, and indicated a degree of civilization and refinement that has led men to doubt its existence. It was the home of monarchs, and tradition asserts that it held the tomb of Daniel. Among other splendid peculiarities of Shushan were beds of gold and silver, on a pavement of red and blue and white and black marble." Some time ago, an attempt was made to re-run the line between Turkey and Persia. Engineers from both of those Governments were appointed. To see that exact justice was done to both nations, an application was made to the English Government for an able engineer to attend the company. In their track lay buried cities. They unearthed the remains of national greatness, and, in solitude, where owls and cormorants have long reigned, they found the corner

stones and columns of palaces that echoed with the revelry of great kings, who believed that they would abide forever.

But, afar from all civilization-where no gain, or glory, or the zeal of the hunter had called manthese engineers came upon the remains of a former refinement beyond any thing found-vessels of gold and silver of elegant workmanship and of curious device, glass vases that would adorn any palace in the world to-day, and other numerous indications of a refined and rich people. But, unharmed, and as perfect as in the days of Mordecai, they came upon the variegated marble pavements of the Book of Esther, of red, white, blue, and black marble. Not far from this palace was a tomb, evidently built for some great man. On its façade was sculptured a cage, in which were lions, and a man in a reclining position, with a face at once fearless and serene. It was the tomb of Daniel, telling his remarkable story, in those wilds where the foot of man for ages has not trodden, as graphically as it is told in the Book of Daniel the prophet; adding another link to the great chain that tells us that all "Scripture is given by the inspiration of God."

Among the captives of Judah who sat down by the rivers of Babylon, who refused to sing their sacred songs in a strange land, who hanged their harps upon the willows and wept when they remembered Zion, was Daniel, the beloved of the Lord. He was but a youth when carried into captivity. But he loved the city of his fathers with an intense and holy love. He was of the royal line of David-manly, heroic, and pious. He entered on his life in a heathen

court, while yet a lad, with his character formed and principles fixed. He dwelt in Shushan palace. The duty assigned him brought him in immediate contact with those who denied the God he worshiped and derided his religion. Blasphemy, idolatry, licentiousness, and debauchery ruled those with whom he must dwell and serve. The whole atmosphere of the court was impious, and bad examples and unholy conduct met his eye and offended his ear during all his life in the palace of the king. A young man, handsome, intelligent, and attractive, he was not only exposed to the temptations that surrounded him, but he was exposed to the deeper peril of a king's smile. Selected to grace the palace, the blandishments of the court and royal temptations assailed him on every side. He was from home, and far from the altar and sepulcher of his fathers. He was exposed to peculiar perils in his own person. He had great beauty, and was without blemish, well favored, and attractive. He was skilled in wisdom, in cunning words, and in knowledge. Political preferment, with its dazzling banners, flaunted before him. He ate at the royal banquet, and princes were appointed to see that the king's meat and the royal liquors were placed on his table. Daniel saw the drift of all this. It was to be a trial of three years, and he knew where it would lead. "He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's meat, nor with the wine which the king drank." His resolution was early taken, his stand was firm, prayerful, and loyal to God. In an absolute court, in the midst of courtiers and priests who sought to destroy him, he

He was dili

walked the humble path of duty, amid terrible temptations. He clung to the simple fare of his Hebrew home; he had his closet and seasons for daily devotion, amid the revelries of the king's palace. He not only abstained from intemperance and idolatry; he not only maintained his devotions; but he resolved to honor God in his daily life. Industry and integrity marked all his movements. gent in his business, and able to stand before kings. He had an "excellent spirit," which may mean kindness, good-nature, or courtesy. All that he did, he did well; and when envy, hatred, and jealousy put spies on his track, they were obliged to confess that "they could find none occasion nor fault; he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him." He arose gradually and surely, till the purple robe, the golden chain, and the favor of the king proclaimed that the Hebrew captive was prime minister of the realm. High in authority in a heathen court, he was the humble worshiper of the God of his fathers. He was never ashamed of his nationality/ nor of his religion. He made the condition of his captive brethren pleasant, and gave them a share in his success. He obeyed the law of the land when it did not conflict with his religion. He refused no post of honor tendered to him. He wore the insignia of his rank, power, and wealth. He was as meek when ornamented with gold as when he wore sackcloth. He was as devout in purple as in chains. He was the same open-hearted, reverent servant of God in the palace as in the den of lions. He knew that industry was a blessing and indolence a sin, and he rose from

the position of a serf no less by his intense industry than by his integrity. He acted on the truth that runs through the Bible, that God made men for business; that it is the duty and charm of life; that he put man into the garden to dress it as well as to enjoy it; that his blessed Son bound himself up with the toil of life, and earned the bread that sustained his humanity beneath the hot sun of Palestine; nor was there an indolent bone in the apostolic body, unless it was in Judas.

So life teaches. Nations that rule the world are celebrated for business. England is called a nation of shopkeepers-the sun does not set on her domain. Johnson objected to Scotland that the men and horses ate the same food; but he was asked where he could find better men or better horses. The native products of the soil of New England are said to be ice and rocks; but the alchemy of labor has turned the ice into gold, and the rocks into bread. The glory of a nation is not in her palaces, statuary, paintings, and jewels, but in her thousand workshops, in intelligent mechanism, in enterprise, in the hardy arm of industry, in the marts of trade, in the domain of commerce. These give abiding prosperity, civil tranquillity, that make her walls strength, and her gates praise. Brains and toil rear the massive edifice of national greatness, and stand as columns in the portico. Repose and piety God has not joined together. To live in a cave, and found the order of Nazarenes, and to make charity a trade, was not the purpose of the Son of God. No swarms of lazy mortals separated themselves from labor at his bidding. No houses full of foolish vir