liveth forever and ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

"And at the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto mę; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom and excellent majesty was added unto me."

The strength of this vision, its interpretation and fulfillment, according to the principle declared by Daniel, is so apparent and so applicable that it needs little comment. 1. It was a reproof, a solemn admonition. 2. Being from the divine sphere, the natural man could obtain no light upon it, his material mind was capable of no adequate or even legitimate conceptions of its true character or interest. 3. It was only interpreted by means of him whose hope and trust was in the living God. 4. To obey the heavenly injunction was contrary to the king's inclination. 5. Its fulfillment only echoed the interpretation -both harmonized. To record the events in the retribution, only required the repetition of

the language employed in its interpretation. 6. Its effects, when verified by actual occurrences, served to humble the proud monarch, according to indication. 7. When the king acknowledged his frailty, and that of all flesh; the power, wisdom and goodness of God, he was restored and abundantly blessed. 8. And finally, the ultimate effect was to cause the king to exalt the name of the Most High, as the King of heaven, and to proclaim all his works, Truth. Therefore, the

events amply sustain the doctrine of the Inspired Word, expose the worthlessness of all manifestations, or dependence, which in any way conflict with the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. And also, that the arm of nature is paralyzed whenever an attempt is made to substitute it for the power of God; and that the God of Abraham, of the Hebrews, of the true Christian, is the Lord Almighty, the only Safety in the day of trouble.

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CHAPTER X.

THE MYSTERIOUS WRITING.

THE sad scene now introduced is of the deepest interest, one to which modern spiritualists often refer, and which is by them claimed as evidence in their favor. And since by them employed as argument fovorable to their cause, it follows, most assuredly, that they endorse it as true. If, therefore, this is admitted into the catalogue of authentic facts, which no one conversant with the arguments of spiritualists will deny, the Book of Daniel must be admitted true. Either circumstance, then, recorded in Daniel cannot be denied by the spiritualists. And they prove the Harmonial theory false. If Progressionists claim what was called God's works in those days to have been only the "manifestation of spirits" in accordance with modern profession, they do so in the face of opposing facts, for in those days there were, as already shown, the two spheres. One the natural, or human; and the other instituted claims equal to the Christian's doctrine of the Nineteenth Century, respecting the Supreme Being. The ancient ideas of God's character, attributes, and also his 450

dealings with men, are still those of the true Church. From the Bible accounts of Divine and Angelic manifestations, the Christian Faith is derived. Therefore, to admit the truth of one incident in "Daniel" is to admit all, and to concede the actual occurrence of those manifestations is to sanction the Christian doctrine; and such concession blasts the philosophy of Bibleopposers.

With these remarks we proceed to the investigation and application of this manifestation, which is so frequently adduced as strong evidence in the behalf of spirit writing, hand and feet manufacturing, etc.

In Daniel, ch. v., it is recorded, that "Belteshazzar, the king, made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. And while he tasted the wine, he commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was at Jerusalem; that the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines might drink therein. the golden vessels that were temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem. And the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone."

Then they brought taken out of the

The religion of the king and his guests cannot be mistaken. They were nature-worshipers. Not quite so spiritual perhaps as modern nature worshipers, still they saw the god they adored only in the material. The true Israelites looked above the material for his dwelling place whom they worshiped as the I AM. The distinction is clear. Belteshazzar acknowledged no God but Nature.

"In the same hour" (while they drank and worshiped their idols) "came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlesticks, upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosened, and his knees smote one against another."

Again the astrologers, Chaldeans and soothsayers, are called; and wealth and honor proffered to whosoever would read and interpret the writing. But as on former occasions they could not read or make known the interpretation. And why? The answer is obvious: They were altogether in their earth and natural sphere, while the hand that wrote was from heaven and the supernatural sphere. Otherwise, why did they not read and interpret?

"Then the king was greatly troubled, and his