they forg<'t to be.rmoni~o these e.lleged by Cyrus nnd tl10 Persians. Doth l\lcdoa Pouroee of knowl<'dgo with the stupendous and P<'rsians were oppressed by the l\fanda i!?J)oranoo tbev nttrihutc to him whenever -probably e. Scythinn horde-and Cyrus this is rc-quired by tho necessities of their commenced the rebellion against the nrgument. Whoc\"or De.rius the Mede is, oommon oppressors, and united e.s one be cannot be DRrius Hyst&spie. nation the l\lcdcs nnd tho Pereinne. Ae Another hypothesis hRs been started by to the chnracter of Gobryas ns comp1ncd Mr. Pineh<'s of the British Mnscum-the.t with that of Dcuius, we havo no dnta. to De.rius the Mede is Gobrve.s. We he.ve go upon either to affirm or deny a. resem- Eecn the.t there is e.n unoo1·te.inty e.bout the bl&nce. Hie nge is not nt all improbable. nnme. ·we ln,ow that in early .Are.me.io .Altogether the balance of probability in the FC'ript the two names are not so very unlike, mean time points to Darius the Mede being hut tlrnt the less-known GobRru might be Gobryae the governor of Gutium. That ho reed int.o the better known Darius. The is addressed al we.ye e.s " king" does not con- mRin points J.-nown e.bout both personages tmdict this, for Media and Persia and e.11 Rre in singularly exe.ct hist.orical parallel. that region had monarchies of tl}.e most Ditrius received the kingdom; Gob&ru (Og- limited description, aud these monarchs hRru, Gobryas) WM admitted into Esa.kkil retained their titles even under Cyrus's l,y the Babylonian confcdere.tee of Cyrus, rule ; hence, in his Behistun inscription, nnd We.I! made by Cyrus governor of Babylon. Darius claims his father to have been a H c exercised a certain a.mount of authority; king, and this while Cambyses reigned o.s for we e.re told, as above mentioned, that king over the empire. After hie son Darius be appointed governors.' Darius appointed had mounted the throne, Hysta.epes we.e governors. Darius was a Mede, and Go- ea.trap in Persia. He would be addressed hryas wo.s governor of the province of as " King Hysta.spes," since by his son he Guti or Gutium, which wae adjacent to is ce.lled king. Hence, if, as was likely, l\lcdie., and therefore wo.e not, impro- Gobryas was king of some small town or bably, e. Mede. In thinking of this period, canton when he became governor of Gutium, ...-e e.re to dismiss from our minds all he would be always "King Gobryae," or, thought of the "l\Iedee" being conquered as it bas been written, " Darius." On the whole, then, as we have said, the balance of 1 Mr. Pinches gives the credit of reading probability at present indicates Gobryas u "appointed governors" to Delatre. Darius the Mede.
HOMILETICS. Ver&. l-28.-.77ie lioni' den. The story of" the lions' den" may be regarded as an instance of persecution frustrated. l. !irGH STATION OFTEN OCCASIONS SEVERE TRIALS TO RELIGIOUS FIDELITY, If it had not been for his rank and office, Daniel would have been left unmolested. There is safety in obscurity. 1. The customs of high places are often inimical to religious fidelity. Daniel must have been tempted by fashion before he was attacked by perse- cution. His religious habits were singular and marked. 2. High office provokes envy. l t was not :i.nti-religious zeal which stirred the enemies of Daniel. They used a religious question simply as en instrument for their private jealousy. Blamelessness of conduct is no security against this kind of enmity. 3. Prominent positions are exposed to Bearching criticism. Daniel's habits were keenly watched. Happily his integrity was unimpeachable, even in the eyes of hie enemies. How many of us could stand such a test? Hie religious habits, however, were made public; and his fidelity to God, in opposition to the royal decree, we.a noted against him when the similar conduct of bumbler men would have been disregarded. II. OUR DUTY TO GOD MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ALL HUMAN OBLIOATIONS. Daniel was a servant of Darius, and the law of the king was absolute; yet he bad no hesitation in setting this at defiance in obedience to the higher service of God (Acts iv. 19; v. 29). 1. All through life there are similar cases in which lower obligati()'fl,(I are cancelled by Mgher ones. The duties of subjects to sovereigns, citizens to laws, children to parents, servants to masters, etc., must all be con.sidered to have this limitation. 2 . .An wnrighteoua law is no excuse/or unrighteoua conduct. Thie should be remembered by people in commercial or legal situations, in which the state of the law is sometimes used as a cloak for ambiguous practices. III. RELIQIOUS YlDELITY IB OFTEN ATTENDED WITH TEMPORAL DANGER. Though 01J. VI, 1-28.] 'l'IlE BOOK 011' nANIEt. 197