ch he had forgotten. This
they declared to be impossible; on which the exasperated tyrant ordered
all the magians to be massacred. Daniel and his friends, although not
present, were included in such a sentence. On learning this, he begged a
respite for the whole body, undertaking to find, through his God, the
solution of the difficulty. The respite was granted; and at the earnest
prayer of Daniel, God made the secret known to him. A colossal image
which the king saw, with a head of gold, arms and breast of silver,
belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and toes partly iron and partly
clay, was struck down by a stone, which itself grew and filled the whole
earth. This, in the interpretation of Daniel, figured forth "the things
to come;" describing by characteristic symbols the succession of empires
to the end of time; and it is wonderful to observe how precisely the
greater part of what was then future has since been accomplished. The
king was not only satisfied but astonished; he was almost ready to pay
divine honors to Daniel; and raised him at once to the eminent station
of Archimagus, or chief of the magians, and governor of the metropolitan
province of Babylon. His three friends, also, were at his request,
promoted to places of trust and honor.

Not long after, Nebuchadnezzar set up a colossal image in the plains of
Dura, and commanded that, when music sounded, everyone should worship
it, on pain of death. He soon learned that this command was utterly
neglected by Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego;
and his rage grew so high, at the example of disobedience given by
persons in their high station that he ordered them to be at once cast
into "the burning furnace." The heat of the furnace was so great as to
destroy the men who cast them in; but they themselves remained unhurt,
and not even a hair of their heads was singed. They came forth when the
king called them; and he was so much astonished and convinced by this
prodigy, that he publicly acknowledged the greatness of the God whom
they served.

There appear to have been good and generous qualities in the character
of Nebuchadnezzar; but the pride with which he contemplated the grandeur
of his empire, and the magnificence of his undertakings, was most
inordinate, and he required to be taught that "the Most High ruleth over
all the kingdoms of the earth, and giveth them to whomsoever he will."
He was warned of this in a dream, which was interpre