NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S HUNTING DIARY.
AMONG the discoveries made by Col. Rawlinson, in the excavations of Babylon, was Nebuchadnezzar's hunting diary, with notes, and here and there a portrait of his dogs, sketched by himself, with his name under it. He mentions in it his having been ill; and while he was delirious he thought he had been out to graze like the beasts of the field. Is not this a wonderful corroboration of Scripture? Rawlinson also found a pot of preserves in an excellent state, and gave some to Queen Victoria to taste. How little Nebuchadnezzar's cook dreamed when making them, that twenty-five centuries after, the Queen of England would eat some of the identical preserves that figured at his master's table!
National Repository.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S HUMILIATION.
IN the fourth chapter of Daniel, verses 1-28, Nebuchadnezzar tells a dream, which he had had, and the interpretation given him by the prophet. He addresses himself to "all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth;" and says he thinks it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward him. He then begins his narrative as follows:
"I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and nourishing in my palace. I saw a dream, which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Therefore made I, a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers; and I told the dream before them, but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
But at the last Daniel came in before me, . . . and before him I told the dream, saying, . . .
Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all. The beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came do»n from Heaven; he cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit; let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches. Nevertheless, leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."
When Daniel heard the dream, he was sad, and disliked very much to tell the king what it meant. But Nebuchadnezzar told him not to be troubled; and so, after wishing that the interpretation might be fulfilled upon the king's enemies, he went on to tell its meaning. He said that the great tree represented Nebuchadnezzar; for his greatness had reached unto heaven, and his dominion to the ends of the earth. Of the cutting down of the tree he said, "This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High. . . . , that they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots, thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the Heavens do rule."
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NEBUCHADNEZZARS DREAM
SOON after Daniel and his fellows began to stand among the counselors before the king,"Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live forever; tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me; if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor; therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you; for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed; therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter; therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. "For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain."
Then Daniel inquired why the decree had been so hasty, and asked the king to give him time, that he might interpret the dream for him. The king granted the favor, and Daniel and his companions prayed earnestly to God to show them the dream and its meaning.
"Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision."
When Daniel was called in before the king, he told him that it was not in the power of men, however wise, to make known or interpret his dream; but that the God of Heaven had revealed the secret to him. He then proceeded to relate the dream as follows:
"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together,
and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
"This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king."
DON'T FORGET THE PENNY.
LITTLE children, bring your penny
Every Sabbath-day;
Do not say you haven't any;
Do not keep away.
Many littles make a many,
Don't forget to bring your penny.