Part 15 (1/2)
”Two men have approached the guard, O king, greatly desiring to be admitted into thy presence.”
”Let them be admitted!” was the answer.
With anything but ease of manner, Scribbo and s.h.a.goth walked into the royal presence.
”And what have ye to communicate?” inquired his majesty, eying them as if not quite satisfied with their appearance.
”O king, live forever!” replied the Chaldeans. ”Thou, O king, hast made a decree that every man shall fall down and wors.h.i.+p the golden image; and whoso falleth not down and wors.h.i.+peth should be cast into a fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon--Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego--these men, O king, have not regarded thee; they serve not thy G.o.ds, nor wors.h.i.+p the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Then was the king full of wrath and fury. ”What!” said he, ”is my royal decree to be thus set at defiance? Is this the return they make to the king for their high promotion in the government? By all the G.o.ds, I will bend their stubborn wills, or they will suffer my vengeance to the uttermost! Let them be summoned into my presence without further delay!”
And officers were soon on their march to bring the offenders.
The king, from his elevation, saw them approaching. An innocent smile rested on each countenance; and in spite of his haughty arrogance, the king's heart was touched, and his better feelings for a while triumphed.
They stood in his presence, and respectfully, as usual, made their obeisance.
”Am I rightly informed, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,” said the king, ”when I hear that ye do not serve my G.o.ds, nor wors.h.i.+p the golden image that I have set up? It may be true; yet for your sakes, I will give you one more trial: but beware that ye further provoke not my displeasure! The king's command is not to be trifled with!”
Without the least betrayal of fear, Hananiah, in a firm tone of voice, addressed the monarch:
”O king, it requireth no careful deliberation in this matter. In so plain a case the answer is ready at hand. Thy servants, as thou well knowest, are natives of Judah, and we wors.h.i.+p no G.o.d but the G.o.d of our fathers.
As foreigners, we have at all times been careful to use no disrespectful language in regard to the G.o.ds of Chaldea, or those who pay them homage; and hitherto, unmolested, have we paid our simple adoration to the Lord G.o.d of Israel. The law of our G.o.d, with us, is regarded as infinitely superior to all human edicts. In all things pertaining to the government, we have faithfully endeavored to do thy will, and obey the directions of our sovereign. But not until this day have we been required to deny our religion, and insult our G.o.d. To thee, O king, we are much indebted. For many years have we been the objects of thy kind regard. But be it known to Nebuchadnezzar, that the continuance of his favor is not to be purchased by a base betrayal of our principles, or a denial of our G.o.d.
We cannot serve thy G.o.ds, nor wors.h.i.+p the golden image which thou hast set up. We bow the knee to G.o.d Most High alone! To us thy fiery furnace has no terrors! Jehovah, in whom we trust, is able to deliver us. That G.o.d who divided the Red Sea in two parts and made Israel to pa.s.s through the midst of it, and who parted the waves of the swelling Jordan, is able to preserve thy servants alive in the midst of the devouring flames! Yea, he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king! But, if in this we are mistaken, be it known unto thee, that toe can never obey any law of man that requireth a violation of the law of G.o.d. Therefore, we refuse to serve thy G.o.ds, or wors.h.i.+p this golden image which thou hast set up.”
”Seize the ungrateful wretches!” cried the king, in a rage, while paleness spread over his countenance. ”Seize all who set my authority at naught, and who thus insult their king! By the G.o.ds, now shall they feel the weight of my displeasure, and reap the reward of their daring insolence! Let the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. Let the worthless dogs be thrown in, and let their G.o.d, if he be able, prove himself superior to the G.o.ds of Chaldea! Bind them now, in my presence!”
The three brothers were seized on the spot by several strong men, and bound hand and foot with cords. When this was done, they were conveyed in the direction of the fiery furnace. The news soon spread throughout the a.s.semblage, and pressing thousands urged their way towards the place of execution. The fire raged with fury. f.a.got after f.a.got was thrown in. The flames leaped high above the top of the black walls that surrounded them.
The executioners were strong men of the royal guard. To these were added a number of others, who, to show the strength of their patriotism, volunteered their services. Foremost among these were Scribbo and s.h.a.goth. With what triumphant malignity they gazed on the bound Hebrews!
How complete they considered their own victory!
The word of command was given, and the victims were dragged up the ma.s.sive steps that led to the upper edge of the burning pit. In this the volunteers showed more than an ordinary degree of patriotism. The Hebrews were laid side by side, ready for their awful doom. The stout hearts of the soldiers were touched with pity as they gazed on the n.o.ble forms of their victims, of whom they had never heard aught but good; and they felt loath to perform the awful deed. But not so the patriotic sons of Skerbood.
”Why not throw the guilty rebels in?” cried s.h.a.goth, with an air of importance.
”As ye appear to take far more pleasure in this transaction than we do, we are very willing to bestow the honor of throwing them in on yourselves. So proceed with your delightful performance,” said an officer, at the same time giving way, while his companions followed him some two or three steps downward.
”With all pleasure!” answered Scribbo, while, with fiendish eagerness, they both turned to perform the foul deed. With a firm grasp they first laid hold on Azariah, and he was thrown into the midst of the flames. The same was done to Mishael; and, finally, as Hananiah dropped to the burning depth below, the ascending flames became doubly fierce; at the same moment the wind s.h.i.+fted and became strong, and, as sudden as a flash of lightning, the flames poured their awful vengeance on the guilty heads of Scribbo and s.h.a.goth. For a moment they whirled in the midst of G.o.d's avenging scourges, crying loudly for help; but no help could be administered! In another instant they became bewildered, and soon their blackened forms fell on the edge of the furnace, where a few moments before had lain the sons of Judah!
The king had not accompanied the prisoners to the fatal spot, but continued, in a surly mood, to sit on his elevated throne. He was far from being satisfied, and he inwardly regretted his severity toward the best of his officers.
The furnace was a roofless inclosure, twenty feet square, built of very thick walls in solid masonry. At the height of about twenty-five feet from the ground, on the inside, there were ponderous bars of iron, which were made to cross each other at right angles, and which fastened in the walls, forming the bottom of the furnace into which the victims were thrown from above. Below, in different parts, were appropriate places for f.a.gots and light combustibles wherewith to heat the furnace. To the lower story there were eight doors or openings, two on each square, through which easy access was obtained to the fireplaces. On the outside there was but one entrance to the top. This was by means of ma.s.sive stone steps. The depth from the edge of the furnace to the crossbars below was fifteen feet, making the whole height, from the ground, forty feet. From above also, there were steps to descend into the bottom. To spectators, on the ground, the victims were not visible after they had been thrown over the edge.
The king unwillingly turned his eyes towards the fiery furnace, and from his elevation he could see its interior. He suddenly sprang to his feet, lifted his hands on high, and exclaimed, in affrightened tone:
”O ye G.o.ds, what do I behold! What do I behold, O ye G.o.ds!” Then, turning to his n.o.bles, he exclaimed: ”Do I fancy, or is it real? Turn your eyes on yonder flames! In their midst what behold ye? Speak!”
The n.o.bles tremblingly replied:
”We see men walking unhurt in the midst of the fire, O king!”