el, because he
denied that Bel was a god. Meats were placed on the altar before the
idol every night, and before morning they had vanished. "Therefore,"
said the king, "Bel must be a god." But Daniel got fine ashes and
strewed the temple floor, and locked the doors. Next morning he came
with the king to the temple, and when the doors were opened, the king
saw that all the meat was gone, then he cried out that Bel was a god.
But Daniel pointed to the floor, and there, in the ashes, were the
prints of many feet, for the priests had a secret door under the altar,
and in the night they came out with their wives and children, and ate
what had been offered to the idol. Then Evilmerodach had them all
slain.

Now, my brethren! Job says of God: "Thou lookest narrowly unto all my
paths," or, as it might be better rendered, "my footprints." That is,
Thou, O God, seest my traces where I have been, and Thou wilt take
account of what I have done. Mark this!--The steps pass away, but the
footprints do not pass away. The steps go on into Endless Life or
Eternal Death, but the footprints remain to shew where you have walked.
Your fashion in this world may pass away, but your footprints remain to
tell tales of you; they pass not away.

You house-father! You house-mother! you will go your way, but your
traces will remain in your family, the good you have done, or the bad,
these cannot be wiped out.

You who have done any dishonest act, spoken falsehood, dealt
deceitfully, all your dishonest acts, and false words, and deceitful
dealings, will pass away, but the traces will remain, and God will look
narrowly at them.

You have been given talents, intelligence, physical strength, spiritual
opportunities; these pass away, but not their traces.

You have been a boy, a youth, a man, and are now old. Each age has
passed away, but not the footsteps, they shall not pass away. What you
did when first you got your reason, your childish acts, are passed
away, but not the results. Your actions when young,--did you yield to
your passions or conquer them? those acts are passed away, but not the
results. In your manhood, what have you done in your family, what
example have you set? You are now old and white-headed. Vigorous
manhood is over, passed away, but the footsteps, the tell-tale
footsteps remain.

CONCLUSION.--Now then, considering this, I urge you sincerely to live
each day as if the last, to live so that you may not be af