foes. It is amidst the horrors of a lion's den that the king's
question echoes, "Oh, Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God
whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee?"

Jephthah went to battle from the altar of prayer. As he went he made a
vow. It is the vow for which he has been most severely criticized. It
is a vow that has caused his name among some to be branded with shame.
He vowed that if God would give him the victory he would offer to Him
whatever first came out of the door of his house to meet him on his
return. It was a rash vow, I am ready to admit. Yet rash as it was, I
do not find it in my heart to be severely critical of him. I rather
join with Dr. Peck in my admiration. You know what is the matter with
a great many of us smug church members? We are so prudent. We have
such admirable possession of all our faculties. We are in danger of
dying of self-control. This man in the white heat of his enthusiasm
made a solemn pledge to the Lord of that which was destined to be
infinitely the most precious thing in his life. But some of us in our
prudence will not even make a pledge of a few dollars. We say we do
not know how well we will be fixed next week or next month or next year.

You have heard of the man who subscribed $50 and refused to pay it,
saying that he was too religious that day to look after his own
interests. Some of us never get that religious. But all the encomiums
throughout the Word of God are uttered upon those who are utterly rash
in their giving. The widow foolishly gave away all that she had. And
Mary squandered a whole box of ointment when a few drops would have
been amply sufficient. But it was their mad recklessness that made
them immortal.

Jephthah made his vow and went to battle. He went confidently. He
went believing that inasmuch as he had put himself and what he had at
God's disposal, that God would put Himself at his disposal. And God
did not disappoint him. He won the fight. And now the victorious army
is marching home. The soldiers are rejoicing. But there is a strange
tenseness and anxiety in the general's face that the soldiers do not
understand. Nobody understands but God and Jephthah. At last they
round the bend in the road and the general comes in sight of his own
home. And then suddenly his bronze face goes deadly pale. He reels
upon his horse. For out from the door of his home has come a lovely
girl with dark hair and sunn