In the fifth chapter of the book of Daniel we read the remarkable account of the feast of Belshazzar, king of Babylon. The story is familiar to all Bible students and though told in few words presents a vivid picture of the depravity of the king and his favorites. We read that as the feast proceeds Belshazzar grows more and more reckless and, utterly oblivious of his impending doom, he finally sends for the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had brought from the temple at Jerusalem. Out of these vessels which the Jews had dedicated to the worship of God, Belshazzar and his guests drank their wine, at the same time giving praise to the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, and of wood. The story goes on to relate that "the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand" writing upon the wall "and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote."
Whether this story is literally true or not makes very little difference to its importance. Undoubtedly something happened in the midst of the feasting and reveling which struck terror to the heart of Belshazzar, for we read, "Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." As the custom was when anything of an unusual nature occurred, the rulers of the land, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers were immediately summoned and a reward was offered to the one who could read and interpret the writing, but not one was able to do so. That the event was unusual and startling is evident from the fact that the queen herself came into the hall and endeavored to comfort the king by reminding him of Daniel in the words, "There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods," and recalled to the memory of Belshazzar the wonderful power manifested by Daniel in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Whereupon Daniel was quickly brought before the king, who, after speaking in flattering terms of his excellent wisdom and understanding, asked him to read and interpret the strange phenomenon which had so greatly disturbed the feast, and promised as a reward for this same excellent wisdom and understanding that Daniel should be clothed with scarlet, have a chain of gold around his neck, and be made third ruler in the kingdom.
Here we see manifested the conceit of mortal mind, which would attempt to reward Principle, and believes it has the power to buy wisdom and understanding when necessary to its comfort and peace. This phase of error is one to which the Christian Scientist needs to be particularly alert. It is comparatively easy to detect and banish mortal mind suggestions when they come in the form of hate, persecution, jealousy, or anger, but it requires greater consecration and obedience to Principle when the same mortal mind comes with flattering speeches, cajolery, and promises of reward.
