' Never will we exchange our God
for any other, neither will He exchange us for any other nation, for as
it is written, 'Thou hast this day acknowledged the Lord,' so is it also
written, 'And the Lord hath acknowledged thee this day, that thou art
unto him a peculiar people!'"
Still the tyrant spoke smoothly, and with kind words.
"Thou art young," he said; "thou hast seen but little of the pleasures
and joys of life, not as much as has fallen to the portion of thy
brethren. Do as I wish thee and thy future shall be bright and happy."
"The Lord will reign forever and ever," said the lad; "thy nation and
thy kingdom will be destroyed; thou art here to-day, to-morrow in the
grave; to-day elevated, to-morrow lowly; but the most Holy One endures
forever."
"See," continued the other, "thy brothers lie slain before thee; their
fate will be thine if thou refusest to do as I desire. See, I will cast
my ring to the ground, stoop thou and pick it up; that I will consider
allegiance to my gods."
"Thinkest thou that I fear thy threats?" returned the unterrified lad;
"why should I fear a human being more than the great God, the King of
kings?"
"Where and what is thy God?" asked the oppressor. "Is there a God in the
world?"
"Can there be a world without a Creator?" replied the youth.
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