Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-17
LOCAL MATTERS.


The most popular festival 10 the Jewish re-
llglon will, In accordance with custom, and In
conaonanee with the request Of lts founders,
DO celebrated 10 day. II may well be termed
an annual jubilee, rendering the hearts Of
all Jews jubilaut and happyi for, although
more than twenty-five centuries have elapeed
since the event Il commentaries took place,
neither time nor circumstance have obllter-
ated ID from the minds Of the Hebrew race,
nor rendered the Israelite callous against lie
teachings; 90 that even those who consider
the time has arrived for Israel TO hold In
allowance the ceremonies Of their religion,
regard the festival Of Purim Rs binding on
them for all times aud for all seasons. They
love the festival-not exactly for the bright
page In Israel's history ID records, but for
the pleasant duty Il enjolns-as Il calls on
all born within the pale Of Judaism TO eat
heartily, drink Abundautly, and TO exchange
glfts one with the other-and, more esPe-
eially, 10 send, from their superabuudant
stores, presents TO the poor and TO the needy.
Aud where II the being 10 be found In
Israel who refuses to observe those duties
Where the heart 20 estranged from the
teachings Of the past as TO decline comply
Ing with lts mandate 10 eat, TO drink, and TO
be merryf In truth II can DO observed that
such mlsanthropes are not TO be found In
Iarael. They all love 10 enjoy themselves /,
and fortunate IL II that they are 90 condl.
toned az TO DO enabled 10 live on the fat Of
the land, and to take care Of those who
would gladly rejoice for the nonce, bat have
not the means TO comply with their hearts
yearnlug. To these poor ones they feel hap
py In being able TO state; eve bring you
our offerings 10 accordance with our hearts
best emotions, that you may with rs enjoy
yourselves; for, although your lot has been
cast TO suffer from adverse fate, stlll, az the
word Purim signifies, lot or chance, may
your lot hereafter be to celebrate the feast
from your own resources"
The history on which the feast IL based IL
known TO all. The book Of Esther Is familiar
TO the world. Ahasuerus, or Artaxerxes,
one Of the Eastern monarchs-a king Of
great wealth and Of q very narrow mind,
Who considered, as most orlentallsts, that
woman was merely slave to comply With
the wishes Of the steruer seK-ordered, In
one Of his merry moods, that the queen
should come before him and his ministers,
90 that he might crafty his vanity to show
10 them how handsome she was, vashti,
with all the modesty OF the female eharac-
ter and the dignity Of her nature, declined
compliance, and was depose1.
The king, AFTER lime, ropented Of his
folly, and consulted with hls ministers what
had best be doue under the painful clrcum-
stances 10 alleviate his sorrow. They advised
that he should Issue q mandate that all the
handsome females should DO collected, and
be should take his choice, and Esther. .
Jewess, was made queen.
II appears almost proyldentlal, thus veri.
flying the words Of oldi "The heart Of kings
IL In the hands Of the Lord"-for his selec-
lion proved Of the greatest advantage TO
Israeli for through her fundamentally, aud
that OF her patriotic cousin, Mordecai, the
evil Vaccinations Of the willy Haman were
destroyed.
Il would exceed our limited space 10 onter
into details; 1t must sufilce 70 state that,
when the Agagito HAmAn determined 70 use
his influence with the ting 70 aunIhilate the
very uamo OF Israel, because he could not
bear TO sec "Mordecai sitting at the kings
gHtei" aud whoa the kiug-who was really
very weak, except In his selection Of Esther
granted his requesti then Il was that
Esther and her relatives set to work to couu.
teraet such cruel enorts. How thsy sue
ceeded is known 10 all, thus evinelng that
amidst all their greatness, they did not for,
get their people, nor were they ashamed "a
say they were Jews.
All they asked for was granted. Theil
prosecutor was put to an ignomlnlous death
aud the Jews had eight, peace, Joy, ant
gladness." To perpetuate the event, Mordo
cal enjolned II rs 4 statute In Israel that thI
escape Of the Jews from death and destruc
tlon should DO annually celebrated through
out the whole OF the Jewish world.
On this subject there need be no difference
between those who agree In dlsagreelng
| All love TO feast the Inner man with th,
beat this world can afford, although the,
may be careless In providing themselVe
with such mental food as may be Of Seryic
to them hereafter.
1t is the custom OF the Jews TO be Jubl
land on this festival, aud the words Of wei
come remind one Of the Christian Gus
tom at Chrlstmas-ln fact, there is sim
the Jew and the GENTLE.