The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-03-16

THE FEAST OF EsTHER.-The disciples
of st. Patrick are not alone to celebrate
tomorrow as the most popular festival
IN the Jewish religion, Purim, will in
accordance with custom occur, and be
celebrated on that day. The Je'riSa
Messenger says:
1t may be termed an annual jubilee,
rendering the hearts of all jews Jubl-
liant and happy; for, although more
than twenty-five centuries have elapsed
since the event it commentaries took
place, neither time nor circumstance
have obiiterated it from our minds, nor
rendered Israel callous against its teach
| iups; SO that even those who consider
the time has arrived for Israel to hold
ia allegiance the, ceremonies of our re-
ligion, regard the festival of Purim as
binding on them for all times and for
all seasons. They love the festival
not exactly for the bright page In Is
raers history it records, but for the
pleasant duty it eDjoins-as it calls on
all, born within the pale of Judaism, to
eat heartily, drink sbundantly, and to
exchange gifts one with the other-and,
more especially, to send from their su-
perabundant stores presents to the poor
and to the needy.
The history on which the past is based
is known to all. The book Of Esther is
familiar to the world. Still, as the vol
ume contains great number of pages,
and as the age is 30 enamored with
Arrangements, and is 50 averse TO Allo.
patty, even in post Biblical history
although we are opposed to Homeopa-
thy in religion-let US, in this instance,
comply with modern ideas and compress
the history within the very shortest
space.
Ahasuerus, or Artaxerxes, one of the
Eastern monarchs-a king of great
wealth and of very narrow mind, who
considered, as did most orientals, that
woman was merely slave, to comply
with the wishes of the sterner sex
ordered, in one of his merry moods, that
the Queen should come before him, and
his ministers, so that he might crafty
his vanity, to show to them how hand
some she was. Vashi, with all the mod
esty Of the female character, and the
dignity of her nature, declined COM
pliance, and was depOsed.
The King, after time, repented of
his folly, and consulted with his minis
teIs what had best be done under the
painful circumstances, to alleviate his
sorrow. They advised that he should
issue mandate that all the handsome
females should be collected, and he
could take his choice; and Esther, a
JewCs IS, was made Queen.
1t appears almost providential, thus
verifying the words of old: "The heart
of kings is in the hands of the Lord
for his selection proved of the greatest
advantage to Israel; for, through her
instrumentality and that fher patriot
ic cousin, Mordecai, the evil machina-
tions of the willy Hanau were de-
ssroyed.
IL would exceed our limited space to
enter into details; it must suffice to
state that, when the Agagite Haman
determined to use his influence with the
king to annihilate the very name of
Israel, because he could not bear to see
"Mordecai sitting at the kings gate"
and when the king-who was really
very weak, except in the selection of
Esther-granted his request; then it
was that Esther and her relative set to
work to counterfeit such cruel efforts.
How they succeeded is known to all;
thus evincing that, amidst all their
greatness, they did not forget their peo-
pie, nor were they ashamed to say they
were Jews.
All they asked for was granted. Their
N m =
death, and the Jews had eight, peace,
joy and gladness." To perpetuate the
event, Mordecal enjoined it as a statute
in Israel, that the escape of the Jews
from death and destruction should be
annually celebrated throughout the
whole of the Jewish world.