The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-04

UUOn- Inc bells on
the horses, Holiness unto the LOrd."-Zech.
l4:2O.
The scene of the story is laid almost on
the site of the old Garden of Eden; that
is, near the junction of the rivers Tigris
and Euphrstes, on the borders of the
modern turkey in Asia" and Persia.
The researches in Palestine have so
deeply engaged our attention, that we
have thought little, perhaps, of dis
eoveries in other places. But in the
vicinity of old Babylon the archeologist
finds rich reward for his pains. "With-
in few years some English commits
sioners, while engaged in survey of
that country, came upon the remains Of
the ancient palace of ShUshan, men,
toned in the books of Esther and
Daniel. The locality answers to the re-
ceived tradition Of its position; and the
internal evidence, arising from its cores
pondence with the description of the pal
ace recorded in sacred history, amounts
almost to demonstration. If you will
turn to Esther l:6 you will read Of a pave
ment ofred and blue and white and black
marble in that palace. That pavement
still exists and, as described by the
chief officer, Col. Williams, cor
responds to the description in Scrip
ture. And in the marble columns, the
dilapidated ruins, the sculpture, and
the remaining marks of greatness and
glory that are scattered around, the COM
missioners read the exact truth of the
record made by the sacred penman."
Not far from the palace stands a tomb.
On it is sculptured the figure of a man
bound hand and foot, with a huge lion
in the act of springing upon him. No
history could relate more graphically
the story of "Daniel in the lions den."
The Persian arrow-heads were found
upon the palace and the tomb. Glass
bottles, elegant as those placed upon the
toilet tables Of the ladies of our day, have.
been discovered, with other modifca-
tlons Of art and refinement, which bear
out the statements of the Bible. Thus
over 1000 years after the historians of
Esther and Daniel made their records,
their histories ara verified by the peace
full movements of the nations of our day
The time of the occurrence of the
events before us was between 400 and
500 years before the time of our Savior,
which puts the book of Esther among
the very latest contributions to the Old
Testament, and not nearly so early as
some might unthinkingly infer from its
position before the Psalms and Proverbs
and earlier prophets.
The principal persons are few in num-
Der. There is Ahasuerus, the King, who
is supposed to be the great Xerxes Of
ancient history, both from resemblanees
of the character and from condolences
of time. Herodotus tells us that in the
third year ofthe reign of Xerxes was held
an assembly to plan the Greeian war.
In the third year of Ahasuerus was held a
great feast and assembly in Shushan, the
palace. In the seventh year Of his reign
Xerxes returned defeated from Greece
and consoled himself by the pleasures
of the harem, as Herodotus informs US.
In the seventh year Of the reign of Ahasu-
erus fair young virgins were sought for
him, and he replaced Vashti by marry
ing Esther. The tribute he laid "upon
the land and upon the isles of the sea"
may have been the result of the expend-
iture and ruin of the Grecian expedi-
tion.
AS Xerxes scourged the sea with
chains in his unreasoning rage, and put
to death the engineers of his bridge
over the straits of Dardanelles, because
their work was injured by storm, so
Ahssuerus repudiated his Queen Vashti
because she would not violate the de-
corum Of her sex, and ordered massa-
ere of the whole Jewish people to graf
| ify the malice of Haman.
Esther attracts us by her beauty,
of soul and of face and form. That she
had a comely face and figure We know
by the peoples sending her to the palace
and by the Kings choice of her. Her
beauty of soul We perceive from all her
bearing. "She appears as woman Of
deep piety, faith, courage, patriotism
and caution, combined with resolution,
a dutiful daughter to her acting father,
docile and obedient to his counsels and
anxious to share the Kings favor with
him for the good Of the Jewish people
That she was virtuous woman and, as
far as her situation made 1t possible, s
good wife to the King, her continued in
fiuence over him for so long a time war
rants us to infer" There must have
been a singular charm and grace in hel
aspect and manner, since she "obtained
favor in the sight of all that looked
upon her."
MordecaPs sterling qualities appear
in his refusing TO make what seemed tc
him an idolatrous obeisanee to ths
Prince Haman, in his fidelity in expos.
ing the conspiracy against the King
and in his wise planning 10 save hi,
nation. He is probably the author o.
the book. For as Ezra, Nehemiah and
Daniel are appointed to record the act,
in which they took prominent part
many Of which occurred in this same
palace of Shushan, so, in aecordanc,
with tradition, it is likely that Morde.
cal was left TO write this history, 6
great part of which he was.
The inscriptions character of Haman
the Grand Vizier Of the Persian mon