The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-03-26
PURIN.

PURIN.
The Reast Of llordeoai and Esther.
Last Monday evening. March 18th,
the Israelitss throughout the universe
celebrated the feast Of Purim, q or.
dained in the Book Of Esther, institut.
Cd about two thousand two hundred
years ago, and founded by MOrdecai
and Esther ~ . perpetual memorial Of
the interposition Ut Providence in be.
half Of Israel. The history is too we'll
known. and he who is not familiar
With the event. We would refer to the
Book Of Esther; let him familiarize
himself with the stirring events which
caused Israel to be sad and merry !;
he will rejoice how SION sadness was
turned to joy. when as by a miracle
"that those who were sowing tears
were reaping Joy"
One character IN the furim drama
has always appeared tn US to be worthy
Of peculiar respect and affection. Ii
Is not Esther. the beauteous queen.
whuse sweet and lovely countenance
reflected her gentle nature and who
Was yet capable of heroic endurance
and courage.
It il the sturdy Mordecai. the chief
figure on the great stage Of Persia.
This undenisble Jew, who was Of
the high court Mt Shusban, and proved
incorruptible. who saved the Kings
life and asked no reward, who trained
his beloved cousin to be 4 queen, and
remain q Jewess; who opposed himself
singly to the craft and wicked machina-
tons of the wily Haman, and became
the Grand Vizier. and was still Jew.
seeking the peace Of his people!"
1t il q little strange that history has
not done Justice to the distinguished
men of the Hebrew race, who have
attained high dignities in the State.
After the lapse Of more than 5000
years. the story Of Joseph, the Young
Hebrew, whose prudence and fore
sight saved Egypt. is confirmed by
the records Of the ancient temple and
tombs now brought to light and
deciphered.
Daniel, Nehemia, Ezra and MOrde-
cal were renowned in their day for
their services to their sovereigns. The
only record Of their lives that We
possess Is the Bible. Such is the pro-
9ress, however, Of modern research
that We count with confidence upon
the discovery in one Of those ancient
Persian. Assyrian or Babylonian
libraries of the decisions of Moriecai,
the Jew, who dispensed justice in the
days of Ahasuerus. -
Let Us take the record rs We find IT,.
and there Is much 10 admire in this
inAexible, incorruptibIe magistrate.
In the DAYS when Hannah was boss,
or chief of the Shusban ring" Judge
Mordecai could not he persuaded Or
coerced into submission. For him the
law was the one guide. He feared no
man. He would not bend the knee to
the powers that made and unma,le
Judges. He was always ut his post,
doing Justice between man and man
as God gave him the insight into right
and wrong. Of course he incurred
the hostility, the hatred of the ambi.
tious, the grasPiDg. the intolerans
satrap. OF course there we're schemes
to crush the indomitable spirit, the
uncomfortable honor, the unaffected
simplicity OF the Jewish magistrate
which were as gall and NORWOOD to
the soul of Hannah. Mordecais
watchfuluess saved the Kings life.
Hannah is constrained to be the instru'
ment of doing honor to the Jew.
What! Must the cup Of bitterness
overflow, must he, the Sovereign's
chief councillor, walked humbly be-
fore the Jew clad in royal apparel,
mounted upon the kings war-horse.
shouting out in Eastern fashion,
Thus shall be done unto the man
whom the king delights to honor y
And this Jew hath asked no reward
for saving the kings life! It was
part of his religion to pray for the
king of the land wherein he dwelt.
and with the sincere Jew, prayer Wa
no empty expression. Prayer and
action were synonyms. So uncon.
scious was Mordercai Of the singular
service he rendered his sovereign, that
he went about his duty a. modestly q.
ever.
In the later scenes Of the drama
Mordecai Is the moving spirit. It be.
comes necessary to counterplot against
the scheme OF Hannah. The old
magistrate advises Esther-in defer
ence to Oriental customs, the Queen
becomes an archdiplomat. and crushes
Haman a. he feels himself most
honored and favored at the royal BAN
quet. The rally Of the Persian Jews
| in selfdefense, their demonstration
against their prosecutors. their resolu-
ton not to touch the spoil Of their
enemies-their grateful homage to the
Queen and her noble kinsman-the
| institution of this festival which Israel
celebrates - enthusiastically as ever,
what q stirring succession Of stage
pictures-how striking the denoument
as the curtain falls!
The story of Mordecai ought to be
impressed upon every man, Jew or
Gentle. In these days Of. corruption
and avarice, when the trusted council
lors in the land are among the fallen.
We arc justified claiming that, when