Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-26
LESSONS FROM THE LIFE AND DEATH OF
THE PERSIAN C0URTIER.
Dr. Tslmages Eloquent Sermon Yesterday-Mis-
cry Of an Uneasy Consciencs-Rety BOWS
Not Before Sin-The Proud and
Sinful OoniJunded.

Here is an Oriental courtier, about
the most offensive man in Hebrew
history. Hannah by name. He plotted
for the destruction of the lSraelitiSh ma
tion. and | wonder not that in some OF
the Hebrew SynagogueS to this day when
Ilaman'S name is mentioned. the congre-
CATION clench their fists, and stamp their
feet and cry. Let his name be blottcd
out" IIaman was Prime Minister in
the magnificent court of Persia.
Thoroughly appreciative of the
honor conferred, he expects everybody
and he passes to be obSequiOuS. Com
ing in one day at the gate Of the palace,
the servants drop their heads in honor
of his Office: but 4 Hebrew, named Nor
decai. gazeS upon the passing dignitary
without bending his head or taking off
his hat. lie was good man. and
would not have been negligent of the
ordinary cOurteSicS of life, but he felt
no respect either for llaman or the ma
tion from which hc had come. He conld
not be hypocrtical; and while others
made Oriental Salaam, getting clear
down before this Prime Minister when
he passed. Mordccai. the Hebrew relax
ed Lota muscle Of his neck. and kept his
chin clear mp. Because of that atfront
Haman gets decree from AhaSueruS,
the daStardly king, for the massacre of
Of all the lSraeliteS, and that, Of course,
will include Mordecai.
4 TRIUMPH FOR MOupECAL
To make a long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was re-
vealcd To her husband. AhaSueruS. One
night AhaSueruS, who vas afflicted with
insomnia. i'm his SlcepleSs hours calls for
his secretary to read to him few pas
sagcS of Persian history, and So while
away the night. In the book read that
night 10 the king an account was given
of a conspiracy. from which MOrdecai,
the Hebrew. had saved the kings life.
and for which kindness Mordccai had
never received any reward. Haman.
who had been fixing up Il nice gallowS
10 hang Mordecai ON, was walking out
side the door Of the kings sleeping
apartment aud was called in. The king
told him that he had just had read TO
him the account Of some one who had
saved his. the kings life, and he
asked what reward ought TO he
given To such one. Sclf-cOnccited
Hannah, SuppoSing that he himself was
20 get the honor. and not imagining
for moment that the deliverer OF the
kings life was MOrdcCai, says: "Nhy,
Your Majesty ought to make triumph
for him. and put crown on him, and set
him ona splendid horse, housekeeping
and full-bloodcd, aud then have one OF
your princes lead the horse through the
streets. crying, Bow the knee, here
comes a nan who has saved the king :
life -" Then said AhaSueruS, in severe
tones to Haman: Il know all about
your ScoundrcliSm. Now You 60 ont
aud make triumph for Mordecai, the
Hebrew, whom you hate. Put the best
saddle on the finest horse. and YOU. the
prince. hold the Stirrup while Mordccai
gets ON. and theU lead his horse through
tho street Make haste
What spectacle. \ comedy and
tragedy mt one aud the same time.
There they 90. Mordccai, who had
been dcspiSed. now starred and robed IN
the stirrupS. Hannah, the chancellor,
afoOt. holding the prancing, rearing,
champiug stallion. Mordecai bends his
neck at last, but il is to look down at
the degraded prime minister walking
beneath him. Huzzah for Mordecai.
Alas for Haman. But what pity to
have the gallowS. recently built. entire
ly wasted. 1t is 80 cUbitS high and
built with care. And llaman had it
erected for Mordccai, by whose StirrupS
he now walks aS groom. Stranger and
more startling than any romance, there
90 up the steps of the ScatfOlding. side
by side. the hangman and llaman, the
eN-chancellor. 80 they hanged Haman
ON the gallOwS that he had prepared for
MOrdecai.
AN UNEASY CONSCIENCE.
Although 50 many years have passed
since cowardly AhaSueruS rcigned, and
the beautiful Esther answered To his
whimS. and Persia periShcd, yet from
the life and death of llaman We may
draw living lessons of warning and IN
Structon. Aud, first, We come To the
practical suggestion that, when the
heart is wrong. things very insignificant
will DESTROY our comfort. Who would
have thought that great Primo Minis
ter. admired and applaudcd by millions
of PersianS. would have been so nettled
and haraSScd by anything trivial? what
more could the great dignitary nave
wanted than his chariotS and attendants,
and palaces and banquetS? If aiiluence
OF circumstances can make man con
tented and happy, surely Haman
should have been cOntcnted ana
happv. No: Mordecai'S refusal oi
a bow takes the glitter from the gold,
and the richness from the purple. and
the speed from the chariotS. With a
heart pulled up with every imitation OF
vanity and revenge, it was impoSSiole
for him To be happy. The silence oil
Mordecai at the gate was louder thah
the braying of trumpetS in the palace.
Thus shall il always be if the heart Is
not right. Circumstances the most
trivial will disturb the spirit.
1t is not the great calamitieS oil me
that create the most worrimcnt. | nave
seen men. fcllcd by repeated blows oil
misfortune. arising from the dust, never
deSponding. Bat the most oi the ais
uuiet which men suffer is from inSlgnli-
cant causes: aS lion attacked by some
beast of prey turns easily around ana
SlayS him. vet runs roaring through the
forest at the alighting on his brawny
neck of a few insects. You meet SollV
great loss in business with comparative
compoSure: but you can think OF petty
trickeries inflicted upon you, which
rouse all your capacity for wrath, and
remain i'm your heart an unbearaol'
ANNOYANCE. If YOU look back
upon your life. YOU will find that the
most of the veXationS and disturbances
of spirit. which YOU felt, were produced
bv circumstances that were not worthy
of notice. If you want to be happy you
must not care for trifles. Do not be too
minute i'm your inspection OF the treat
ment YOU receive from others. VINO
cares whether MOrdecai bows when you
mass. or stand erect and stiff Is cedar.
That woodman would not make much
clearing in the forest. who should stop
Ia bind up every little bruiSe and scratch
he received in the thicket; nor Will that
man accomplish much for the world OF
the church, who is too watchful and ap-
nreciativc of petty annoyanccs. There
are mutitudes of people IN the Worlu
constantly narrowed because they pass
their lives not in searching out thoSe
things which are attractive and deSerV'
ing. but in spying out with all thelI
powers of VISION to see whether theY
cannot find Mordecai.
TContinued on Third Page.