The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-06-11
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINES SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "The Hanging of Hannah"

gallows that he had prepared for Norde-
cdi."-Esther vii. 10.
Here is an Oriental courtier, about the
most offensive man in Hebrew history,
Haman by name. He plotted for the de-
struction OF the Israeltish nation. and l
wonder not that in some of the Hebrew
synagogues to this day, when Haman,s
name is mentioned, the congregation cilnch
their fists and stamp their feet and cry:
was prime minister in the magnificent
court of Persia. Thoroughly appreciatlve
of the honor conferred, he expects every
body that 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 a Hebrew, named MordecaI,
gazeS upon the passing dignitary without
bending his head or taking off his hat. He
was good man, and would not have been
negligent of the ordinary court tesies OF life,
but he felt no respect either for Haman OF
the nation from which he had come. But
he could not be hypocritical, and while 9TH
ers made oriental salaanl, getting clear down
before this prime minister when he passed,
Mordecai, the Hebrew, relaxed not muscle
of his neck, and kept his chin clear up. Be-
cause of that affront Haman gets decree
from Ahasuerus, the dastardiy King. for
the massacre of al the Israeites and that,
of course, will include Mordecai.
To make long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was revealed to
her husband, Ahasuerus. One night Ahas-
uerus, wno was afflicted with insomnia, In
his Sleepless hours calls for his secretary to
read to him few passages of Persian ms
tory, and so while away the night. In the
book read that night to the King an account
was given of conspiracy, from which
Mordecai, the Hebrew, had saved the
Kings life, and for which kindness
Mordecai had never received eny reward.
Hannah, who had been fixing up nice gall
lows to hang Mordecai on, was walking out
side the door of the Kings sleeping apart
ment and 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 70 be
given to such one. Self-conceitei haman,
supposing that he himself was to get tue
honor, and not imagining for a moment
Mordecai, says: ''Why. your majesty ought
to make triumph for him, and put a
crown on him, and set him on a
splendid horse, high stepping aud full blood
ed, and then have one of your princes
lead tho horse through the streets, crying:
Bow tn. knee, here comes a man who has
saved the Kings life" Then said Ahas-
uerus in severe tones to Haman: II know
all about your scounlrelism. Now You go
out and 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 Mordecai
gets OH, and then lead his horse through the
street. Make haste"
What spectacle. A comedy and tragedy
at one and the SAME time. There they go.
Mordeca who had been despised, now
starred and robed, in the stir:ups, Haman,
the chancellor, afoot, holding the prancing
rearing, champing stallion. Mordecai bends
his neck at last, but it is to look down at the
degraded prime minister walking beneath
him. Huzza for Mordecai. Alas for Haman!
But what a pity to have the gallows recently
built entirely wasted. 1t is fifty cubicS high,
and built with care. And Haman had
erected it fol Mordscai, by whose sttrrups HI
now walks as groom. Stranger and more
startling than any romance, there go up the
steps OF the scaffolding, side by side, tho
hangman and Haman the ex-chancs!lor. 80
they hanged Hamau OH the gallows that he
had prepared for Mordecai."
Although 50 many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus relsnel !, and thu
beautiful Esther answered to his whimS, and
Persia perishsd, yet from the life and death
of Haman we may draw living lessons OF
warning and instruction. And first, we
come to the practical suggestion that,
when the heart is wrong, things very in
significant will destroy our comfort.
Who would have thought that great
prime minister, admired and applauded by
millions Of Persians, would have been so
nettled and harassed by anything trivial?
What more could the great dignitary havs
wanted than his chariots and attendants,
nd nt1nnnpn n
circumstances can make man contented
and happy, surely Haman should have been
content:d and happy. No; Mordecai's re-.
fusal of bow takes the glitter from the
gold, and the richness from the purple, and
the speed from the cilariotS. With heart
pulled up with every initiation Of vanity and
revenge, it was impossible for him to be
happy The silence of Mordecai at the gats
was louder than the brayins of trumpets in
the palace. Thus shall it always be if the
heart is not right. Circumstances the most
trivial will disturb the spirit.
1t is not the great calamites of life that
create the most worriment. have seen men,
felled byrepeated blows of misfortune, arising
from the dust. never despondlng. But the
most OF the disquiet which men suffer is
from Insignificant causes, as a lion attacked
by some beast of prey turns easily around
and slays him, yet runs roaringly through
the forest at the alighting on his brawny
neck of few insects. You meet, some great
loss in business with comparative composure,
but you can think OF petty trickerieS in
fiicted upon you which rouse all your Gu
pacfty for wrath and remain in your heart
an unbsarable annoyance. II You looi o1cS
upon your life you will find that most OF
the vexations aIt disturbances, OF
spirit which You felt were produced
hyy
worthy of notic, II you want to be happy
you must not care for tribes. Do not be too
minute in your inspection OF the treatulsI
you receive from Others. Who cares whsths'
Mordecai bows when You pass, o.: stands
erect and stiff as cellar: rIat woodman
would not make much clearing IL tas forest
who should stop to bind up every little bruise
and scratch he received in the taicket: nor
will that man accomplish much for the world
c'ative Of petty annoyauceS. There are null
titudes of people in the world constantly har-
rowed because they pass their lives, not in
searching out those things which are attrac.
tive and deserving, but in spying out with all
their powers of vision to see whether they
cannot find Mordecai.
Again: learn from tho life of the man
under our notice that worldly vanity and
sin are very anSaeSc to have piety bow be-
fore them. Haman was . fair emblem OF
entire worldliness, and Mordecai. the repre-
sentative of unhinching godlineSs. Such
were the usages of society in ancient timas
that, had this Israelite bowed to the prime
minister it would have been all acSno owledg-
ment of respect for his character aud nation.
Mordecai would, therefore, have sinned
against his religion had he made any o5eis-
ancs or dropped his chin half an inca
before Haman. When, therefore proud
Haman ATTEMPTED to compel an hom:
age which was not felt. he only did
what the world ever sincs has tried to do,
when it would force our holy religion in any
way to yield to its dictates. Daniel, If he had
been man of religious compromises, would
never have been thrown into the den ot
lions. He might have made soma arrange
n,ant with King Darius Wn narebY he could