Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-06-06
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S sun
DAY SERMON.
Subject: 1.-THE Hanging of Hannah"

Text: $50 they hanged Human on the
gaUo1cs that he had prepared for Morde-
cnt"-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 o. the Israelitish nation, and I
wonder not that in some of the Hebrew
svnagOgues to this day, when Haman's
name is mentioned, the congregation ciinch
their fists, and stamp their feet and cry:
Let his name be blotted out" Haman
was prime minister in the magnificent
court Of Persia. Thoroughly appreciative
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 a good man, and would not have been
negligent Of the ordinary cOurtesies of life
but he felt no respect either for Haman or
the nation from which he had come But
be could not be hypOcritical; and while 9TH
sers made oriental saIaaR, getting clear down
before this prime minste' when he passed.
N0riecai, the Hebrew, relaxed not a muscle
0f his neck, and kept his chin clear up. Be
nause of that affront Haman gets a decree
rom Ahasuerus, the dastardiy King. for
The massacre OF al the Israelites and that
Of course, ETIll include MOrdecai
To make a long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was revealed to
her husband, Ahasuerus. One night Alias
uerus, whC was afflicted with insomnia. in
his sleepleSs hours calls for his secretary to
read to ann Il few passages of Persian his
tory, and so while away the night. In the
book read that night to the King an account
was gwen Of a conspiracy, from which
Nordecal the Hebrew, had saved the
Kings life, and for which kindness
Aordecal had never received any reward.
HON i
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 to be
given 10 such one. Self-cOnc eited Hannah,
suppoalng that he himself was to get the
honor, and not imagining for a moment
that the deliverer of the Kings life was
MOrdecai, says: ''Why your ma iesty Oh ghu
to make triumph for him, and put a
crown on him. and set him on a
splendid horse, high stepping and full blood
ed, and then have one of your princes
lead the morse through the streets, crying:
Bow the knee, here comes a man who has
saved the Kings life" Then said Alas
uerus in severe tones to Hannah: Il know
all about your scOundrelism. 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 on, and then lead his horse through the
street Make hastew
What spectacle! a comedy and tragedy
at one and the same time. There they go!
Mordecai, who had been despised, now
starred and rObed, in the stirrups, Hannah,
the chancellor, afOOt holding the prancing
rearing, champing stallion. Mordecai bends
his neck at last but It's to look down at the
degraded prime minister walking beneath
4 loc fO1-H o1 7
But what pity to have the gallows recently
built entirely wasted! 1t is fifty cubicS high,
and built with care. And Haman had
erected it for Mordecai, 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 Haman the ex-chancellor. 80
they hanged Hannah on the gallOWS that he
had prepared for Mordecai."
Although SO many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned, and the
beautiful Esther answered to his whinS, and
Persia perisned, yet from the life and death
Of Hannah 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.
W no would have thought that a great
prime minister, admired and applauded by
millions of Persians would have been so
1Etted and harasSed by anything trivial?
hat more could the grSat dignitarv have
wanted than his CharOtS and attendants,
and palaces and banquets? Ii attluence of
circumstances can make a man COntenteC
and happy, surely Hannah should have been
HOntented and happy. No; MOrdecaIS re-
iuSal OF q 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 impossible for him to be
happy. The silence OF MOrdecai at the gate
was 1ou0e" than the braying of trumpets in
the palace. Thus shall it always be if ths
heart IS not right. Circumstances the most
trivial viii disturb the spirit
1t IS not the great calamitieS of life that
create the most worriment. [ have seen men,
relied byrepeated blows Of misfortune, arising
from the dust. never despOndlng. But the
most Of the disquiet which men suffer is
from insignificant causes. as lion attacked
oy some beast of prey turns easily around
ana Stays him, yet runs roaringly through
the forest at the alightinG on his brawny
Seck OF few insects. You meet some great
JUS III business with comparative compOsure,
ouV You can think of petty trickeries in
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VIII that man accomplish much Tor the world
he church who is too watchful and appre-
5atlye of petty annoyances. There are mul-
asQdes Of people i'll the world constantly har-
S~e1 because they pass their lives, not IN