The Opelousas courier., 1890-07-19
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUM-
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "The Hauging..of Baman."

gattosss that he had prepared for Morde
eat'-Esther vii, 10.
Here is al Oriental eourtier, about the
most Offensive mar in Hebrew history,
aanlan by name. He plotted for the de-
sTuction OF the Israelitish nation, and !
WONDER not that In some Of the Hebrew
synagognes ID CHS day, when Haman's
name is mentioned, the congregation clincb
GneIr lists, and stamp their feet and CRY:
Let his name be blotted Quit" Haman
was prime minister in the magnificent
court Of Persia. Thoroughly appreciative
OF tne honor conferred, he expects every
oody that he passes to be ~obsequious. Com
ING IN one day ct the gate Of the palace the
servants drop their heads i'll honor of his
ONCE but d Hebrew, named Mordecai,
gazes upon the passing dignitary without
bending his head or taking OFF his hat. He
was q good man, and would not nave been
negligent Of the ordinary courtesies Of life,
out ne Ieit no respect either for Hannah OF
the nation from which he had come. But
ne could not be hypocriticai; and while 9TH
erS made oriental salaam, getting clear down
before this prime minister when he passed,
Mordecai. the Hebrew, relaxed not a muscle
of his neck, and kept his chin clear up. Be-
cause of that affront Haman gets a decree
from Ahasuerus, the dastardly King, for
the massacre of all the Israelites, and that,
of course, will include Mordecai.
LIZ mdk0 d lOug SUOTy SGOFG, GQFOu&n
Queen Esther this whole plot was revealed TO
her husband, Ahasuerus. One night Ahas-
uerus, who was afflicted with insomnia, in
his sleepless hours calls for his secretary to
read to him a few passages of Persian his
tory, and so while away the night. In the
book read that night to the King an account
vas given of a conspiracy, from which
Mordecai, the Hebrew, had saved the
Kings life, and for which kindness
Mordecai had never received any reward.
Hannah, who had been fixing up a nice gal
lows to hang Mordecai on, was walking out
, side the door of the Kings sleeping apart
nent 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 ne asked what reward ought to be
given to such a one. Sel~f-conceited Haman,
supposing that he himself was to get the
nonor. and not imagining for a moment
| that the deliverer OF the Kings life. was
Mordecai, says: why, your majesty ought
70 make a triumph for him, and put a
crown OF him, and set him on a
splendid horse, high stepping and full blood
ed, and then lave one of your princes
lead the horse through the streets, crying:
Bow the knee, here comes a man who has
saved the Kings life.'n Then said Ahas-
uerus in severe tones to Hanan: u know
all about your scoundrelism. Nov you go
out and make a triumph for Mordecai, the
Hebrew, whom you hate. Put the best
saddle on the finest horse, and you, the
prince, hold the stirrup while Mordecat
! gets on, and then lead his horse through tho
street. Make hasten
What a spectaclel A comedy and tragedy
at one and the same time. There they gol
! Mordecai, auuho had been despised, now
starred and RIBBED, in the stirrups, Hannah,
she chancellor, afoot, holding the prancing,
rearing, champing stallion. Mordecai bends
1 -, - - 1ar4 I,,fs ~ io +- 110E 1axv77 of the
degraded prime minister walking beneath
aim. Huzza for Mordecail Alas for Hannah
But what a pity to nave the gallows recently
1uilt entirely wastedl It sfifty cubics high,
end built with care. And Hannah had
rected it for Mordecai, by whose stirrups he
low walks as groom. Stranger and more
tartling than any romance, there 60 up the
rteps of the scaffolding, side by side, the
langman and Hannah the e~x-chanoellor. "Sc
they hanged Hannah on the gallows that ne
had prepared for Mordecai.n
Although so many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned, n the
beautiful Esther answered to his whims, and
Persia persisted, yet from the life and death
Of Hannah we may draw living lessons or
warning and instruction. And, first, we
come to the practical suggestion that,
when the heart is wrong, things very in-
significant viii destroy our comfort.
Who would lave thought that a great
prime minister, admired and appiauded by
millions of PersiAns, would have been SC
1sttled and harassed by anything trivials
What more could the great dignitary have
wanted b his chariots n attendants,
ltractSaIaces and banquets? II afiuence OF
circumstances can make q man contentee
and happy, surely Hannah should have been
eontented and happy. No; Mordecaps re
.usal Of a bow takes the glitter from the
gold, and the richness from the purple, and
the speed from the chariots. With a hear
puffed up with every imitation of vanity and
revenge, il was impossible for him to b
happy. The silence Of Mordecai at the gate
was louder than the braying Of trumpets II
the palace. Thus shall it always be II tn!
heart is not right. Circumstances the NOS
trivial win disturb the spirit
IL is not the great calamities OF life thai
create the most woTriment. ] have seen men
felled yrepeated blowso OF misfortune, arlsina
from the dust, never responding. But tht
most IL the disquiet which men saier \
from insignificant causes, as q lion attacked
by some beast of prey turns easily around
and Stays him, yet runs roaringly through
the forest at the alighting on his oraWny
neck of q few insects. You meet some greal
loss in business with comparative composure
but you can think Of petty Tlckerles 70
mcusu upon you which rouse all your ca
pacitv for wrath. and remain in your hear
IN unbearable annoyance. If you look bacl
,sror vos,r Tfe Won will find that most q
III vaxations anS disturbances o
sn;-;t vhIch Won faIt ware produces
hy circ1mstsnces that were nc
worthy Of notice. If YOU want to be happ,
you must not care for tribes: Do not De Co
minute in your inspection OF the tfeatmen
you receive from others. VINO cares Wne1ns
Mordecai bows when you pass, or stand
erect and stiff as a cedar? That woodma
would not make much clearing IN me torres
who shoul1 stop to ] upever Ittie oruis
and scratch ne received n tne UnicReO' no
ma1;sh ,,,,oh for he worI
VIII bnss nan 9 palplsa aatobf,,i nd annr