The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-05-31
PRIDE BEFORE A FALL
DR.. Talmage on the Lessons Taught
By the Fate of Hannah.
How Insignificant Matters May Affect the
Heart That Is wrong-The Arrogance
OF Worldly Vanity Ultimate
Triumph of Christianity.

uhhph oi tnriSIlhnity.
In a recent sermon at BROOKLYN upon
Ine subject of Worldly Vanity, Rev. Il.
levitt Talmage preached from the
tex 5 they hanged Hannah on the
galiows that he had prepared for Nor
aecai." Esther vii. 10. Following is his
sermon:
Here Is an Oriental courtier, about the
most offensive man In Hebrew history,
: haman by name. He plotted for the
destruction of the Israelitish nation,
and l wonder not that in some of the
Hebrew synagogues to this day when
Humans name is mentioned, the con-
gregation clench their fists and stamp
their feet and cry: LET his name be
plotted Quit" Hannah was Prime Min
lister In the magnificent court of Persia.
thoroughly appreciative of the honor
conferred, he expects everybody that he
passes to be o~bsequious. Coming In one
day at the palace the servants drop their
heads in honor of his office; but a He
brew named Mordecai gazes upon the
passing dignItary without bending his
head or taking of his hat. He was a
good man, and would not have been
VI II OEulHdTY COuTJeSl0S OI
life, but he felt no respect either for
Haman or the nation from which he had
come. But he could not be hypocritical;
and while others made Oriental salaam,
getting clear down before this Prime
Minister when he passed, Mordecai, the
Hebrew, relaxed not o muscle OF his
neck and kept his chin clear up. Be-
cause OF that affront Hannah gets a decree
from Ahasuerus, the dastardly King, for
the massacre OF all the Israelites, and
that, OF course, will include Mordecai.
To make a long story short, through
queen Esther this whole plot was re-
vealed to her husband, Ahasuerus. One
night Ahasuerus, who was afflicted with
insomnia, in his ~sleepless hours calls
for his secretary to read to him a few
pages OF Persian history, and so while
away the night. In the book read that
night to the King an account was given
OF a conspiracy from which Mordecai,
h Hebrew, had saved the Kings life,
and for which kindness Mordecai had
never received n reward. Haman,
who had been fixing up a nice gallows
to hang Mordecai on, was walking put
side the door Of the Kings sleeping
apartment and was called in. The King
told him thai 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 to such
a n e. Self-conceited Hannah, suppos-
ing that he himself was to get the honor,
and not imagining for n moment that
the deliverer of the Kings life was
Mordecai, says: "Why, your Majesty
ought to make q triumph for him, and
put q crow on him, and set him on q
splendid horse, ~high-stepping and full
blooded, and then have one Of your
princes lead the horse through the
streets, crying: Bow the knee, here
comes q man who has saved the Kings
Eel" Then said Ahasuerus in severe
tones to Hannah: 81" know all about
your scoundrellsm. Now you go out
and make a triumph for Mordecai, the
Hebrew, whom you hate. Put the best
saddle on the NEST horse, and you, the
prince, hold the stirrup while Mordecai
gets on, and then lead his horsethrDuQh
the street. M>ka hasteie. WHAT ~
aeecte<iet A ro1<t43 a. 1e> tr42e1r ~
1e4 and tht same I1fm< thff ~
HtFdic1i, xbt h3 1z51, nS,x<
AlsTfcd and 49,. III Lis stirrups-
Hannah, the Chancellor, afoot, holding
the prancing, rearing, ~champing stall
lion. Mordecai bends his neck at last,
but IL is to look down at the degraded
Prime Minister walking beneath him.
Huzza for Mordecai! Alas for Haman!
But what q pity TO have the gallows, re-
Gently built, entirely wastedl 1t Is fifty
cubits high and built with care. And
Haman had erected It for Mordecai, by
whose stirrups he now walks as groom.
Stranger and more startling thar n
romance, there go up the steps OF the
scaffolding, side by side, the hangman
and Haman, the ex-Chancellor. $50
they hanged Haman on the gallows
that he prepared for Mordecair"
Although 80 many years nave passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned, and
the beautiful Esther answered to his
whims, mt Persia persisted, yet from
the life and death OF Hannah we may
draw living lessons OF warning and in
struction. And, 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 a great Prime Min
lister, admired and a%pplauded by millions
OF Persiaus, would have been so nettled
and harassed by any thing trivial?
What more could the great dignitary
have wanted than his chariots and at
tendants, and palaces and banquets? II
affiuence OF circumstances can make a
man contented and happy, surely Haman
should have been contented and happy. |
No; Mordecai's refusal OF a bow takes
the glitter from the gold, and the rich
ness from the purple, and the speed
from the chariots. With a heart pulled
mp with every imitation OF vanity and
revenge, 1t was impossible for him to be
happy. The silence of Mordecai at the
gate was londer than the braying Of
trumpets in the palace. Thus 1t shall
always DO II the heart Is not always
right. circumstance the most trivial
will disturb the spirit.
It Is not the great calamities OF life
that create the most worriment. / have
seen men. felled by repeated blows OF
misfortune, arising from the dust, never
Responding. But the most OF the dis
quiet which men suffer Is from insig-
nilcant causes; as q lion attacked by
some beast of prey turns easily around
and Stays him, yet runs roaring through
the forest at the alighting on his
brawny neck of n few insects. You meet
some great loss In business with COM
parative composnre, but you can think
Of petty trickeries inflicted upon you
which rouse all your capacity for wrath
and remain In your heart an unbearable
annoyance.
Again, ! learn fro-s the life OF the man
under our notice that worldly vanity
and sin are very anxious to have piety
bow before them. Hannah was a fair
emblem of entire worldliness, n Nor
decai the representative Of unfiinching
godliness. Such were the usages OF So
ciety in ancient times that, had this
Israelite bowed 10 the Prime Minister,
It would have been an acknowledgment
OF respect for his character and nation.
Mordocai would, therefore, ave sinned
against his religion had he made any
obeisance or dropped his chin half an
irch before Hannah. When, therefore,
proud Haman attempted TO compel an
homage which was not felt. he only did
what the world ever since has tried to
do. when IL would force our holy relig-
ion in any way to yield to it's dictates.
Fagot and rack and halter in all ages
have been only the different ways in
which the world has demanded obeis-
ance. 1t was once away up on the top of
the temple, that Satan commanded the