Sharp County record., 1890-06-12
TBE FALL OF PRIDE.
rbe Lesson Taught by the hang
ing Of Haman'
----.o, br Rev T. Dewitt Talmage oon-
trasting Worldliness and Go"li-
ness-The Misery that
Dwelis in Palaces.

the following discourse was DEW
.yed by Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage IN the
l]rookjyn Academy of Music from the
text: n,.
So then hanged Haman on the gallows tna'
~ had nrcnared for Mordccai-Esther VII,
10 -.
Here is an Oriental courtier, about
he most offensive man in Hebrew MS
tory. Haman by name. He plotted 1or
tbe dcstruction of the Israelitish ma
zion. and wonder not that III some OF
the Hebrew synagogues to this day.
when Haman's name is mentioned, the
congrega ton clench their fists, ana
stamp their feet, and cry; Let ms
name be blotted out" Haman was
Prime NJ Mnister in the magnificent court
oi Persia. Thoroughly appreclatlVe OIL
the honor conferred, he expects every
body that he passes to be obsequlous'
Coming in one day at the gate OF tne
palace the servants drop their heads IN
honor Of his office; but Hebrew
named Mordecai, gazes upon the passing
iignitary without bending his head or
taking Off his hat. lie was good man,
III, ~, would not have been negligent OF
tbe ordinary courtesics Of 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 Primo Minister
when he passed, Mordecai, the Hebrew,
telaxed not muscle of his neck, and
kept his chin clear up. Because of that
alfront lIaman gets decree from Aha
suerus, the dastardly King, for the
Inassacre of all the Israelites, and that,
81 coursc, will include Mordecai.
To make a long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was re-
yealod TO her husband, Ahasuerua. One
night Ahasuerus, who was afflicted with
insomnia, in his sleepless hours calls
for his secretary to read to him few
passages of Persian history, and 50
while away the night. In the book
read thai night to the King an account
was giyen of a conspiracy from which
Mordecai, the Hebrew, had saved the
Kings life, and for which kindness
Mordecai had never received any re-
ward. IIaman, who had been fixing up
d nice gallows to hang Mordecai on, was
walking outside the door of the Kings
sleeping apartment and was called in.
The King told him that he had just had
read 10 him the account of some one
who had saved his (the Kings life,
and he asked what reward ought to be
given to such one. Self-conCeited
Hamar, Supposing that he himself was
to got the honor, and not imagining for
2 moment that the deliyerer of the
Kings life was Mordecai, says: "Why,
your Majesty ought to make triumph
for him, and put crown on him, and
sot him on splendid horse, high-step-
ping and full-blooded, and then have
one Of your Princes lead the horse
through the streets, crying: Bow the
knee; here comes a man who has saved
the Kings lifer"
Then said Ahasuorus in severe tones
to Haman: II know all about your
scoundrelism. Now you 60 out and
make d triumph for Mordecai, the He
brow, 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
tho street, Make haste!"
What a spectacle! A comedy and
tragedy at one and the same time.
There they go! Mordecai, who had
oeen desptsed, now starred and robed,
in tho stirrups, Haman, the Chancellor,
aloot holding the prancing, rearing,
champing stallion. Mordecai bends his
neck y last, but it is to look down at
sne degradcd Prime Minister walking
penoath him, Huzza for Mordecai,
h'as for lIaman! But what q pity to
nave tho gallows, recently built, entire
" westcd! 1t is fifty cubits high and
oe'it wlth care. And IIaman had erect
~ NJ for Mordocai, by whose stirrups he
n''"s nH''"s walks as groom, Stranger and
more startling than any romance, there
so Up thc steps of the scalIolding, side
oy slde' The hangman and Haman, the
VxS'.H'ancclor' y 80 they hanged llaman
IN " no gallows that he had prepared for
Mordecai.'
Ai'nough so many years have passed
s,nco coWardly Ahasucrus reigncd, and
'ne beautiiul Esther answered to his
Y, "n'ms ,'ts and Persia persisted, yet from
Wy y Allo and death OF IIaman we NAV
a'ew l'vng lessons of warning and in.
Z oV'uoe'on' And, first, we come to the
PIpv''c0l suggestions that, when tho
neart y wrong, things very insignificant
Y "''' oestroy our comfort, Who would
navo ,U' Wrought that u great Prime Min.
,''VE admired and applaudod by mill
ons oI PcrSions, would have been 40
'v'''ou ss''s'% ana horosscd by any thing
y m what moro could the great
a'k'ary hoyc wanted than his char.
w. w. wd attendants and palaces and
o"nquets' If ailluonco Of cIrcumstan.
'' go 0'n make man contentod and han.
~ swely ll0mon should have been
'on'on'cd y 0,''d and happy, No, MordocoIs
'v''sa ~ OF u bow takes the glittcr from
',..l '''e gold' and tho richness from the
p"fplN and the spccd from tho ohon-