The Iola register., 1890-06-06
PRIDE BEFORE A FALL.
DR.. Talmage on the Lessons Taught
By the Fate Of Haman.
How Insignificant Matters May Affect the
Heart That Is wrong-The Arrogance
Of Worldly Vanity - Ultimate
Triumph Of Christianity.

In recent sermon at BROOKLYN upor
the subject of Worldly Vanity, Rev. T
Dewitt Talmage preached from the
text: $50 they hanged Haman on the
gallows that he had prepared for Nor
decai." Esther vii. 10. Following is hi
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 / wonder not that in some of the
Hebrew synagogues to this day when
Haman's name is mentioned, the con-
gregation clench their fists and stamp
their feet and cry: 'Let his name be
blotted out!' Haman was Prime Min.
lister in the magnificent court of Persia.
Thoroughly appreciative of the honor
conferred, he expects everybody that he
passes to be obsequious. Coming in one
day at the palace the servants drop their
heads in honor of his Office; but 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
negligent Of the ordinary courtesies 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 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 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 conspiracy from which Mordecai,
the Hebrew, had saved the Kings life,
and for which kindness Mordecai had
never received any reward. Haman,
who had been fixing up nice gallows
to hang Mordecai on, was walking out
side the door of the Kings sleeping
apartment 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 to such
one. Self-conceited Haman, suppos-
ing that he himself was to get the honor,
and not imagining for moment that
the deliverer of the Kings life was
Mordecai, says: ''Why, your Majesty
ought to make triumph for him, and
put crown on him, and set him on
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 man who has saved the Kings
lIfe!" Then said Ahasuerus in severe
tones to Haman: 81 know all about
your scoundrelism. Now you go out
and make triumph for Mordeca, 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 haste!" What a
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.
Haman, the Chancellor, afoot holding
the prancing, rearing, champing stall
lion. 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 pity to have the gallows, re-
Gently built, entirely wasted! It is fifty
cubits high and built with care. And
Haman had erected it for Mordecai, by
whose sirrups he now walks as groom.
Stranger and more startling than any
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 Mordecai!'
Although so many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned, and
the beautiful Esther answered to his
whims, and Persia perished, yet from
the life and death of Haman 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
lster, admired and applauded by millions
of Persians, 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? If
af1uence of circumstances can make a
man contented and happy, surely Haman
should have been contented and happy.
No; Mordecais refusal of bow takes
the glitter from the gold, and the rich
ness from the purple, and the speed |
from the chariots. With 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 louder than the braying of |
trumpets in the palace. Thus it shall |
always be if the heart is not always |
right. Circumstances the most trivial |
will disturb the spirit.
1t is not the great calamities of life |
that create the most worriment. i have |
seen men, felled by repeated blows of
misfortune, arising from the dust, never
But the most of the dis
quiet which men suffer is from insig-
ni6cant causes; as lion attacked by
some beast of prey turns easily around
and slays him, yet runs roaring through
the forest at the alighting on his
brawny neck of a few insects. You meet
some great loss in business with COM
parative composurs, but you can think
of petty trickeries inflicted upon you
which rouse all your capacity for wrath
and remain in vour haart an mn phaa m hla |