Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-05-26
SERMON BY DIR. TALMAGE
He breaches ON THE HANGING
OF PROUD HANNAH.


OF PROUD HANNAH.
Many Years Have Passed Since That
Event, but Its Story Is Full of Lessons
i'm Full.
BROOKLYN, May 25.-In tbs Brook
lyn Academy of Music this morning,
after the preliminary exercises which
in this congregation are considered as
important as any of the others, DIR.
Talmage preached from the text, $50
they hanged Hannah on the gallows
that he had prepared for Mordecai. y
Esther vii, 10. Following is his ser
mon in full:
Here is an oriental courtier, about
the most offensive man in Hebrew his
tory, Hannah 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 Humans name is mentioned, the
congregation clinch their fists, and
stamp their feet and cry, LET his
name be blotted QUIT" Hannah was
prime minister in the magnificent
court of Persia. Thoroughly appreci-
ative of the honor conferred, he ex-
poets everybody that he passes to be
obsequious Coming in one day at the
gate of the palace, the servants drop
their heads in honor of his office; but
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 Hannah 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. Because 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.
HAMAN'S PLOT FOUND OUT.
To make long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was re-
vealed to her husband, Ahasuerus
One night Ahasuerus who was affiict-
ed with insomnia, in his sleepless hours
calls for his secretary to read him a
few passages 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, the Hebrew, had saved the
kings life, and for which kindness
Mordecai had never received any re
ward Hannah, who had been fixing
up 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 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 one
Self conceited Hannah, supposing
that he himself was to get the honor,
and not imagining for moment that
the deliverer of the kings life was Nor
decai, says: ''Why your majesty
ought to make a triumph for him,
and put crown on him, and set him
on a 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 a man who has saved the
kings lifer" Then said Ahasuerus
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 haste!'
What a spectaclel A comedy and
tragedy at one and the same time.
There they gol Mordecai, who had
been despised, now starred and robed,
in the stirrups Hannah, the chancel-
Ior, afoot, holding the prancing, rear
ing, champing stallion. Mordecai
bends his neck at last, but it is to look
down at the degraded prime minister
walking beneath him. Huzza for Nor
decaiI Alas for Haman But what a
pity to have the gallows, recently
built entirely wastedl 1t is fifty
cubits high, and built with care And
Hannah had erected it for Mordecai, by
whose stirrups he now walks as groom.
Stranger and more startling than any
romance, there go up the steps of the
scalfolding, side by side the hangman
| and Hannah the eX-chancellor. $50
| they hanged Hannah on the gaIlows
that he had prepared for Mordecai."
| ALL is WRONG IF THE HEART ISN'T
RIGHT.
Although SO many years have pass
ed since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned,
and the beautiful Esther answered to
his whims, and Persia persisted, yet
from the life and death of Haman 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 insig-
nifcant will destroy our comfort.
| Who would have thought that a great
| prime minister, admired and applaud
ed 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 attendants, and palaces
| and banquets?