The Wahpeton times., 1890-06-05
FALLING P']RID|
Talmage Tellsofthe Hangingof
Haman on the GallOws
Erected for Mordecai.
From Which is Deduceda Les.
sonorTwo thatWill Bear
Careful Pondering.

BROOKLYN. Special-Dr. Talmage preached
from the text, $50 they hanged Haman on
the ga!lows that he had prepared for Nor.
decai. " Esther: vii 10. Following IL his ser.
mon In FULL
Here 10 an Oriental courtier, about the
most offensive man in Hebrew history, Ha.
man by name. He plotted for tho destruc.
ton of the Israelitish nation, and wonder
not that in some of the Hebrew synagogues
to this day when Haman's name is men.
toned, the congregation clench their fists,
and stamp their feet and cry, LET his name
be blotted out!' Haman was prime minister
IN the magnificent court of Persia. Thorough.
~ appreciative of the honor conferred, he
expects everybody that he passes to be OBJ
sequious. Coming in one day ut the gate Of
the palace, the servants drop their heads in
nonor OF his office; but O Hebrew named Nor.
decal, gozed upon the passing dignitary with
out bending his head or taking of his hat.
lie was 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 lie had come. But
ne could not be hypocritical; and while 9th.
ers made Orientalsalaam, 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 Ahasusrue, the dastardly king. for the
massacre .of all the Israelites, and that, OF
course, would include Mordecai.
10 make long story short, through Queen
Esther, this whole plot was revealed to her
husband, Ahasuerus. One night Ahasuerus.
who was afflicted with insomnia in his sleep.
less hours calls for his secretary to read to
him 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 conspiracy from which Mordccai, the
Hebrew, had saved the kings lie, and for
which kindness Mordecai had never received
any reward. Haman, who had been fixing
upa nice gallows to hang Mordecai on, was
walking outside the door of the kings sleep.
ing 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.
| Sel.-conceited Haman, supposing that | .
himself was to get the honor and not imap.
ming for moment that the deliyerer OF
the kings lifo was Mordecai, SAYS:
"Why, your majesty ought to make a
| triumph for him, and put crown on him.
and set him on q splendid horse, high step.
ping and full blooded, and then have one of
your princess lead the horse through the
streets, crying, BLOW the knee, here comes a
man who has saved the kings !ife" 4" Then
said Ahasuerus in severe tones to Haman:
Il know oil about your sconnderlism. Now
you go out and make triumph for Mordecai,
the Hebru, whom you hate. Put the best
saddle on the finest horse, and you the prince.
then lead his horse through the street.
Make hastel"
What spectacle! A comedy and trgedy
at oneI and the same time. There they go!
Mordecai, who had been despised now starred
and robod in the stirrups. Haman, the
chancellor, afoot, holding the prancing, rear
degraded prime minister walking beneath
for Hamanl But what pity to have have
the gallows, recently built. entirely wastedl
It is SO 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 than any ro.
nance, there go up the scaffoiding, side by
side the hangman, and Haman the ex-
| chancellor. $50 they hanged Haman to the
gallows that he had prepared for Morlecai. {"
1t is not tho great calamities Of life that
create the most worriment haveseen men
felled by repeated blows o, misfortune, aris-
ing from the dust, never desponding. But
the most of the disquiet which men suffer
isfrom insignificant causes; as lion attack.
ed by some beasts ofprey turns easily around
and Stays him, yet runs roarng through the
forest at the alighting on his brawny neck
of o few insects. You meet some great loss in
business With comparative composure but
you can think OF potty trckeries inflicted up
for wrath, and remain in your heart
an unhearabls annoyance. II you look
back upon your lie, you will find that
the most of the vexations and disturbances
OF spirit, which you telt were produced by
| circumstances that were not worthy of no.
tice. fyou want to be happy you must not
care for trities. Do not be too minute in
receive from Others. Who cares
| whether Mordecai bows when you
pass, or stands erect and stiff as cedar?
That woodman would not make much clear
ing in the forest, who would stop to bind up
every little bruise and scratch he received in
the thicket; nor will the man accomplish much
| for the world or tho church, who is too watch.
There are multitudes of people In the world,
constantly narrowed because they pass their
lives not in searching out those things which
| are attractive and deserving, but in spying
out with all their powers of vision to see
whether they cannot find u Mordecai
Again: learn from the life OF the man
| under our notice that worldly vanity and sin
are very anxious to have piety bow before
them. Haman was q fair emblem of entire
worldliness, and Mordecai the representa-.
| tive of unfinching godliness. Such were
the usages of society in ancient times that,
had this Israelite bowed to the prime minis.
ter it would have been an acknowledgement
of Prospect for his character and nation.
Mordecai would, therefore, have sinned
ance or dropped his chin half an inch before
Haman. When. therefore, proud Haman
| attempted to compel homage which was
not felt. he only did what the world ever
since has tried to do, when it would force our
holy religion in any way to yield to it's die.
tates, Daniel, if he had been man of re-
ligious compromises would never have been
thrown into a den Of lions He might have
made some arrangement with King Darius
whereby he could have retained part of his
form OF religion without making himself 60
completely obnoxious to the idolators
Paul might have retained the favor of his
rulers and escaped martyrdom if he had
only been willing to mix up his Christian
faith with q few errors. His tlnbending
Christian character was taken as an insult
Fagot and rack and halter in all ages have
been only the different ways in which the
world has demanded obeisance It was once,
away up on the top of the temple. that Satan
commanded the Holy One OF Nazareth to
kneel before him. But it is not now SO much
on the top OF churches as down in the uisle
and the pew and the pulpit that Satan tempts
the espeusers Of the Christian faith to kneel
before him. Why was it that the platonic
philosophers Of early times, Us well as Iolnnd.