The morning news., 1892-03-14
THE GREAT PURIM FEAST.
Its Observance Among the Hebrew
PeopIe-The Ball Tonight.


Its Observance Among the Hebrew
PeopIe-The Ball Tonight
Many Hebrew people kept open house last
night In honor Of the Feast Of Purim. To-
night the Young Mems Hebrew Association
will give It's annual Puria bali, and the
msrry-making already begun will be con-
tinued.
The Purim feasiva. Is feast OF rejoicing
In the Hebrew calendar. Its story is an old
one, but there are many who do not know
il. Purim l. the plural Of the Hebrew word
pur meaning lot. When Haman. by the
permission Of King Anhasuerus, who
resigned from India even unto Ethe-
of the Jews, he cast lots to select
the day upon which his prosecutions should
begin. The lot fell upon the month Adar,
and the thirteenth day OF that month,
which day has ever since been accounted
unluckY. Anhasuerus had been displeased
at Vashti, bis queen. because she
refused to dance before him, and
known that he sought another to take
her place, Mordecai brought his cousin,
Esther whom he had adopted and reared as
his daughter. The maid says the book
Of Esther, was fair and beautiful and
the king loved Esther above all the women
and she obtained grace and favor In his
sight. So Esther became queen. Hamon
was one OF the favorites of the
king. so much so that the king
advanced him and set his seat above all
the princes that were with him" Where
ever he went he received homage obedience.
But Mordecai refused to bow to him and
this so enraged him that he resolved to ex
terminate all the Jews with the hundred
and seven and twenty provinces" He OBJ"
tained the permission Of the king and the
edIct went forth throughout the kingdom
that the Jews should be destroyed on the
thirteenth day Of the month Adar, which
had been chosen by the Pur, or Purim.
But Mordecai induced Queen Esther to
speak TO the king Ia behalf of her people.
1t was death to approach the king unbid-
den unless he held out his scepter In token
of pardon. But Esther was resoluJe and
brave, She approached the king. He held
out his gcepter in pardon and asked what
was her wish. She asked that Hanan and
the king would attend e banquet which she
would give and she would then name her
petition. The king promised.
That night being unable to sleep he had
the book Of the Chronicle brought and read
10 him. From them he learned that Nor
decai had saved HIM from a conspiracy
devised against his life by the cham berlains
Of the palace. Being told, on in
quiry, that no return had been made
for this service, he. sent for
Haman and asked what he "should
do unto the man whom the king delighted
to honor" Haman, thinking it was he to
whom the king referred. asked that he be
gayly appareled and conducted in state
through the city. He was amazed and
grieved when the king issued orders that
such should accordingly be done to Nor
decai and "hastened to his house mourn
ing"
1t was here that the kings chamberlains
found him and brought him to the banquet.
When the queen and her two guests were
assembled the king again asked Esther what
was her request. She asked that her life
and that Of her people, the Jews, be spared
from the impending destruction. Ahasuerus
asked who had planned this destruction and
was told that 1t was Hnman.
And the king arising from his banquet
OF wine in his wrath went into the palace
garden" When she returned Haman, in
supplicating for his life, had fallen upon
the bed by the queen, and the king, mis-
taking his intentions, ordered that he be
hanged. $50 they hanged Haman on the
gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.
Thus was the kings wrath paclfed."
The laws Of the Medes and Persiaus could
not be changed, so the ediot Of destruction
could not be revoked. But the Jews were
permitted to defend themselves, and so dis
concerted had been their enemies by the
death of Haman that the Jews won an easy
victory. killing 75. 900 men.
Thus the dav of sorrow was turned into
q day Of rejoicing, and Mordecai was pro-
NOTED to Haman's place under the king.
The day was set apart as a feast day, and
has aver sfnce been obeeryed