Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
Esther he ore the King.

INTRODUCTORY.
Get at the innor meaning of this book
of Esther. The entrance OF thy words,
David says, "giveth light" We have
gotten new intimation from this Script
ure. 1t refers to- more than the drop
ping of Bible verse into the mind.
The original Is the entering into or
opening of thy words. 1t Is not so
much the word entering into us as our
entering into the word. This we do
through study and meditation and
prayer, led always by the Holy Spirit,
who opens Scripture doors for US as he
guides us into all truth. The truth here
taught Is that OF God 8 providence. The
name OF Jehovah Is not once mentioned.
1t does not need to be; 1t is writ In large
letters throughout the whole.
POINTS IN THE LESSON.
Esther means star A star of hope
she was for helpless, hapless Israel at
this time.
Do not forget Hatach, the messenger,
In this transaction. He played a very
important part, the -go-between.
What else is the Sunday school teacher,
the Christian worker? He carries
messages back and forth between death
and deliverance, between the howell and
the throne.
Mordecai stands here in the attitude
of the priest Of the people. In typology
both No and Esther speak for hrist, and
the one supplements the other. In the
providence or God there has been raised
up friend at court and also a Judge or
deliverer among the people. These two
together are required 10 represent to us
that theanthropic nature, the God
man, who wrought for us the great sal
walton.
Esther Is the advocate before the
throne, strengthened and broadened by
the mind of the people with whom che
has access by means of Mordecai, who
is without. She Is the power that
pleads nightly in the peoples behalf
before the great tribunal. And the
beauty OF her character and indeed the
whole significance of the imagery are in
this that she devoted all her winsome-
ness, all her power and influence with
the king, in her peoples behalf. She
stands vlcariously before our eyes and
before the king, She Is there for Israel.
And observe the cost OF it. She took
not only her reputation but her life in
her hands, In this bold, unheard-of ven
ture-her entrance into the presence Of
the king. She gathered all the SORROWS
OF Israel into her bursting heart, and,
| bowling under the burden, she said, so
will go In unto the king, and If / per-
ish perish" Here, indeed, Is heroism,
the herQlsm of self-sacrifice for loves
sake. It is the only nobility. You will
find no real, moral grandeur in the
world apart from the heroism Of the
cross.
So, then, let US believe it, The veil
l., hna kA lii knn 10
approached, the royal scepter has been
extended.
"Jesus, our great High Priest,
Hath full atonement made
And now the mighty King of Kings says
to his princely Son, and for our sakes,
What wilt thou, and what is thy re-
questp 1t shall be given thee, even to
the half Of the kingdom. Nay, more.
Ask of me, and l shall give thee tho
heather for thine inheritance, and the
uttermost part Of the earth for thy pos
session"
And now hear our Advocate petition:
Holy Father, keep through thine own
name those whom thou has given me. /"
Amen! 1t is enough. Through that
word we are kept. Kept by the power
of God through faith unto salvation,
ready to be revealed in the last time"
| HINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.
The first thing to do is to get down
and read the book of Esther straight
through at a sitting. 1t Is interesting
enough. The pages Of literature no.
where afford US a more entertaining
story. 1t Is full of delicate sentiment,
thrilling romance and startling climax.
Truth Is once more proven to be stranger
than fiction. Just to sit down in the
family or class circle, and tell over
| again In ones own words this story of
Esther Is to have an assuredly good
time. And what "parlor recital" Of
the right sort, 1t would make!
Esther came right to the point. When
you make your testimony, be brief. AS
Southey says: "Sunbeams most con-
densed burn deepest. Let the prayer
be direct and to the point. 1t is Mac
donald, is it not, who says: IF spirit
ual pray short; the people cannot fol-
low you long. II not in a spiritual
frame, pray short, lest you weary
them2"
| Have some degree Of confidence. It
/ Is the one who steps forth with the
aspect of expectation that usually re-
! ceives. There is much In the spirit and
| attitude OF the advocate or petitioner
TOR the winning of his suit. Luther
used to say (our translation is rather
tree): Stand up strongly; open your
mouth widely, speak out loudly.
Esther had her little speech prepared.
doubtless, but it was mainly the prepa-
ration of prayer and spiritual commun-
on, When the preparations OF the
heart are from the Lord" then "the
answer of the tongue is from the Lord. ;"
set ready, prayerfully ready, and God
will fill your mouth. Some man came
to Humboldt once to talk with him about
visit to the Sacred City. He con-
versed so intelligently and luminously
about the place that his visitor said,
why. have you been there?" No." he
said, "but got ready to go once" Be
prepared.
Esther spoke out Of a full heart, a
| well-instructed heart. she carried the
religious refinement of Mordecai's pious
home into the prurieDt atmosphere of
the court, and there it stood forth and
shone radiantly bright. We carry our
household life and training with us.
The little girl OF whom Mr.. Clifford told
US at Des Moines, who stood up in the
Sunday school contest In the city with
flounce and furbelow, like dainty bit
cut out Of fashion-plate, and recited
her verse, Blessed are the dressmak-
ers, was, doub tless, rejecting the life
in which she was reared, So, also, may
we not say OF the little one who said
for her verse, In a child's lisping re-
vision: The Lord is my shepherd, and
and doesn't want any sing else
Next Lesson Timely Admonitions. y
Prov. 49, 1928.