National Baptist world., 1894-10-19

come temptations to pride, and arbi
trarlness, and foolish assumption. TIL,
NEUROLOGICAL story of a man who. see
: ing himself mirrored in a stream, be
came so enamored of his appearance
that he died of the effects illustrates
the fatalities under which thousands
OF both sexes have fallen by the view
OF their own superiority. Extraordi
nary capacities cause extraordinary
temptations. Men who have good
moral health down in the valley, on
the top of the mountain are seized OF
consumption. Monimia, the wife of
Mlthridates, was strangled with her
own diadem.
Again, our subject exhibits what re-
llglon may be under bad domestic in
Huences. Hadassah was snatched from
the holy home into which she had been
adopted, and introduced into the abom-
Unable associations of which wicked
Ahasuerus was the center. What a
whirl of blasphemy, and drunkenness,
and licentiousness No altar, no prayer,
no Sabbath, no God If this captive
girl can be Christian there, then it is
possible to be Christian anywhere.
There are many of the best people in
the world who are obliged to contend
with the most adverse domestic infiu-
ences, children who have grown up in
to the love of God under the frown Of
parents, and under the encouragement
OF bad example. Some sister of the
family having professed the faith of
Jesus is the subject of unbounded satire
inflicted by brothers and sisters. Yea,
Hadassah was not the only Christian
who had queer husband. 1t is no
easy matter to maintain correct Chris
tian principles when there is a COM
panion disposed to scott at them, and
to ascribe every imperfection of char
acter to hypocrisy. What a hard thing
for one member of the family to right
ly keep the Sabbath when others are
disposed to make it day of revelry; or
to inculcate propriety of speech in the
minds of children when there are
others to offset the instructions by
loose and profane utterances; or to be
regularly in attendance upon church
when there is more household work
demanded for the Lords day than
for any secular day. Do 1 speak
to any laboring under these
blighting disadvantages? My sub
ject is full of encouragement Vast
sponsibilities rest upon you. Be
faithful, though you stand as much
alone as did Lot in Sodom, or jeremiah
in Jerusalem, Or Jonah in Nineveh, or
Hadassah in the court of Ahasuerus.
There are trees which grow the best
when their roots clutch among the
Jagged rocks, and you verify have but
poor soil in which to develop, but |
grace is a thorough husbandman and |
can raise crop anywhere. The Chris
tian victory will be bright just in pro-
portion as the battle is hot. Never
despair being a thorough Christian in
any household which is not worse than
the court of Ahasuerus.
Finally, our subject illustrates what
religion may be in high worldly posi-
ton. The last we see in the Bible of
Hadassah is that she has become the
queen of Persia. Prepare now to see
the departure of her humility, and self
sacrifice, and religious principle. As
she goes up you may expect grace to
go down. 1t is easier to be humble in
the obscure house Of her adopted father
than on throne of dominion. But
you misjudge this noble woman. What
she was before, she is now-the myrtle.
for her beauty and her
crown, she forgets not the cause of her
suffering people, and with all simplic-
ty of heart, still remains worshiper
Of the God of Heaven.
Noble example followed only by
very few. | address some who, through
5he goodness of God, have risen to posi-
ions of influence in the community
where you live. In law, in merchan-
lise, and in other useful occupations
md professions you hold an influence
or good or for evil. Let us see whether,
ike Hadassah, you can stand eleva-
ion. Have you as much simplicity of
character as you once evidenced?
Do you feel as much dependence
lpOn God; as much your own
weakness; as much your accounta-
,ility for talents intrusted? Or are
-Ou proud, and overdemanding, and
lngrateful, and unsympathetic, and
worldly, and sensual, and devilish?
Then you have been spoiled by your
uccess, and you shall not sit on this
hrone with the heroine of my text.
II the day when Hadassah shall come
o the grander coronation, in the
resence of Christ and the hammered
osts Of the redeemed, you will be poor
indeed. Oh, there are thousands of
nen who can easily endure to be
nocl1ed down of misfortune, who are !
tterly DESTROYED if lifted up of sue c
ess Satan takes them to the top of c
he pinnacle of the temple and shoves c
hem off. Their head begins to whirl t
nd they lose their balance and down /
hey go. [
While last autumn all through the +
orests there were luXuriant trees with E
Moderate Out-branch, and moderate
eight pretending but little, there
5ere foliage shafts that shot far up, .
oolling down with contempt on the :,
hole forest, clapping their hands in e
ne breeze and shouting, AHA! Do -
ou not wish you were as high up :,
5 we are?' But last week .
last, let loose from the north, came :.
1shing along and grasping the :,
casting oaks, hurled them to the =,
round, and, as they went down, an ~
Id tree that had been singing psalms :,
ith the thunder one hundred sum- .
erS, cried out: Pride pOeth before