The Progress., 1894-10-13
TABERNACLE PULPIT
HADASSAH, THE LOVELY JEW.
ESS OF SHUSHAN,
The Most beautiful Character IN tn,
History of Religion She Cared Moth
ing for Earthly Joy. and Met Martyr
dom With Gentle Firmness

BROOKLYN, Oct. :, 1894. -Rcv. DR..
Ialmagc, who is still absent ON his
r"und-thc-world tour, has selected as
the subject Of to-day's sermon. through
the press: "IIadassah, the text chosen
being Ester II: Z: And he brought VI
IIadaSSah'
A beautiful child was born in the
capital OF Persia. She was an orphan
and captive, her parents having beer
stolen from their IsraclitiSh home and
carried to Shushan, and had died, lcav
ing their daughterpoor and ina strange
land. But an Israelitc who had beer
carried into the same captivity was at
tractcd by the case of the orphan. lie
educated her in his holy religion, and
under the roof Of that good man this
adopted child began todcvclopa sweet
ness and exccllcncy Of character if cvcr
cquallcd, certainly never surpassed,
beautiful lladaSSah, Could that
adopted father ever spare her from bis
household? Her artlcSsncSS her girl
ish sports; her innocence; her orphan.
age, had wound themselves thoroughly
around his heart, just as around each
parents heart among us there arc ten
drills climbing, and fastening and bios
SoHing. and growing stronger
expect he was like others who have
loved ones at wondering some
times if sickness will come, and
death, and bereavement. Alas
Worse than anything that the fathe,
expects happens to his adopted child
AhasueruS, u princely scoundrel, de
mands that IIadassah the fairest one
in all the kingdom, become his wife
Worse than death was marriage to
such monster Of iniquity! How grea
the change when this young woma,
left the home where God was wor
shipped and religion honorcd to enter
palace devoted to pride, idolatry ant
sensuality! CAS- lamb to the slaugh
teri
Ahasuerus knew not that his wifi
was Jewess At the instigation o
the Infamous prime minister TIT
king decreed that all the Jews il
the land should be slain. lIadassal
pleads the cause Of her people, break
ing through the rules of the court, ant
presenting herself in the very face o
death, crying: IF perish, | perish.
Oh, it was d sad time among that Ell
shaved people! They had all heard TIN
decree concerning their death. Sor
row, gaunt and ghastly, sat in thou
sands Of households, and mother
wildly pressed their infants to thei
breasts as the days of massacre hast
ened on, praying that the same swor
stroke which slew the mother nigh
also STAY the child, rosebud and but
perishing in the same blast.
But Iladassah is busy at court. Tn
hard heart of the king is touched b.
her story, and although he could no
reverse his decree for the Staying Q
the Jews, he sent forth an order tina
they should arm themselves for dc
tense. On horseback; on mules; o
dromedaries, messengers sped throug
the land bearing the kings dispatches
and shout of JOY went up from tina
enslaved people at the faint hope c
success. | doubt not many rust
blade was taken down and sharpenec
Unbearded youths grew stou
rs giants at the thought c
defending mothers and sisters
Desperation strung up towards int
heroes, and fragile women graspin
their weapons swung them about tn
cradles impatient for the time to strik
the blow in behalf Of household an
country.
The day of execution dawned. Co
eminent officials, armed and drilled
coweG before the battle shout OF tn
oppressed people. The cry of defet
rang back to the palaces, but abo'
the mountains of dead, above 75,Ot
crushed and mangled corpses sounde
the triumph Of the delivere
Jews, and their enthusiasm WI
as when the Highlanders can
to the relief of Lucknow, an
the English army which stood in tt
very Jaws of death, at the sudden hol
of assistance and rescue, lifted II
shout above belching cannon and tt
death-groan of hosts, crying, 1--WE al
saved! We are saved!'
My subject affords me opportunity
illustrating what Christian charact'
may be under the greatest disa
Y, ,tages. There is no Christian no
G ,ctly what he wants to be. So'
&. ndard is much higher than an
4 ng YOU have attained unto,
there be any man so puffe
, m rs to be Thoroughly sati
fed with the amount of excellency
has already attained, | have nothing
. saw to such one. But to those WI
, ure dissatisfied with past attainment
) who are toilng under disadvantag
which are keeping them from ben
! what they ought to be, | have mes
noe from God. You each OF you lab
under difficulties. There is somethli
, IN vour temperament; in your world