The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-17
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
ESTHER EULOGIZED AS POSSESSING
RARE WOMANLY QUALITIES.
A short sermon by the Rev. l.. y. Tenn
pie, ID. D., Pastor of the First Bap-
list Church, BratfIebOrO, VI.

Ours is a better age than Esther 5. IL Is
an age of education, philanthropy ana
moral progress. Esther was adapted TO
her age and position, but she had also
some very exceptional qualities which make
her an enduring type of the girl for the
times
The girl for the times knows how to man
age man. The two sexes were made to
help each other. Neither is complete in it,
self Much injustice and suffering has been
occasioned by the stronger sex and endured
by the weaker The chief problem of wom-
an during all history has been to manage
man.
Esther solved this problem beautifully. II
we may believe that Akasuerus was none
other than the well-known Xerxes we shall
appreciate her position. He was one OF the
most arbitrary and willful of mortals. Once
when half-drunk he had ordered Vashti.
Esther's predecessor as queen, to come ana
entertain company of booty magnates,
and because she refused he granted him.
self an easy divorce. 1t is told that during
his invasion OF Greece, when a storm de-
stroyed the pontoon bridge which he nad
built over the Hellespont, he angrily or
dered letters thrown upon the channel and
three hundred lashes to be administered to
the rebellious element
No one could manage him like Queen
Esther. 1t CHANGED he had granted per-
mission to one Hannah to exterminate the
Jews of Persia. In Esthers veins was the
heroic blood of the Hebrew Miriam. De-
borah and Jael. She said to herself, God
helping me, my people shall not die
You will see If you read this beautiful
and thrilling story Of Esther how 1t was
that, by grace sweetness and tact, she had
won favor of all, and especially of the King.
One day xerxes said: Esther, what
would you like2" She replied: Come 10
a banquet tomorrow" She fed him well
and he asked again: Esther, what would
YOU like?" Still she answered: Come to
a banquet again tomorrow" Things be-
came interesting, the Kings curiosity was
stimulated and he said: ITO the half of
my kingdom Esther you can have what
YOU want" Then with a grand pathos
spoke the Hebrew girl my life and my
peoples, for we are doomed to perish" The
anger of the Persian monarch rose against
the enemies of Esther as against the sea
when it destroyed his bridge, and he cried:
"Who has put you in peril?" Esther had
only to say, This wicked Haman,' and
the mans doom was pronounced Let
him be hanged"
1t is Just possible that some of the men
of to-day are somewhat conceited and self
wjlled and if the girl for the times is TO
have her way as the wife of one OF them,
she will learn of Esther how to rule the
unruly sex; for prudence, earnestness and
gracious ways win confidence and arouse
generosity.
The girl for the times knows how to
manage herself. Note the career of this
simple orphan Jewess. One day there
comes an opportunity for advancement en-
tireIy in keeping with the moral standards
of her age and country. The monarch
wishes a wife in place of the offending
vashti The beautiful girls of Persia are
each given a chance to win the Kings at
tachment
There was much red tape about the in
PRODUCTION. A year had to be spent in prep
aration under the oversight of the Kings
officer. Esther, modest, unselfish, sweet
tempered, wins the esteem and favor of the
tyrannical superintendent. She had amaz-
ing adaptability. other girls preferred re-
quests for things not provided by the Kings
officer. but Esther made the best of what
was given her and asked for nothing. We
do not know what her arts were, but when
the time came she won the King as she
had won his officer, and he set the crown
upon her head as his queen. She had no
one to recommend, encourage or instruct
her But she knew how to take care of her
self. The girl that knows this is the girl
for the times. 1t is more than half of life.
1t is choosing right companions, making
useful friends and establishing credit for
amiable and trustworthy qualities.
The girl for the times is equally able to
adorn a cottage or a palace Esther was
reared in the house of her cousin, Mordecai,
a man of modest rank. She was the light
and life of it. She was no doubt skilled
in all the work of woman. Heiress OF the
wisdom of David and Solomon, she knew
that gentleness was the fulfilling of the
law. She would have made a good wife
for a tradesman. She would have kept his
house with diligence and brought up her
children in the fear of the Lord. Fitted
for a. humble station, she was fitted for
any. When the King learns to know her he
decides quickly: "This girl shall be queen"
Hitherto her name had been Hadassah-
in English, Myrtle-but Xerxes named her
anew for the planet Venus, in Persian, Es-
Their. the star 1t was well chosen name.
for she shone in the palace as she had done
in her quiet Jewish home. The girl for the
times fits herself for any station and makes
the most of any sphere.
The girl for the times is patriotic. The
noblest women of every age have been low
ers of race and country. / think of Deborah,
who. beautiful as the Queen of Scots, with
the faith of Luther and the generalship of
washington struck from Israel the letters
of twenty years oppression; Of Boadicea.
Queen of Britain at the head of thousands
NJ warriors, falling upon the arrogant and
cruel Romans and avenging the wrongs
Of her people in the destruction of the
italian camp at London; of Joan of Arc, the
girl for the times in Frances hour of peril
who routed the enemies of the realm In
three short months.
In her hour Of personal triumph, Esther
Queen of xerxes, did not forget her old
friends nor her fathers race. IT was their
peril which strengthened her purpose to ac-
o1lire influence over the King. Thrilling mo-
ment it was when at length he said; Your
petition shall be granted even to the half
of my kingdom" Esther, here is your OPP
uortunity. You have been poor. Ask for
realm In which you can reign supreme. But
Esther takes no counsel of personal in
terests. Patriotism CLOVIS in her veins. She
prefers Jerusalem above her chief JOY"
she has been led to the kingdom by dielne
hand for just this opportunity. Then
ESTHER arose and stood before the King
and pleaded for her nation.
Gloriously did she prove herself the girl
for the times. To this day the Hebrew race