Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-16


The text is:
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that
he hsd prepared for Mordecai. Esther vii, 10
There is an oriental courtier, about
the most offensive man in Hebrew his
tory, Haman by name. He plotted for
the destruction of the lsraelitsh ma
ton, and l wonder not that in some of
the Hebrew synagogues to this day
when Humans name is mentioned the
congregation clench their fists and
stamp their feet and cry: Let his
name be blotted outw Haman was
prime minister in the magnificent court
Of Persia, Thoroughly appreciative OF
the honor conferred, he expects every
body that he passes to be obsequious.
Coming in one day at the gate of the
palace, the servants drop their heads IN
honor of his office; but Hebrew,
named Mordecai, gazes upon the pass
ing dignitary without bending his
head or taking off his hat. He was a
good man, and would not have been
negligent of the ordinary courtesies OF
life, but he felt no respect for Hannah
or the nation from which he had come.
So he could not be hypoeritical; and
while others made oriental salaam,
getting clear down before this prime
minister when he passed, Mordecai, the
Hebrew, relaxed not muscle OF his
neck, and kept his chin clear up. Be
cause of that affront Hannah gets de-
cree from Ahasuerus, the dastardly
king, for the massacre of all the Israel
ties and that, of course, will include
Mordecai.
To make long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was re-
vealed to her husband, Ahasuerus.
One night Ahasuerus, who was afflicted
with insomnia, in his sleepless hours
calls for his secretary to read him a
few passages of Persian history, and
% while away the night. In the book
read that night to the king an account
was given of a conspiracy, from which
Mordecai, the Hebrew had saved the
kings life, and for which kindness
Mordecai had never received any re-
ward. Hannah, who had been fixing
up nice gallows to hang Mordecai on,
was walking outside the door of the
kings sleeping apartment, and was
called in. The king told him that he
had just had read to him the account of
some one who had saved his (the k ing's)
life, and he asked what reward ought
to be given to such a one. Self-con-
ceited Hannah, supposing that he him
self was to get the honor, and not inn
agining for moment that the de-
liverer of the kings life was Mordecai,
says: why, your majesty ought to
make triumph for him, and put a
crown on him, and set him on a
splendid horse, housekeeping and full
blooded, and then have one of your
princes lead the horse through the
streets, crying: Bow the knee; here
comes man who has saved the king
hfer" Then said Ahasuerus in severe
tones to Haman: Il know all about
your scoundrelism. Now you go out
and make triumph for Mordecai, the
Hebrew, whom you hate Put the
best saddle on the finest horse, and
you. the prince, hold the stirrup while
Mordecai gets on, and then lead his
horse through the streets!"
What a spectacle! A comedy and
tragedy at one and the same time.
There they go! Mordeca, who had
been despised, now starred and
robed, in the stirrups. Haman, the
chancellor, afoot, holding the prancing
rearing, cha mping stallion. Mordecai
bends his neck at last, but it is to look
down at the degraded prime minister
walking beneath him. Huzza for Nor
decai Alas for Haman! But what a
pity to have the gallows, recently built,
entirely wasted! 1t is SO cubits high,
and built with care. And Hannah had
erected it for Mordecai, by whose stir
rups he now walks as groom Stranger
and more startling than any romance,
there go up the steps of the scaffold-
ing, side by side, the hangman and
Hannah, the ex-chancellor. 80 they
hanged Hannah on the gallows he had
prepared for Mordecai.
Although 50 many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned,
his whims, and Persia persisted, yet
from the life and death of Haman we
may draw living lessons of warning
and instruction. And, first, we come
to the practical suggestion that, when
the heart is wrong, things very insig.
nifcant will destroy our comfort Who
would have thought that a great prime
minister, admired and applauded by
millions of Persians, would have been
SO nettled and harrassed by anything
trivial? What more could the great
dignitary have wanted than his chart.
ots and attendants, and palaces and
banquets? If afiiIence of circum-
stances can make a man contentei and
happy surely Haman should have
been contented and happy. No; Nor
decais refusal Of bow takes the gilt
ter from the gold, and the richness
from the purple. and the speed from
the chariots With heart pulled with
every imitation of vanity and revenge,
it was impossible for him to be happy.
The silence Of Mordecai at the gate
was louder than the braying of the
trumpets in the palace. Thus shall it
always be If the heart is not right.
Circumstances the most trivial will
disturb the spi;it.