Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-07-07


copyright, 1898, by American Press Asso-
ciaton.
WASHINGTON, July 3.-Dr. Talmagc in
this discussion tells the story of u bcauti-
full queen dcthroncd and draws practical
lessons for all conditions and all times;
text, Esther /, 1l-12, Bring Nashti, tho
queen, before the king with the crown
royal TO show tho people and tho princes
her beauty, for she was fair to look upon;
but the Queen Nashti refused to como. b"
We stand amid tho palaces of Shushan.
Tho pinnaclcs are allanc with the morn
ing light Tho columns rise fcstooncd
and wrcathod, tho wealth of empires flash
ing from the grooves, the ceilings adorned
with images of bird and beast aid scenes
of proTess and conquest. Tho walls arc
hung with shields and cmblazoncd until
IL seems that the whole round of splcndors
is exhausted. Each arch is II mighty leaf
of architectural achievement Golden stars
shining down on glowing arabcsque
IIangings of embroidered work in which
mingle the bhcncss Of tho sky, tho green
ness of the grass and the whitcncss of tho
sea foam Tapestries hung on silver rings
wedding together tho pillars Of marble
Pavilions reaching out in every direction.
touches, in which weary limbs sink until
all fatigue ia submerged. Those for ca
rousal where kings drink down u king
dom at one swallow. Amazing spcctaclcl
Light of silver dripping down over stairs of
ivory on shields Of gold. Floors of stained
marble, sunset rcd and night black and
inlaid with cleaning pearl In conncc-
ton with this palace there is garden
where tho mighty men Of foreign lands
are seated at banquet. Under the spread
of oak and linden and acacia the tables
arc arranged. Tho breath OF honcysucklo
and frankinccnso fills tho air Fountains
leap up into the light, the spray struck
through with ranbows falling into crys-
tallinc baptism upon Towering shrubs,
then rolling down through channels of
marble and widening out here and there
Into pools swirling with the flnny tribes
of foreign aquariums bordorcd with scar
let ancmonos, hypcrlcunls and many col
orcd ranunculi.
Meats of rarest bird and beast smoking
up amid wrcaths of aromntcs. Tho vases
filed with apricuts and almonds. Tho
baskets piled up with apricots and figs and
oranges and pomc9ranatcs. Melons taste
fully twinCd with leaves of acacia. The
bright waters Of Eulmus filling tho urns
and dropping outside the rim in flashing
beads amid tho traccrics. Vino from the
royal watts of lspahnn and Shiraz, in bot
ties Of tinecd she'll, and lily shaped cups Of
silver and ilagons and tankarls Of solid
gold. The music rises higher and tho rev
elry breaks out into wilder transport, and
the wine has flushed the check and touch
ed the brain, and louder than all other
voices are the hiccough of the nebriates,
the gabblo Of fools and the song Of the
drunkards
a Woman Wronged.
In another part Of the palace Queen
Nashti is entertaining the Princess Of
Persia ut banquet. Drunken Ahasucrus
says to his servants, "You 20 and fetch
Nashti from that banquet with the women
and bring her to this banquet with the
men and let mo display her beauty The
servants Immediately start to obey the
king command, but there was rule in
oriental society that no woman might APP
pear in public without having her face
yelled. Yet here was II mandate that no
one d;ro dispute, demanding that Nashti
como in unveiled before tho multitude
However, there was in Nashti's soul u
principle moro regal than Ahasucrls, moro
brilliant than the gold of Shushan, of
more wealth tnan the realm of Persia,
which commanded her to disobcy this or
der of the king, ana so all the righteous
ncSS and holiness and mOdcsty Of her ma
lure rise up into one sublime refusal. She
iays, Il will not go into tho banquet I'M
relied" Ahasucrus was infuriato, and
Vashti, robbed of her position and her
Estate, is driven forth in poverty and ruin
u suffer the scorn of II nation, and yet to
receive the applause of after generations,
Hho shall rise up to admire this martyr
70 kingly insolcncc. VOL, the last vcstigo
If that feast is gone, tho last garland has
aided, the last arch has fallen, the last
nnkard has been destroyed, and Shushan
sa ruin, but as long as tho world stands
Nero will be multitudcs Of men and wom-
~ familiar with the Bible who will como
INTO this picture gallery of God and adj
miro the divine portrait Of Nashti the
queen, Nashti tho yelled, Vashti the sacri-
Zee, Nashti the silent.
In the first place, 1 want you to look
1pon Nashti tho queen. a blue ribbon,
Myod with white, drawn around her fore
Ncad, indicated her quccnly position. 1t
vas no small honor to be queen in such u
)calm as that. Hark to the rustic Of her
,obcs See tho blaze of hY jewels, and
Jet ii is not necessary TO have place and
Ggal robe in order to be queonly. When
SEQ n woman with stout faith Ia God
putting her foot upon all mennncss and
Iollshncss and goddess display, going right
forward to serve Christ and the race by
grand and glorious service, ! say, THAT
woman is queen, " and the ranks of heav-
en- look over the bnttlcmcnts upon the cor
onation, and whether she comes up from
eli. tl,n a
sion Of tho fashionable square greet her
with the shout, IAN hail, Queen Nashti"
Things to Consider.
What glory was there on tho brow of
Mary of Scotland, or Elizabeth of Eng
land, or Margaret Of France, or Catherine
Of Russia compared with the worth Of
some of our Christian mothers, many of
them gono into glory; or Of that woman
mentioned in tho Scriptures who put her
all into the Lovds treasury; or Of Tcph-
thah's daughter, who mado a dcmonstra-
ton of unselsh patriotism; or Of Abigail,
who rescued tho herds and llocks of her
husband; or of Ruth, who toilcd under q
tropical sun for poor, old, helpless Naomi;
or of Florence Nightingale, who went at
midnight TO stanch tho battle wounds of
the Crimca; or Of Mrs. Adoniram Judson,
who kindlcd the lights of salvation amid
the darkness Of Burma; or Of Mrs.
Romans, who poured out her holy soul in
words which will forever be associated
with hunters horn, and captiyo's chain,
and bridal hour, and luto's throb, and cur
fow's knell at the dying day, and scores
and hundreds Of women unknown on earth
who have given water 10 tho thirsty, and
bread to the hungry, and medicine to the
sick, and smiles to the discouraged, their