Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-06-30
DR.. TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.

Persian CourtIer Living Lessons of
Warming and instruction Are Drawn.
TEXT: $50 they hanged Haman on the
gallows tha. he had prepared for Morde-
cal. Esther vii, IL.
Her, is an Oriental courtier, about the
most offensive man In Hebrew history,
Haman by name. He plotted for the de-
str,lction of the Israelitish nation, and
wonder not that in some of the Hebrew
synagogues to this day when Haman's
name is mentioned the congregation
clench their fists and stamp their feet and
cry, "Let his name be blotted out!'' Ha-
man 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 pal
ace, the servants drop their heads In honor
OF his office; but Hebrew, named Morde-
cal, gazes upon the passing dignitary
without bending his head Or taking of his
hat. He was good man, and would not
have been negligent in the ordinary court
esies of life, but he felt no respect either
for Haman or the nation from which he
cal; and while others made Oriental
salaam, getting clear down before this
Prime Minister when he passed, Mordecai,
the Hebrew, relaxed not a muscle OF his
neck, and kept his chin clear up. Because
of that affront Haman gets a decree from
massacre of all the Israelites, and that, Of
course. will include Mordecai
To make long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was revealed
to her husband, Ahasuerus. One night
Ahasuerus, who was afflicted with in
somnia. in his sleepless hours calls for his
secretary to read him a few passages Of
Persian history, and so while away the
night. In the book read that night to the
king an account was given of conspi-
L. H-1
had saved the kings life and for which
kindness Mordecai had never received any
reward. Haman, who mad been fixing up
a 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 kings life, and he asked
what reward ought to be given to such q
one. Self-conceited Haman, supposing that
he himself was to get the honor, and not
imagining for a moment that the deliv-
why, your majesty ought to make tri-
umph for him, and put crown on him
and set him on splendid horse, high-step-
ping and full-blooded, and then have one
of your princes lead the horse through
the streets, crying, Bow the knee, here
comes a man who has saved the kings
lifev" Then said Ahasuerus in severe tones
to Haman: II know all about your scoun-
drelism. Now YOU go out and make a
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 street. Make
haste!"
What a spectacle! comedy and tragedy
at one and the same time. There they go
Mordecai, who had been despised now
starred and robed, In the stirrups. Haman,
the chancellor, afoot, holding the pranc-
ing, rearing, champing stallion. Mordecai
bends his neck at last, but it is to look
down at the degraded Prime Minister
walking beneath him. Huzza for Nor
to have the gallows, recently built, en-
tirely wasted 1t is fifty cubits high, and
built with care. And Haman had erected
it for Mordecai, by whose stirrups he now
walks rs groom. Stranger and more start
ling than any romance, there go up the
steps Of the scaffolding, side by side, the
hangman and Haman the ex-chancellor.
$50 they hanged Haman on the gallows
that he had prepared for Mordecai.''
Although so many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reigned and the
beautiful Esther answered to his whims,
and Persia perished, yet from the life and
death Of Haman we may draw living les
sons OF warning and instruction. And
first, we come to the practical suggestion
that, when the heart is wrong, things very
L.
Who would have thought that great
Prime Minister, admired and applauded by
millions of Persians, would have been so
nettled and harassed by anything trivial2
What more could the great dignitary have
wanted than his chariots and attendants,
and palaces and banquets? II affluence of
circumstances can make man contented
md happy, surely Haman should have
been contented and happy. No; Morde-
cai's refusal OF a bow takes the glitter from
the gold, and the richness from the pur-
pie, and the speed from the chariots. With
vanity and revenge, 1t was impossible for
him to be happy. The silence of Mordecai
at the gate was louder than the braying OF
trumpets in the palace. Thus shall 1t al
ways be II the heart is not right. Circum-
stances the most trivial will disturb the
spirit.
1t is not the great calamities of life that
create the most worriment. have seen
men, felled by repeated blows of misfor-
tune, arising from the dust, never despond-
ing. But the most of the disquiet which
men suffer Is from insignificant causes; as
lion attacked by some beast OF prey turns
easily around and slays him. yet runs roar
ing through the forests at the aliehting on
his brawny neck OF few insects. You
meet some great loss in business with COM
parative composure; but you can think Of
etty trickeries inflicted upon you, which
rouse all your capacity for wrath, and re-
iain in your heart an unbearable annoy
nce II you look back upon your life,
ou will find that the most of the vexations
nd disturbances of spirit, which you felt.
ere produced by circumstances that were
ot worthy OF notice. II you want to be
Apply, you must not care for trif1es. Do
OF be too minute in your inspection of the
reatment you receive from others. Who
ares whether Mordecai bows when you
ASS, or stands erect and stiff as cedar?
That woodman would not make much
Tearing in the forest who should stop to
lind up every little bruise and scratch he
eceived in the thicket; nor will that man
accomplish much for the world or the
hurch who is too watchful and apprecia-
I've of petty annoyances. There are null
uudes of people in the world consta ntly
arrowed because they pass their lives not
searching out those things which are at
ractive and deserving, but In spying out
nth all their powers of vision to see
7hether they cannot find Mordecai.
Again: learn from the life of the man
nder our notice that worldly vanity and
in are very anxious to have piety bow be-
)re them. Haman was q fair emblem OF
xx.-