Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-06-11
DOOM OF ARROGANCE.
DR.. TALMAGE TEACHES A LESSON
FROM THE HANGING OF HANNAH.

FROM THE HANGING OF HANNAH.
Vanity and Sin Ever Anxious to Havs
Plety Bow Before Them-QuickIy Turn.
the Wheel of Eor.uue EappineBs Fol
the Soul.
copyright, 1seS, by American Press Asso-
citation.
WASHINGTON, Juno 5.-The doom OF
arrogance and the reward Of fidelity are
iessons which DR. Talmngo here draws
from Mordecai on horseback and Human
afoot; text, Esther vii, 10, so they
hanged Hannah on tho gallows that he
bad prepared fer Mordecai. -
Here Is an oriental courtier, about
the most offensive man in Hebrew his
tory, Hannah by name. He plotted for
the destruction of the Israelitish nation,
and 1 wonder not that in some of the
Hebrew synagogues to this day when
Human name is mentioned the con-
;,regation clinch their fists and stamp
thoir feet and cry, Let his name be
blotted OUT Hannah was prime minis
ter in the magnificent court Of Persia.
Thoroughly appreciative of the honor
conferred he expects everybody that he
passes to be obsoquious. Coming i'll one
day at the gate Of the palace, the serv-
ants drop their heads in honor of his
office, but Hebrew named Mordecai
gazes upon the passing dignitary with
out bending his head OF taking off his
hat. Hc was good man and would not
have been negligent of the ordinary
courtesics Of life, but he felt no respect
either for Hannah or the nation from
which he had come. So he could not be
hypocritical, and while others made
oriental salaam, getting clear down be-
fore this prime minister when he pass
I'd. NIordecai, the Hebrew, relaxed not a
muscle of his neck and kept his chin
clear up Because Of that affront Ha-
man gets decree from Ahasuerus, the
dastardly king, for the massacre OF all
the Israelites and that of course will
include Mordecai.
To make long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was re-
yealed to her husband, Ahasuerus. One
night Ahasuerus, who was afflicted
with insomnia, in his slcepless 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 conspiracy from which Nor
decai, the Hebrew, had saved the king S
life, and for which kindness Mordecai
had never received any reward: Haman,
who had been fixing up nice gallows
to hang MorGecni on, was walking out
side 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 king's) life, and he asked
what reward ought to be given to such
a one. Self conccited Hannah, supposing
that he himself was to get the honor
and not imagining for IL moment that
the .deliverer of the kings life was Nor
dccai, says, "Why, your majesty ought
to mako triumph for him and put Il
crown on him and set him On a SPLEEN
did horse, high stepping and full blood
ed, and then have one of your princes
lead the horse through the streets, cry
ing, Bow the knee, here comes a man
who has saved the kings life. F" Then
said Ahasucrus III severe tones to Ha-
man: 81 know all about your seoul
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 Nfordecai gets
on, and then lead his horse through the
street. Make haste !"
Comedy and Tragedy.
What spectaclcl A comedy and
tragedy mt one and the same time.
There they go! Mordecai, who had been
despised, now starred and robed, III the
stirrups Hannah, the chancellor, afoot,
holding the prancing, rearing, champ
ing stallion. Mordecai bends his neck
at last, but it is to look down at the
degraded primo minister walking be-
meath him. Huzza for Mordecai Alas
for Hannah! But what a pity to have
the gallows, recently built. entirely
wasted It is so cubits high and built
with care. And Hannah had erected 1t
for Mordecai, by whose stirrups he now
walks as groom. Stranger and more
startling than any romance, there go
up the steps of the scaffolding, side by
side, the hangman and Hannah, the ex-
chancellor. $50 they hanged Hannah on
the gallows that he had prepared for
Mordecai.
Although so many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasuerus reiSned, and
the beautiful Esther answered to his
whilns, and Persia persisted, yet from
the life and death of Human we may
draw living lessons Of warning and in
struction. And. fist, we come to the
practical suggestion that, when the
heart is wrong, things very insignificant
will destroy our comfort. Who would
have thought that great prime minis
ter, admired and applauded by millions
of Persians, would have been so nettled
and harasscd BY anything trivial? What
more could the great dignitary have
wanted than his chariots and attend
ants and palaces and banquets? If afilu-
ence of circumstances can make man
contentcd and happy, surely Haman
should have been contented and happy.
No. Mordecai's refusal of a bow takes
the glitter from the gold, and the rich
ness from the purple and the speed
from the chariots With heart pulled
up with every initiation Of vanity and
revenge twas 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 it
always be if the heart is not right. Cir
cumstances the most trivial will disturb
the spirit
Annoying Trinsn.
1t is not the great calamlties OF life
that create the most worriment. have
seen men, felled by repeated blows OF
misfortune, arising from the dust,
never responding But the most of the
disquiet which men suffer is from in.
significant causes; as q lion attacked BY