Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-06-06
DOOM OF ARROGANCE.
DR.. TAlMAGE TEACHES A LESSON
FROM THE HANGING OF faAMAN.

Piety Bow Before Thcr-0uickiy Turns
the Wheel Of Fortune Happiness FOR
the Soul.
copyright, 1885, by American Press Asso-
ciatfon-1
WASHINGTON, June 5.-The doom of
arrogance and the reward of fidelity are
lessons which DIR. Talmage here draws
from Mordecai on horseback and Hannah
afoot; text, Esther vii, 10, $50 they
hanged Hannah on the gallows that he
had prepared for Mordecai. .
Here is an oriental cQurtier, about
the most offensive man In Hebrew his
tory, Hannah by name He plotted for
the destruction of the Israelitish nation,
and I wonder not that in some of the
Hebrew synagogues to this clay when
Hannah name rs mentioned the con-
gregation c1ineh their fists and stamp
their 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 everyb body that he
passes to be obsequious. Coming in one
day at the gate of the palace the serv
ants drop their heads III honor of his
office, but Hebrew named M0rdecai
gazes upon the passing dignitary with
out bending his head or taking off his
hat He was good man and would not
have been negligent of the ordinary
courteSies 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
ed, MoYdecai, 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-
vealed to her husband, Ahasuerus. One
night Ahasuerus, who was afflicted
with insomnia, in his sleepless hours
calls for his secretary to read him
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 kings
life, and for which kindness Mordecai
had never received any reward. Hannah,
who had been fixing UP nice gallows
to hang Mordecai 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 1.-THE kings life, and he asked
what reward ought to be given to such
a one. Self conceited Hannah, supposing
that he himself was to get the honor
and not Imagining for a moment that
the deliverer of the kings life was Nor
decai, says, why, your majesty ought
to make a triumph for him and put
crown ON him and set him ON 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 man
who has saved the kings life - Then
said Ahasuerus in severe tones to Ha-
man: Il know all about your scoun-
drelism Now you go out and make
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 hastel''
Comedy and Tragedy.
What q spectaclei A comedy and
tragedy at one and the same time
There they gol Mordecai, who had been
despised, now starred and robed, in 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 prime minister walking be-
meath him. Huzza for MorIlecai. Alas
for Hannah! But what q 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 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 hangnlan 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 coward1y Ahasuerus reigned, and
the beautiful Esther answered to his
whims and Persia persisted, yet from
the life and death of Hannah we may
draw living lessons of warning and in
struction. And, first, we Gene to the
practical suggestion that, when the
heart is wrong, things very Insignificant
will destroy our comfort Who would
have thought that a great prime minis
ter, admired and applaudea by millions
and harassed by anything trivial? What
more could the great dignitary have
wanted than his chariots and attend