The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-06

copyright. 1893, by American Press Asso-
citation

CldtiOA'l
WASHINGTON, Juno 6.-The doom of ar
rogance and the reward Of fidelity are les
sons which DR.. Talmage here draws from
Mordecai on horseback and Hannah afoot
text, Esther vii, TO- $50 they hanged
Hannah on the gallows that he had pre-.
pared for Mordecai."
Here is an oriental courtier, about thu
most offensive man in Hebrew history
Hannah by name He plotted for the do
struction 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 clinch
their fists and stamp their feet and cry
"Let his name be blotted outP Hannah
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
acc, the servants drop their heads in honor
of his office, but a Hebrew named Nor.
decai gazes upon the passing dignitary
without bending his head or taking of
his hat. Ho was good man and would
not have been negligent of the ordinary
SObi tSslto VI nv Duu llC lCiU IlO IebItCV
either for Hannah or the nation from which
he had como. So he could not be hypo.
critical, and while others made oriental
salaam, getting clear down before this
primo minister when he passed, Mordecai,
the Hebrew, relaxed not muscle Of his
neck and kept his chin clear up. Because
of that affront Haman gets decree from
Ahascurus, the dastardly king, for the
massacre of all the Israelites, and that, Of
course, will include Mordecai.
Comedy and Tragedy.
To make long story short, through
Queen Esther this whole plot was revealed
to her husband, Ahasuerus. One night
Ahasuerus, who was afflicted with insom-
mia, in his sleepless hours calls for his Sec
rotary to read him few passages Of Per-
sian history, and so while away the night.
In the book read that night to the king an
account was given Of conspiracy, from
which Mordecai, the Hebrew, had saved
tho kings life and for which kindness
Mordccai had never received any reward.
Haman, who had been fixing up nico
gallows to hang Mordecai on, was walk
ing outside the door Of the kings sleeping
apartment and was called in. The king
told him that he had just had read to him
tho account Of some one who had saved his
(the king's) life and no asked what re-
ward ought to be given to such a one.
Self conceited Haman, supposing that he
himself was to get the honor and not i'm
agining for moment that the delivcrer
of tho kings life was Mordecai say,
why, your majesty ought to make tri-
umph for him and put a 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 tho knccl Here
comes o man who has saved the kings
lifoP Then said Ahasuerus in severe
tones to Hannah; II know all about your
scoundrelism. Now you go out and make
triumph for Mordecai, the Hebrew,
whom you hate. Put the best saddle on
tho finest horse, and you, the prince, hold
the stirrup while Mordecai gets on and
then lead his horse through the street
Make hastel"
What spectacle! A comedy and trag-
cdy at one and the same time There they
gol Mordecai, who had been dcspiscd,
now starred and robed in the stirrups
Hannah, the chancellor, afoot, holding tho
prancing, rearing, champing stallion.
Mordecai bends his neck at last but it Is
to look down at the degraded prime min
lister walking beneath him. Huzza for
Mordecai Alas for Haman But what
pity to have the gallows, recently built
entirely wasted 1t Is 80 cubits high and
built with care, and Hannah had erected
1t for Mordecai, by whose stirrups he now
walks as groom. Stranger and moro
startling than any romance, there go up
the steps of tho scaffolding, side by side, the
hangnan and Hannah, the x-chancclor.
80 they hanged Haman on tho gallows
that he had prepared for Mordecai."
Lessons of Warning.
Although so many years have passed
since cowardly Ahasucrus regned and
tho beautiful Esther answered to his
whims and Persia periShed, yet from tho
life and death Of Hannah we may draw
living lessons Of warning and instruction
And first we como to the practical sug-
gestlon that when the heart Is wrong
things very insignificant will destroy our
comfort. Who would have thought that
great primo minister, admired and ap-
plauded by millions Of Pcrsians, would
have been so nettlcd and harassod by any
thing trivial? What moro could tho great
dignitary have wanted than his chariots
and attendants and palaces and banquets
II affluenco Of circumstances can make
man contentcd and happy, surely Hannah
should have been coutented and happy.
No, Mordccai's refusal of bow takes the
glitter from the gold and tho richness
from the purple and the speed from tho
pbop ar 4od
every initiation of vanity and revenge it
was impossible for him to be happy. Tho
silence Of Mordcca' at tho gate was louder
than the braying Of truInpets in the pail
acc Thus shall It always be II tho heart
10 not right Circumstances tho most trlv-
ial will disturb the spirit,
1t Is not the great calamities Of life that
create the most worrimont. I have seen
men, fellcd by repeated blows of nisfor-
tune, arising from tho dust, never de-
spending, But tho most Of the disquiet
which men suffer Is from insignificant
causes, as lion attacked by some beast
Of prey turns easily around and Stays him,
yot runs roaring through the forests at the
alighting Oh his brawny neck Of few in
socts. You meet some great loss In bust.
ness with comparative composuro, but you
can think Of potty trickercs inflicted upon |
you which arouse all your capacity for
wrath and remain In your heart an un-
bcarable annoyance, II you look back up
on your life, you will find that tho most |
Of the vcxations and disturbances of spirit |
which you felt wero produced by circum. |
stances that were not worthy of notice II
you want to be happy, you must not care
for trI1Ha 10 NOT Ina too IN inntn IN