The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-10-12
THE SABBATH SCHOo
INTERNATIONAL LESSON coMMss
FOR OCTOBER is.
Subject; Esther Pleading For Her Peo
Esther VIII, 3-S, 15-1S-Golden ~
Psa. xxNvii., 5-Commcntary on
Days Lesson.

CONNECTING LINKS. When Morn
heard OF the terrible decree which ord.
the death OF all his people he was h
with grief. He sent n copy Of the de-
to Esther and asked her to intercedo
the King that the calamity might be a,
ed. The king was 1ckle-minded
potic ruler, and Esther had not been /,
presence for thirty days. 1t was thers
great risk for her to venture lpto
presence, lest her life be taken. In
tempting to save her people the n.
must risk everythlng-her position
husband, her wealth, her life. She
attempt by the mere weight OF person,
fluence to reverse tho decrces OF an er'
that prided itself on having unalter
laws; and she must do this against M
nuenee OF Haman, the kings favorlte-
most powerful subject in the kingdom
the enemy of her people. She must N
1t known to the king that she was olI
despised race whose lives were In dan
Before Esther could enter upon tbI,
portant mission aud encounter the d6I
connected with such an act. she
claimed fast among her people In Sl3
an, and she and her mnidens also nj
and prayed. Then she said she woull
on and do her best to save her ral
though 1t should cost her life. At tbe I
OF the fast Esther dressed herself IN
queenly apparel and came before the
Ho received her kindly and asked what
petition might be, promising to gratI
She merely made request that the kiD.i
Haman attend Il banquet which she Ill
prepare for them. Read OF Haman,I
over this honor, and of his plan to 4
Mordecai; OF the kings sleepless nl
and his plan to reward Mordecni IA.
former Kindness in sparlng his NIL
chapters and G. In chapter the N
ut the second feast or banquet Is reco,
Here Esther made known the plan Of
man to destroy the Jews. Then the n
OF the king was turned upon Haman
he ordered that he be hanged upoB
gnllows he had prepared for Morl.;
Then the house of Haman was give
Esther, and the ring which had been n
to Haman the king gave to Mori
Esther placed Mordecni Cher cousin /
the house of Haman.
3. ESTHER spake yet again" The VII
Haman was out OF the way, and the n
OF the King was turned to Esther and
decni, yet the decree Was not recs i.
ibis Esther would entreat the king I
ere tho day came for the execution.
op"h Wv us btSOukul Dllll d
tears" This was tho manner and poss
of u suppliant. Her work was not I
until her people were saved from dars
4. "The king held out the golden y
tre." In token that her request wa, {
cepted and that she needed no longss
maintain the humble attitude of IA
ant.
8. Reverse the letters devised By
man." 1t may be supposed that Az
rus hesltated in this perplexing cas-
not knowing how to extrlcate himself 2
credit from so great difficulty, and l.
luctant to proclaim to all the worllH
folly into which he has been seduced.
Esther, with great discretion, awf
every intlmatlon that the king himsell
issued tho decree, and evpressed hers
IL 1t had been not only Humans devic.
altogether his work, us though the n
had been forged by him.
O. "How can l endure" She doe,s
urge the innocence CT the Jews, but
pleads their affinity to her.
8. "Wrlte ye also for the Jews
writing which is written may no mai
verse;" According to the Persian q r
tuition the former edict could not L
voked; hence they could not repeal I'D
cree, but provide an antidote." Ho7-
strange and even ridiculous this mod
procedure may appear, 1t was the on u
which from the peculiarlties of coun<
quette in Persia could be adopted. !.
10. "Mordecai went out in royaJ
parel." But few days before, l[ori.
was In sackcloth and all tho Y
In sorrow; now Mordecai is in purple
the Jews in Joy. The royal apparel
belonged to his place, or the king app 4
ed II 20 him as favorlte. A dress Of
ana white was held in great estim
among the Persians, so that Nor
whom the king delighted to honor, "
fact arrayed In the royal dress and =
MIA. "Shushan rejoiced." Tho people{
sensible OF their advantage In the NJ
ment OF Mordecai, and looked for h
times when so good man was In p +
When tho wicked perish there Ia shOu
when the righteous are In author. =
people rejoice. Haman was too proJ
be popular; few lamented his fall. "
was popular respect for Mordecai.
16. "The Jews had light, gladness II
honor" The decree that could not be kc
termanded was erased, ana the .r,
saved from destruction. Ever since i.
they have kept the fast Of Purlm o, y
the 18th and 14th of Adar (about Nn
1st) in memory Of these days. The trl
history wrought good In the charact a,
the jews ana proclaimed their religiO. 4
their God. The Jews were contents
being permitted to defend their IN
When tho decree went out undepu
kings seal In favor OF the Jews 1t wot y,
understood that he held their lives ~
ious, and rs far rs possible would ~
them, though at laid him under the 70
slty of enacting civil war in his own,
minlons, for both sides might take ur,
by his authority, and yet against M
thoritY." ID
II. "In every province. city. v
only In Shushan, but In all other IN
where the Jews resided, they enter' !.
one another at their homes and feast q
gether, being full Of Joy at this alteilf
OF their affairs. II they had not II
threatened and In distress they hal a,
had occasion for this extraordinarN'
Therefore are Gods people some =
made to SOW in tears that thoy may r
55ws. sH'A Many fS SF0 Il t6!e !0yi ypersIansy M11y
proselytes to the Jewish religion, but
they were clrcumclsed Is not pfobaDa
is likely. however, that they reno
idolatry and became worshipers q
true God. Such proselytes there vi.
all times, especially In the days of
and Solomon, whom the affairs of The e
were very prosperous. Haman thouS<
root out the Jews; but 1t proved that
numbers were greatly increased. lu
seen that the strength Of right and y
was with them. "Fear of the Jews
them" Haman's fate warned them
Jews power, and when they observe \
wonderfully divine Providence had =
them ana wrought for them In this MI
juncture, they thought them grea'
IhCse happy that We're among them; -
fore they same over to them, as was
told. Zech. 1923. Compare Deut. 50