The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-10-07
r,,osacrc attcnpt at salvation

general massacre. Attempt at salvation
could but anticipate death by few days,
and had the chance of success. There IS
not much room for choice. Death is the
worst that can come, and that will come
either way. Esther said, "If perish, l
perish" This is synonymous With those
expressions made by the martyr sprltn OF
history. 1t is the only attitude and cxpres,,
sion that will fit the supreme crisis anu
opportunity. In just such situations Moses
said, .'Blot me, ] pray thee, out uf the
hook which thou hast written" jesus sad,
II hold not My lie OF any account az dear
unto Myself. 1 am ready to die" VINO
ever goes upon great mission must, ike
the early Christians, take his life III his
hands. II is only along that pathway shat
salvation lies. 1t is Z great price, but Of
ten paid for an inferior purpose. Heroism
asks for life az the price OF patriotism,
life for reputation and honor. Conve-
nicnce and progress do not hesitate to ac-
cent life as a price Our bridges, buildings
and tunnels are built with the cost OF life.
Shall we. then, murrnur at the missionary
who is willing to risk fever and riot III the
interests of eternal salvation? When ex'
amplcs of sclf-dcvotion fall into the per-
spectivc of history we applaud the martyr
spirit. God help us to value and covet u
when near at hand. 80.
Esther went with fear and trembling,
but not cowardicc. Heroism is not foot
hardy. 10 60 forward in the face of dan.
ger, despite fear, is true courage. Paul
,ninistcrcd in Corinth with much weak,
ness, fear and trembling, but beneath. all
was the splendid heroism Of self.deyotIon.
"If I perish"-but such a spirit cannot
perish. it ray seem to fall in self-sacri-
ice, but it does not perish. Some heroes
Of faith come out unscathed from conflict,
they are delivered from the edge OF the
sword. the force of violence and power OF
fire. Others are stoned, sawn asunder and
killed. But they do not perish. The mar
tyrs torn by lions on the Roman arena
were as victorious as Daniel who was de-
livered. The witnesses who burned at
Smithfeld were as triumphant as the three
men who could not be burned by the seven
fold heat of Nebuchadnezzar's furnace.
The ,Huguenots who fell on st. Bnrtholo,
news Day were no less conquerors than
Joshua's army. Christ did not perish on
the cross Paul did not perish in Rome.
Telemachus did not perish in the Roman
arena. Such dying is the highway to lie
The Queen asked the forfeited lives o.
her people. She was related to them and
4 sufferer with them. From their side she
was moved with compassion. From her
queenly position she obtained deliverance.
| This is the object Of all mediation. Our.
Saviour as the man Jesus is touched with
the feeling of our infrmities AS the cX-
alted Lord He interccdes to supply our
need according to His riches in glory. The
privilege Of prayer -is granted to US, that
from the human side we may feel the bur-
den of human sorrow and woe, and so be
pressed into an interccssion for divine sue
cor. In our, weakness we are tempted to
| abuse this great carte blanche of our Lord.
SSalome, who reeelyed the same overture e
OF John the Baptist. Many n petition OF
prayer would end in death if granted. But
no carnal, selfish supplication will receive
the Endorsement of the Lord Christ, and
| consequently fails.
Then we come to the banquet scene. 1t
| is mcst suggestive. Only the hostess and
| two guests, but what Issues trembic in the
balances. Esther is under sentence. OF
death. The dark hour is drawing nigh.
is succeeding most narTelously. Yet in
one day all is suddenly reversed. The
Queen becomes the author Of life and Ha-
| man is sent TO the galloWs built for an
other. Success may be upon US IN the very
| darkest hour, while failure may be dog
ging the tracks of the most lightsome
heart. Righteousness seems to be worstcd
| in the conflict with evil. Coed measures
seem to fail, evil ones to tr umph. Scru-
pulous honesty goes to the wall, while
trickerv and fraud are crownei with sue.
cess. Virtue is seemingly strangled and
vice 10 robed with royalty. And we are
tempted to be envious at the prosperity OF
the wicked. But we may not pass Judg,,
ment until the issue is seen. There will
| come day when Righteousness shall flour
ish and evil perish. The plots of the
worlds Hamans, Herods and Judases ALI
miscarry. Sin and evil rot at the core.
Righteousness and truth have the quality
of Immortality.
At the right moment Esther not only
stated the plot. but named the adversary
and enemy-.this wicked Haman.. 1t was
an awful crisis. It is always crisis when
contendins principles come to the decisive
struggle. In every soul there is q Halnan
who seeks the betrayal and destruction OF
the spiritual life. In our conflict with this
evil self there comes time when We must
be specifc in naming the foe. No salvation
comes from gcneralities. This adversary
and enemy may wear different names in
our disposition. 1t may be pride, envy,
jealousy. bitterness, worldiness, etc.
Whatever it may be, it has planned our
| ruin and waits the moment OF execution.
| IF we would save our lives, families, cities
| and the world we must deal uncompromis-
inglv with the particular Haman who is
working destruction. Not until Haman
goes to The Sallows can life stand secure.
I Having seized the supreme opportunity
at great risk, Esther finds great reward.
The clerks write the message Of life more
rapidly than they wrote the sentence OF
death. TIE good work is fastened with
more speed than the message of woe. Joy
supplants sorrow and life comes in the
rlace OF death. The harvest of sacrifice is
life. We SOW in tears, we reap IN Joy. In
this successful mission of Esther the me-
diatrix We have an adumbration OF the snl-
vatior wrought out by Jesus Christ: He
took His lie in His hands. He died md
rose again from the dead. He secured
| reversal of the entence OF death written
AGAINST us and prnclaims forgiveness OF
sins and the gift of eternal life. Ours ,is
the privilege first to receive and rejoice IN
this truth, and then to speed the glad It'd
ings 10 every creature in all the word.
These arc our supreme opportunities. They
NAV be shadowed with self.sacritice, but il
they are rcsouse1y seized they will issue in
the morning of joy.
The Man OF Cheer.
We love the man with the smile; the
man with the roses on his tongue; the
man who sees your boys dirty face. but
mentions his bright eyes; who notices
your shabby coat, but praises your, studi-
| Gus habits; the man who sees all your
| f,uIts i,,,t whose tonpue is u,lick to praise