The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-11-03
Esther Pleading
for Her People
Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 5. i9e'
Specially Prepared Tor This Paper

years before Ezra came 20 Jerusalem ne
dates OF interest in connection win the
lesson are: Reign Of Ahasuerus lAerXcs)
3 c. 4S5-l65 The great feast C. 4Ns
Esther made queen b. g. 49, Esther saves
her nation b c. 471
PLACE-Shushan The winter palace OF
the Persian empire. about 30 miles souiN
OF east from Babylon.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
INTRODUCTORY The Book OF
Esther-The author Is unknown. but
must have been some one living I'm
the heart Of Persia. a man who was
intimately acquainted with the seen
cry he describes Prof Adeney
The date Of writing IS also unknown.
Prof Sayce places a. at b. c. 425.
He says that the minuteness Of de
tail shows that the author lived be-
fore the overthrow OF the Persian
power. B. c. 331 Some place the date
stil later. The Great Feast al
Shushan.-The Ahasuerus OF Esther
has been identified almost beyond
doubt with XerXes, the famous son
and successor Of Darius Hystaspes Of
our last lesson. He reigned over near
Is all Asia. and In his first years. 49,
Asa. ne conquered Egypt But Greece
was stiu unconQuered XerXes. there
fore. determined ITO lay bridge over
the Hellespont. and 10 transport an
army into Greece 10 punish the
Athenians" for their defeat OF his IA
Their Darius at Marathon For this
purpose Xerxes. according 70 Herodo
tus. held great assembly OF the
noblest Perslans. to arrange for the ex.
petition against Greece IL Is prob
able that this was the feast described
in the first chapter Of Esther as TAX
ing place in Susa II was at this
feast that Ahasuerus. In his drunken
excitement, insultingly commanded
his queen Vashti to come into this
reckless assembly Of men to show
OF her royal beauty, thus outraging
the most sacred rules Of oriental ell
quette She refused to obey, and, as
a consequence. the king deposed her
from being queen.
V. II. "WhOsoeyer shall
come unto the king into the inner
court, who is not called, there is one
law Of his TO put him to death"
Rather, there is one law for him"
Whoever he be, there is one and the
same law regarding him-he must
suffer death. Except such TO whom
the king shall hold out the golden
scepter::" There was. therefore, pos
sibility OF Esther's reaching the ears
Of the king, but with the greatest IN
certainty as to how such capricious
king would act, especially as his love
for her had cooled. The mission
Mordecai committed to Esther was
one Of great danger and difficulty.
Y. 10. Then Mordecai command
ed to answer Esther" He gives four
reasons why Esther should undertake
the mission. % She could not escape
the massacre. even II she should re-
fuse to undergo this danger. 90 She
vas providentislly endowed with
beauty and raised to her position as
queen for this very purpose. II this
vas true, God would make her sue
cessful. II is a blessed thing 10 find
out what one is sent into this world
for. CD All her relatives would be
destroyed. Every motive Of patriotism
and religion urged her on. Cd Then
a great privilege was presented to her.
such an opportunity "a seldom falls
70 the lot OF anyone. The work Is
certain TO be accomplished in some
way. but the Joy and blessing OF doing
Il IA offered TO Esther
Is. Then Esther babe them re-
turn answer" She accepted
he dangerous mission, but she went
about her work in the wisest and most
shllful way. % Religious prepare
ton. 16. Neither eat nor drink
hree days" Fasting implies prayer,
earnestness. confession Of sin, a be
lief in God. an intense desire to be
fitted TO obtain the right spirit This
was on the same principle as Christie
promise TO His disciples when two OF
three agreed together touching any
thing they shall ask Matt 1919
90 She used every means within hei
power.
Chs VI. Esther put on her royal
apparel" She was sensible, practical
woman. and used her beauty and
charm Of person and Of dress to ac
complish her object.
V. 2. The king held out .
the golden scepter:" The sign that
he received her, and that the most
dangerous part Of her mission was
over. But the most difficult vas YET
to come. 80 She was very wise in
her method OF asking her favor. by o
feast, by delays that Keyed up the
kings curiosity TO the highest pitch
and gave her and Mordecai time to
make the wisest plans for overcoming
the Interchangeable law OF the Modes
and Persians. (D She was aided by
the strange providence Of the kings
slespless night, and the consequent be
havior OF Haman.
Application.
Great crises, great trials. great dan.
gers, have a mission in the building
up OF every nation. They awaken
from spiritual lethargy; they cult
lvate a spirit OF prayer. they lead to
trust in God they arouse courage
. Heroism in everyday life is the en-
preston and cultivation OF the heroic
spirit In our ordinary daily life. We
cannot all be heroes In great things.
but the field Of heroism Is everywhere,
lin every home. in every town. Theirs
are great enemies to overcome in our
town hearts there are powers and