The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-08
A Woman's Courage.


 Perhaps some of you have listened to Handels wonderful oratorio. called "Es- ther." You have marveled at the thrilling and plaintiff notes of one of the greatest of all composers. But no touch of Handel can be more overwhelming than the sim pie story of this brave Persian queen as recorded in the Bible. Let me draw for you a few plain, practical lessons from part of it.
 This heroic resolution. in the first place was made by woman This may seem to some a very insignificant statem ent to make. But I want to tell you that in the days of King Ahaseurus any wo- man who dared form such resolution as Queen Esther made, was literally taking her life in her hands With one act she was defying all the traditions of the centuries in reference to the position of woman. The wife of an eastern mon- arch was not suffered to be the com panion, the sharer of her husbands re- responsibilities, as your mother was of the cares of your father She was looked upon as a mere plaything. a toy, a human doll, pet puppet, the chief end of her existence was to humor the whims of her husband When he called she was to come. When he said "Go!" she was to go But she was not to go or to come unless he gave the command. And fur thermore, in the far east, in the time of Ahaseurus, not only did a husband look upon his wife as a mere plaything but if he so willed he might compel her to honor or dishonor herself before the world. She had absolutely no means to free herself from the tyranny of his will
 Read today the tragic history of Queen Vashti. No one can truly study the life of Queen Esther unless he places along side of her face the beautiful face of "a " n VI bpr in the royal palace of the Medes and the Persians. The great capital of Shushan, about two hundred miles away from Babylon, Is ablaze with lights. All the princes and the governors of the different provinces are being entertained in the royal palaces. The streets of the city are festooned with flags and banners. The bravest warriors of the army of King Ahaseurus have assembled their troops for the magnificent military pageant. The bed rooms where the guests slept seem ed 10 be the sleeping apartments of an A1ad- din. The beds were of solid gold. the tapestries of the costliest linens, soft and fragrant in perfumes. The floors were all of the finest mosaic. Every cup was a chalice of especial workmanship. hand made and formed by the fingers of a master designer. Not only that, but every guest for the seven days could do as he willed. The chariots of the royal stables were all his. The most expensive viands of the banquet tables were his.
 'T Will Not Come"
 The royal entertainments had been go- princes were to separate. The chamber lains were there. Louder and louder play ed the music: more and more hilarious became the sport. Now it was an over turned decanter; again it was fallen lord. tumbling upon the floor in his drunk en stupor. The courtiers were drunk; the king was drunk. And on the seventh day when the heart of the king was to his fawning, cringing guests and says: Now. gentlemen, I will show a sight the like of which you have never seen ing on for nearly week. It reached it's great climax on the night before King Ahasuerus and the governors and the