The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-11-04


man who was intimately acquainted
with the scenery he describes PRO
fessor Adeney.
The date of writing is also un-
known. Professor Sayce places It at
B. c. 425. He says that the minute
ness of detail shows that the author
lived before the overthrow of the Per-
sian power, B. C. 331. Some place
the date still later
Scene |. The Great Feast at Shu-
shan False Patriotism.-Th Ahasuer-
us OF Esther has been identified al
most beyond doubt, with Xerxes the
famous son and successor Of Darius
Hystaspes of our last lesson. Xerxes
is a shortened form of Ahasuerus, as
York (in New York, for instance), is
a shortened form Of the Latin Ebora-
cum. He reigned over nearly all
Asia, and in his first years, 485, 4S4,
he conquered Egypt. But Greece was
still unconquered. A few years be
fore, his father Darius and the Per
sian army were defeated by the Greeks
at Marathon in September, B. G. 49O,-
world-renowned battle and one Of
the turning-points of the worlds his
tory.
Xerxes, therefore, determined ito
lay bridge over the Hellespont, and
to transport an army into Greece to
punish the Athenians" for their defeat
of his father Darius at Marathon. Tuen
he added, Il intend to march Though
all the parts of Europe, and to reduce
the whole earth into one empire, being
assured that no city or nation will
dare to resist my arms. Thus
we shall extend the Persian territory
as far as Gods heaven reaches. -
Herodotus, Blk. Z. For this purpose
Xerxes, according to Herodotus, held
a great assembly of the noblest Per-
SLAMS, to arrange for the expedition
against Greece. 1t is probable that
this was the feast described in the
first chapter of Esther as taking place
in Susa.
Scene II. The Expedition against
Greece, with an Instance Of Patriotic
Heroism.-rhe next four years were
occupied with one of the most famous
invasions in history. Herodotus esti-
mated that Xerxes' total military force
when 1t reached Thermopylae num-
bered 2,641, $40, with an equal number
of attendants, making 5,283,220 persons
in ALL The sea force is represented
as consisting of 5000 vessels of all
kinds. These numbers are regarded
by modern historians as greatly ex-
aggerated. Xerxes' army was check
ed at the pass of Thermopylae by the
heroism of Leonidas and his immortal
800 August, 480 b. C. Themistocles,
the Greek commander, with 80 sail,
defeated Xerxes' feet at Salamis, near
Athens, October 20, 4sO B. c., and the
Persian fleet was destroyed at Mycale,
Sept. 22, 479. These and other disas-
tors compelled Xerxes to abandon his
expedition and return home with
scarcely 5000 soldiers left of all the
multitude with which he set out.
Scene III. The Marriage of Esther,
the beautiful Jewess, to Xerxes, after
his return to Shushan, in the seventh
year Of his reign. Esther means
star. Prof Adeney says Esther is
Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess equiv
alent to Venus. She was a daughter
of one of the exiles, her grandfather
being among those carried captive to
Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 59S
Esther 2:5, g.. Her Hebrew name
was Hadassah, the myrtle, a beautiful
and favorite shrub in the East. She
was the cousin of Mordecai, who was
much older, and had adopted her as
his daughter on the death of her faith
er Abihail, an uncle of Mordecai.
Scene ". The Plot of Haman. The
Opposite of Patriotism.-Fou or FIVE
years pass, and then begins the tragic
story of Haman. His rise as a kings
favorite, his pride incensed at the con-
duct of Esther's cousin Mordecai, his
attempt to bring vengeance upon the
whole Jewish race on Mordecai's ac-
count. his success in obtaining a de-
cree from the king, throughout his en-
pire, ITO destroy, to kill, and to cause
TO perish all Jews, both young and old,
little children, and women. in one
day" The tragic end of Haman is
intermingled with the story of the de-
liverance, but we may well look for
ward and see him planning to ruin
Mordecai, but compelled to honor him;
see him building a gallows for the Jew,
but himself hung thereon. Such men as
Haman are beacons of warning from
rocks in the sea Of life.
Scene V. Queen Esther Coming to
the Rescue. An Instance of Heroic
Patriotism -Esth. Al. Great mourn
ing and terrible distress came upon
the Jews all over the empire as they
learned of this decree. Mordecai sent
word to Esther, asking her to go to
the king and request the deliverance
Of her people. Esther replied (Esth.
AID, whatsoever 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 regard