Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-11-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR NOVEMBER S.
Subject: Esther Pleading For Her People,
Esth. w., 10 to w., 3-Golden Text,
Psa. cxlv, 2O-Memory VeEes. LIB, IA
documentary on the Days Lesson.

Subject; Esther Pleading For Her People,
Esth. w., 10 to W., 3-GoIden Text,
Psa. cxlv., 2O-Memory vexes. l3, IA
documentary on the Days Lesson.
1. Nordecai and Esther Tvs. 1919.
Mordecai learned of this terrible de-
cree and sent word to Queen Esther
and asked her to intercede with the
king for the preservation of her race
10. "Hatach." An officer appointed to
wait on the queen. II. "All-do
know" etc. 1t was Il universal rule,
known by all. The object of this law
was to maintain both the dignity and
safety of the king. Golden sceptre."
Persian monarchs are always rel a.
sented as holding long tapering staff
In the right hand. Have not been
called She therefore had just cause
to fear that the kings affections We're
alienated from her, land that neither
her person or her petition would be ac-
ceptable to him" Oriental monarchs
were tickle and despotic. In attempt
ing to save her people the queen must
risk everything. The ardor for the
king had for the time cooled toward
Esther. and she feared she had lost
her influence with the monarch, and
If so how could she hope to influence
him for the salvation of the dcspised
Jews. We must not be surprised that
Esther shrank from Obeying the sum
mons Of MordpcHi She proved her he
roism by deciding to go in unto the
king, knowing as she did the danger
to which she was exposed Let lis
learn ~ that it is right to carefully
estimate difficulties; l2) that we should
never be discouraged because there
are difficulties: (3) that those who go
at the call of duty, in the face of diff
cultics. may expect divine support.
13. "Think not" etc. 1t seems that
Esther had not been known as Il Jew,
but the fact would be brought to light
and in the general slaughter she would
perish with her people. II. "Then will
relief and deliverance arise" Or. W.
Mordecai had strong faith that God
would not allow the Jewish nation to
be destroyed. but thou" etc. You
will not escape destruction, but you
will lose an opportunity of saving your
people. "WhO knoweth.' God may
have put YOU in your present position
that You might be the means of saving
your people in this hour Of darkness.
1t is a great blessing 10 have some
work assigned us by God. and to see
Gods hand in our lives, accomplishing
that work. This makes us strong, and
renders life glorious, since it is plan
of the almighty and all-wise God. Sev-
eral motives influenced Esther in this
hazardous undertaking !. She was
in danger .. MOrdecGi's words that
deliverance would come from some
other source and tlat shn would lose
the opportunity Of saving hor people.
3. The suggestion that God had
brought her to her present position that
she might be q delivCrcr in this terrible
hour 4. The assurance she had that
God would give her success.
III The three days fast US. 1910.
16. Fast yc for Me-" In Ny behalf.
Fasting implies humiliation, repent
ance, conservation to God, faith in
God, prayer to God. 1t was the cX-
preston, outwarlly, of the intense de-
sires Of the heart Only God could
give success to her efforts. "Thce
days" 1t has been supposed that
Esther could not have meant an abso-
lUlt liSl-tbIIIplftt aus lllItItt I1olh
both food and drink--fOr so long
period as three days: but the time in
tended. from the evening of the first to
the morning of the third day. need not
have much exceeded thrty-SiX hours.
"My maidens" They were probably
either Jews or prosolytes to that re-
ligiOn. and thus would be in sympathy
with her. "If | perish" l will put
forth every possible effort to save my
people even though / perish in the at
tempt. The great danger to which
Esther was exposed will be seen more
clearly when we consider the dcspotic
nature of NerXeS. When he was on
his way to Greece he halted at Gel
aenae, a city of Phrygia, where he was
by pythias with incredible
pythas even offered to
contribute some millions of dollars to-
ward the expenses of the war. But
when Pvthias begged aS a favor that,
Of his five sons IN the kings army, the
eldest might be left with him in his
old age, the brutal monarch went. into
a rage, and caused the son to be slain
in the presence of his father, the body
to be divided into two parts, and
placed the one part on one side of the
road, and the other on the other, and
ordered the whole army to march be-
tween them. II. "Mordecai went his
way" He went 0 believing, (2) obey
ing. (3) praising.
III. Esther's success Tvs. 1-3. l.
''The king sat" The position of the
king was such that he could see all
who mo into tho cOurt
2. "Saw Esther" AS the king sat
upon the throne, the two were face to
face, though there was quite distance
between them, 1t was a critical mo-
ment, though Esther did not forget
that "the heart Of the king was in the
hand of the Lord" Touched.
sceptre." This was, no doubt. the usual
way of accepting the kings favor. LAS
the sceptre was the ensign Of the highest
and most absolute authority in the king,
so the queens touching it, or. as some
say, kissing 1t, was a token Of her sub
lection and thankfulness for his favor.
Thus Esther's mission was so far sue
cessful. At this time she invited the
king and Haman to banquet, though
the king doubtless understood that this
was preliminary to n request OF greater
The banquet was held;
and vet Esther did not dare to present
her real request. She simply asked
her guests to come again the next day.
Then follows Haman's downfall and
death and Mordecal's elevation to
poyer. The remaining chapters of the
book Of Esther tell us how the Jews
were saved from destruction.