Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-10-06
Calnase
Sermon
by Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. D. d.

Los Angeles. Cal. Oct. LIN the sto-
ry OF beautiful Queen Esther. whose
courage aud patriotism saved her race
from destruction. the preacher finds a
noble lesson for the women of today.
Inc text Is Esther Nv, 16, IF 1 perish.
perish"
Have you ever read the blood curdllng
story OF the massacre OF st. Bartholo-
mswf No. Then perhaps you have
seen copies OF the great masterpieces
or tins VeSetian artist. Tintoretto. and
OF Peter Paul Rubens, entitled 'srhe
Aeesecre OF the Innocents." From
these two thrilling pictures you gain
an Idea OF what that most awful traR-
soy "a france. known as the massacre
or sr bartholomew, must have been
sixs. IN those pictures you can see the
xsaEuc eyes OF the mothers watching
he muruerers OF theiy children COM
ms nearer and nearer to their prey.
xou can zee some or these mothers on
their knees trying to shield their ba-
Oiss with their arms. Or you can see
them with their hands clutchInR the
murceforS blades to ward them or
from their children, though the keen
Soge cut their hands to the bone. Or
you can see some Of these mothers
run1fnG away In the distance with
tnetE babies under their arms. In ORA
nate contrast TO the pleading. praying.
renxied and helpless looks OF these
eeonissd mothers you can see Herod's
outcners driving I'm sword here. strik-
ing down a baby there, ripping open
me tender body OF a beautiful infant
beyond. tossing up child farther on
a. rickster might toss a card and
eatcning II upon the edge of n sharp
eointod knife. All these fiendish muir
Cses wece done as nonchalantfy and
NneonceEuedly and with as much dia-
oohcal abandon rs was shown by tho
agents Of Mana Sahib. who entered the
Cawnpur slaughter house during the
Indian usutiny OF 1857 and with their
Knives hacked into pieces the women
ana children until the murderers liter
ally waded In blood.
TIE Crfss 81 Hsrod.
Iee. the pictures Tintoretto and Ru-
bsRs painted OF that massacre send a
sneodsr through every one who looks
az them But, horrible as that tragedy
was. ~ has been ecHpsed more than
once IN the worlds history. Far great
e n cruelty and in the number of VIC
ums was that tragedy conceived by
ths 0oeen mother Catherine de- MsdicI
md carried ont by the order OF her
royal son. King Charles TX. of France.
Aeroo. although he was an inhuman
monster and capable OF any crime.
slew only the male children OF two
years and hinder living in and about
Bethslehsm OF JudRea. aud the number
or nis victims must have been compar-
ataTely small On the other hand. be-
sween twenty and thirty thousand HUI
9uencts In one night fell In the massa-
Gre OF St bartholomew. old and
young rics and poor. unknown peasant
ana iiluetrious Admiral Collgny, suck
ing babes and gray haired men. well
tered In their lies blood on that awful
night Then this slaughter was not re-
Str1cted In Its area to the French can't
al. lts bloody work spread through
he provinces. With one blow the Cath.
ole dictator. Queen Catherine, tried to
destroy al the enemies OF the Catholic
church forever. No wonder King
Charles on account or this crime died.
As did King Richard. In tie agonles OF
remorse.
What the st. Bartholomew slaughter
was TO France the intended massacre
or the Hebrews was to be TO the Per.
sian kingdom OF Al Is. G. A corrupt
premier OF n corrupt king In order to
triumph over Il Hebrew. Mordecal by
name. plotted to exterminate all the
Jews who did not return to the Holy
Land after the captivity was over and
when Nehemiah was allowed TO return
home to build the Jerusalem walls.
The day OF the massacre had been set
The couriers OF the king had gone TO
the provinces and carried everywhere
the orders for the Wholesale butchery.
All the aexecutioners' swords had been
shsrpsnsd. But Haman. the prime min
later, schemed without knowing that
ths belored queen OF King Ahasuerus
was q dAukhter OF the despised He
orsws. When Esther. the queen, heard
OF what the premier. Haman. was to do
oy the command OF the king she said
60 her foster father, MordecaI: II Will
90 unto The king and plead for my PEG.
pie. EhiS, know. 10 not according to
ehe law. bat will DO all can to save
thsn~ Then she uttered these ORA.
mGtic words or my text. If perish, I
pexish."
A wonan's Courage.
Perhaps some OF you have listened to
Handefs wonderful oratoriO, called
Esther" Yon have marveled at the
thrilling and plalntive notes OF one OF
the greatest OF all composers. But no
Aorsnh 80. ,.,a-. -
whelrnlng than the simple story OF this
brave Persian queen as recorded In
the Bible. Let me draw for you a few
plain. practical lessons from part
or IT,
This heroic resolution. In the first
place. was made by a woman. This
may seem TO some very insignificant
statement TO make But l want to tell |
you that Ia the days OF King Ahasue
rus any woman who dared form such |
= resolution as Queen Esther made |
was literally taking her life in her |
hands. with one act she was defying |
ali tnS traditions OF the centuries In |
rsfsrsnes TO the position OF woman.
The wife ot an eastern monarch was
got Ss36ered 20 be the companion. the /
eo-operatof. the sharer, OF her hus-
bands responsibilities. as your moth
er was OF the cares OF your father. She
WAS looked upo0 N a mere plaything,
toy. q hnmsn doll, q pet puppet, the
chief end OF whose existence was to
humor the whims Of her husband.
Whsn he called she was to come.
When ne said "Gor' she was to 40.
But she was not TO go or to come un-
less he gave the command. And, fur
thsrmsTs, IN the far east. in the time
OF AAasustuss not only did a husband
look upon his wife as a mere play.
thing. but II he so wiIled he might
even compel her to honor or dishonor
herself before the world. She had alb
sOluiely No means to free herself from
The 8vraYuv of hts will