Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-29
DRAWS NEW LESSONS
FROM HAMAN'S STORY
Partners In Infamy Will Rob Confed-
crates and Turn on Them In
the Hour of Their Mis-
fortune

Rev. ]. w. Shoaff, D. D., pastor of
Trinity Methodist Episcopal church,
south, delivered the fifth of his series
of sermons on 1.-THE Life and Times of
Queen Esther" last night, Reviewing
that part of the history relative to the
sleepless night of the king and the dis
appointment experienced by Hannah in
the temporary honor conferred on Nor
decai, the speaker said in part
I'VE may learn something of the
providential mystery that envelops all
human life. On that night the king
could not sleep. The man who reigned
from India to Ethiopia, over hundred
and twenty-seven provinces, and dwelt
amid the splendors of a Persian court,
could not sleep. And why? Oh, says
the light hearted skeptic, he had eaten
too much supper, and bad case of in
digestion is a sufficient explanation of
the whole question. 1t would be well
for us not to treat the matter so light
ly. To the king it seemed on this par
ticular night that sleep had fled from
the earth. 1t looks as il some super
natural presence were at work arous-
ing the blunted sensibilities of the
monarch.
I'VE believe this for several reasons:
First, the facts contained in the his
tory before us justified the friendly
interpretations of some supernatural
cause; second, the use to which the
sleeplessness of the king is turned ar
CUES divine as we'll as extraordinary
significance; third, the means en-
ployed, so simple and mistakable, har-
monte with the processes of divine
Providence; fourth, the divine benefi-
cence of the results argues the super
natural character of the occurrence.
''There are sleepless nights in which
men toss on their beds In starless dark
ness, when God lays his hand upon
them and bids them think. There are
times when God comes to the soul not
in the path of the morning, but in the
solitude of darkness, when we can only
stand and wait, knowing that the God
who makes day also makes the night.
Learn again that the exceptional
circumstances of life should be con-
sldered as fraught not only with su-
pernatural but also with divine pur-
pose. The preservation of the innocent,
the humiliation of the guilty, these
two ends are determined by Provi-
dence. Therefore, o king. the Lord God
of Israel will not let thee sleep Gods
providence relates to your life at every
turn. While this is true yet the great
fact which we would emphasize is that
the exceptional circumstances of life
should be interpreted in the light of
religious and providential purpose.
From every burning bush listen, and
you will hear the voice of God
1--WE are reminded that there is such
a thing as the recurrence of good
works. On that night could not the
king sleep. He calls for the chronicles
of his ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS service is
brought to mind The kind may be
forgotten, the garment worn by the
hand of charity may be torn into
H. H. I..k Sd
forgotten kindness shall be given a
worthy crown.
Judas Has His Price
"In the story of the evening we are
reminded that malice is often COM
PEELED to pay tribute to those whom it
seeks to crush. Hannah builds a scat
fold on which he hopes to hang Nor
decai, yet the victim of cruel purpose
is the one to whom proud Hannah
must do honor. He must lead the
horse on which Mordecai rides and
cry: Thus is it done unto the man
whom the king delighted to honor
If envy and malice rankle in your
bosom, beware lest they turn upon
you to your own destruction. Learn
again that ambitious preferment gem
crates the spirit of double mindedness
Words of praise may be on the lips
while contempt is in the heart In the
scene before us Hannah hates whom he
honors and honors whom he hates.
Polished villainy always has two faces.
Like Hannah it believes in one thing
and only one-will it pay? Like Judas
1t always has its price with which to
betray you with a kiss.
"Then, finally, we may take as an
other lesson Of the evening that the
friends of a common malice, who en-
courage you in your vile purposes, will
be sure to forsake you when you are
entangled in the net of your own de-
vising. Those who encouraged Hannah
to forsake him when the scales seemed
to turn against him.
1.-THE partners of your infamy may
smile on you and fitch your pockets
while they smile, and then turn against
you and forsake you in the moment of
your downfall Beware, my young
friend. lest you be made the dupe and
tool of designing men. Their friend
ship is cheat and a sham. They will
use you for what they can get out of
you. They will suck the blood of your
life like cruel vampires and then leave
you in your hour of greatest need,
while you bear on your own head the
bitter realization of inglorious dis
grace.
"Be true to yourself. young man.
Spurn every unholy alliance that a
wicked world has to offer. Be as un-
compromising in character and prin-
ciple as the throne of the eternal. and
thus you can stand forth in the glory
of noble, consecrated manhood that |
will stand the test of time and eter-
nifty"