Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-01
| 0lDDTEfarfNT HrEsi
A46RNkhN..tI.I j.
G1lABERNAC[F
lW' .BKRLE.S STUDIES.
GODS PROVIDENCE ARE TWO
QUEENS.
vashtis Mcthod-Esther's Method.
Present Day Applications.
BIBLE. STUDIES.
Esther iv, 1-5:3-Noy. S.

tbNt HILL. - Sam tHtNt ~,
Today's study has Queen Esther for
its topic. She was a Jewess. noted for
her beauty, and on this account she
Was chosen of Ahaseurus, King of Per-
STA, to be his queen. II is presumed
that she received The name Esther
which signifies a star, because Of her
lbeauty. Hishtar BENG the Chadaic
equivalent for Venus. She succeeded
Nashti, the former queen. who had dis
pleased the king and been divorced.
In the opposite course of these two
laueens we find a lesson bearing on the
lSuffragette question of today The
king had "a banquet with the lords OF
his empire. 1t may be assumed that
lit was rcvcl, and that the king and
his guests, at the height of the revel
were more or less under the influence
lof wine. Giving Queen Vashti the BEN
Iefit of the doubt this was probably heI
treason fer ignoring the kings request
THAT she come into the banquet gar
tden. .l
| Many will say that she did just right
lin asserting her wonanheod in stand
ling up for her rights" etc. We will
not dispute that all women have rights
land that Queen Vashti had hers and
THAT she exercised them. We mercley
offer the suggestion that in a question
of rights" along lines of force and
leompulsion, queen Nashti won VIC
| tory which cost her dearly. In Queen
Esther's procedure. which is the sub
| jeet of this lesson, we see the opposite
course pursued-the queen won a
great victory with happy results by a
| totally different procedure and one
which in our judgment recommends
| itself to the wisest and best of men
and women.
Vashti could have taken similar
lcourse but did not. However. much
she might have felt that the kings re-
Iquirement of her presence would ex-
pose her to Jest or rudeness. she should
have relied upon her charm aud tact
and purity and upon her husbands love
and care. While it was not hers to in
trude into the banquet, once invited.
her presence should have been hal
lowed one a sweet perfume, a rebuke
to any immodestyl Like many another
we'll meaning woman. Queen Vashti
was unwiSe she aba ndonea the most
potent defense of pure womanhood
when she met command with refusal.
| But then we must remember that Va
shit was neither Christian nor Jew
ess, and was therefore without any Di-
vine instruction or guidance.
| While we recognize the fact that. as
spiritual New Creatures in Christ,
these are not esteemed Of God on ac-
leoupt of pedigree, station Or sex, that
is. mott 10 fpn1u To- i'm
lChrist Jesus, still il is true that, as the
Scriptures. declare, Man is the head OF
1.-The WOMAN" and she is the "helpmeet
for him" See Genesis ii. Is: | Cor
inthians ri, 81; Ephesians Y. 23-25.
Esther STOPPED For Victory.
| queen Esther was not a suffragettc,
When invited to become the queen she
did not decline and see to il that she
lstood on the same ground as Nashti.
She accepted her accession as of Di-
vine providence She clothed herself
with humility and with the most be-
looming of her fine apparel. She made
herself as Agreeable to the king as
possible. 1t is presumed that at this
| time she was in her fifteenth year.
Hannah, the kings faverite. took dis
| like to the gate-keeper of the palace.
Mordeeai, d jew, because the latter did
not bow before him. as did others.
Mordecai was SO faithful that Hannah
could not hope to iinu a fault with him
and thus to cause his removal His
hatred extended to the entire Jewish
race. He prevailed upon the king TO
| issue decree that all the Jews OF
his kingdom should be set upon and
Killed, as enemies q the country. This.
| of course, vo,li intluae Mordeeai, his
special enemy w'loln he would then
| feel free to kill.
As the time tor thu enforcement of
the deeree drew nearer and nearer.
Mordeeai aud all TIL Jews throughout
the empire were in great distress and
fear. set not without boee that thoir
God would work for then some deliy-
eranee. This matter is detailed ~ orr
lesson.
Queen Esther was cousin to Merde-
cal although the latter was old enough
to have been her father. She was. in
deed his adopted daughter He APP
pea led to her to rse the influence of
her position to haze the king rescind
the order. She delayed beca use,
strangels enough. at this very TIM. the
king had shown coldness toward der.
and had not called for her fer month.
Nordecai pressed the matter more
urgently assuring lien that she was
about to lose a great privilege, OF SER
vice f,r her people: that God eYid "ntly
RAISED hey to ciIfs position in the king-
doln for this very hour and for this
verv purpose of bringing to the Jews
rele and hat. II she fsiled to uote
and - use the privilege. God doubtless
We nd use some other agency and still
bring delVerancc in harmony with f,is
pr, tiiscs The appeal WIS sufiei lent
TIL queen merCl delayed for thrce
da : more, requesting that Merdc'-
cal and all the Jews of the royal
city should join with her in three l
days fast before God, which Of course I
included petitions to God for the de-
liverance of His people. and tor Wis
dom to guide Esther in her endeavor
TO use her talent and opportunity WISE
Is.
Love and Beauty Conquered.
Queen Esther risked her station and
syen her life in going into TIM kipy's /