The Holt County sentinel., 1911-11-03
Esther. Pleading .''
For Her People
Sssday SsAssl Lsssss fs Nsv. 8. 1911
Specially Arranged ier This Pager
LESSON rExT-Esther .i.5.s.

all them that love him."-Psa 1922
T1ME-Accession Of xerxes. II. G.. $50.
xerxes conauers Egypt. LIST and "a years.
u. c. isi. :. lie prepares to invade
vashu deposed In his 81 year. u. c. is3.
1nvades Greece. b. G.. Isl. Defeated at
Thermopylae and Saiamis. Il. G. u. 40.
Esther becomes Queen. u. c. 40. Ha-
mans plot and defeat BY Esther occupy
lag nearly the whole year,. Il. G. IA.
tai OF the Persian Empire. about 2no miles
southeast from Babylon and Us miles
north Of the Persian Gulf.
There are two principal theories
concerning the historical nature OF
the Book Of Esther: one, that 1t Is a
veritable history; the other, that It
Ia a historical romance founded on
fact. like shakespeare's julius Caesar
and Henry VIII, or like SCOTS novels,
or Homer's great epics. While there
are a number OF serious difficulties,
yet there are few II any unanswerable
arguments against its being a true his.
tory. Xerxes IL the Greek shortened
form Of the Ahasuerus Of Esther. as
York. for instance. 10 Q shortened form
Of the Latin Eboracum. He began to
reign Il. c. ass and ruled for 90 years.
We can best understand Esther by
means Of those parts Of his history
which reveal his character. xerxes
at the very beginning OF his reign
completed the conquest OF Egypt
which his father Darius had begun.
On his return no Immediately began
TO prepare for the invasion Of Europe.
and especially Of Greece.
xerxes sought Q queen In place OF
the deposed vashti. Tho one select
ed from tho most beautiful women
Of the empire was Esther. a charming
Jewess. u descendant Of one OF the
exiles. her grsat-grandfather being
among those carried captive to Baby.
Ion by Nebuchadnszzar In SOS. Her
Hebrew name was Hadassah. the
myrtle. a beautiful and fnvorits shrub
In the east. Esther" means "a star"
and many think II the same as Ishtar
the Babylonian equivalent OF Venus.
She must have been quito young at
the time OF her marriage. not over
Is years. Four or Ave years pass.
aud then begins the tragic story Of
Haman. his rise a. q kings favorite.
his pride incensed at the conduct Of
Esther's cousin Mordscai. his attempt
to bring vengeance upon tho whole
Jewish race on Mordecais account.
his success In obtaining decree
from the king. throughout his empire.
TO destroy. to kill. and to cause to
perish all Jews. both young and old.
little children. and women. In one
day"
Great mourning and terrible dis.
,ress came upon tho Jews all over
the empire a. they learned Of the de-
cree. Mordecai sent word to Esther.
now about 20 years old. asking her
to go to the king and request the de.
liverance OF her people. Esther 70.
piled "WhosOever shall come unto
tho king into the inner court. who Ia
not called. there IL ono law Of his to
put him to death. Except such TO
whom the king shall hold oat the
golden scepter." There was. there
fore. a possibility Of Esther's reach.
ing the ears OF the king. but with
tho greatest uncertainty AZ to how
such capricious king would act.
especially as his love for her had
cooled. The mission Mordecai com
mitted to Esther WAS one of great
danger and difficulty. Il required the
utmost heroisnn.
Esther put on her royal apparel.
She was sensible. practical woman.
and used her beauty and charm Of
person and Of dress to accomplish
her object.
She waited for the nlting time.
The king held out the golden sceptre.
The sign that he received her. and
that the most dangerous part Of her
mission WAS over. Instead OF asking
her favor. where she would DO sur.
rounded by spies and possible enc.
mics. she invited tho king to ban
quet In the seclusion Of the Harem
gardens. She invited Haman her en-.
envy to join with the king and thus
ward on all suspicion. and at the
same time have him where he could
not escape.
Esther presented her petition in
wise words and pointed out Haman
a. the enemy who was seeking her
life and the life Of her people. The
king was very angry and immediate.
ly deposed Hamsn. and had him
hanged on the gallows he had pre-
pared for Mordecai.
The result was a c0unteracting de-
cree, permitting the Jews to stand
up In their own defense. and large
numbers OF their enemies were slain.
The Jews were saved from destruc.
ton. and exalted before the people.
Mordecai took Humans place In the
government. The feast Of Purim was
Instituted with great feasting and
Joy, and has been celebrated annual.
ly ever since on the fourteenth of
Adar, February.March, one month be-
fore Esther.
nnA Of h. u,n.s t,,a.n,st.- .s.,l