The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-04

l uawsd a ueople The Book OF
Esther is of interest in this
dav Of unrest concerning the
stains Of woman. The absurd mascu-
linitv Of the royal decree sent out after
Vashtf's rebellion. that all wives mlgnI
he Taught to obey their husbands, Will
not escape the shafts OF FEMININE wiz
as this lesson IS studied by millions OF
In truth. the whole story reelzs Of
ancient and oriental man-sway. In us
light we perceive how far the lot OF
woman has improved WhHe there Is
nobIeuess, to be honored and enulateo,
in the conduct of both the deposeo
Persian Queen Vashti and of her sue
cessor the lovely Jewess Queen Esther
neither woman may be taken tor an
example today. A moments thoughI
concerning Esther's real state ana
show how utterly odious IT would be
for a modern Christian woman
Teachers should be careful how they
advise young people to be EstherS
The FoEnan Question
The incident IN ancient history Is q
fair starting place for a frank discus
sion Of the fundamental issues OF what
we term 'fthe woman question
ShreEd students viii not overlook the
fact that today w0man's place has De-
come a question: It was unqueS11ohaed q
a generation ago. Whether woman ID
TO be as was EsEher's lot the mere toy
of mans caprice. the suppliznt charm
err the bedfzened beEufleT. holding &d-
miration by every art OF dress ans
adornmeuts or whether she Is TO pc Ine
conhdant, eomrads and counsellor OF
man. and his accepted spiritual men
tor and inspiration are fair ana timely
themes for consideration in this con-
nection. In this Esther story there IS
revealed q luminous strain OF persist
ing feminfnity, both as to frailty and
strength. Her womanIy wiles, however.
are condoned IN a contemplation OF her
xomanly strength. In a crisis it Is
usually the woman who displays sp1F-
1tual heroism-
Persia, Then and Now
Every tale must be read in the light
of it's time. We must take down our
ancient Greek histories as commen-
tarie5 upon this lesson. Xerxes, or
Ahasuerus. was ruler of the world. He
was contemplating the invasion of
Greece, a vain attempt that has made
Marathon and Thermopylae familiar
words. His word was law to uncouns-
ed millions. Persia was then the
greatest power on earth. To-day It IS
one of the meanest. "Ichabod@ may
be written over it. The glory is even
departing from the Persian rug IN
dustry, owing to the use Of aTrfAine
dyes.
Perhaps 1 have a grudge against
Persia. for, after the s.~w IN the up
per passes had blocked a visit to Te-
heran in the early part of this year
(not to mention the question of the
time fnVolved) I was not even permit
ted to visit the ruins at Susa, which IS
the Shushan of this story, and Perse-
polls. where the ancient Persian kings
had their capital. The bandits are in
such com mpIete control of this part of
Persia that the consuls will not permit
foreigners to risk their lives by enter
ing
It was at Susa that the French ar
chaeoIogist, De Morgan, made several
sensational finds including the famous
Code of Hammurabi, a collection of
laws Of the time of Abraham. This in
scribed stone was almost as great a
blow to the high foreheads Of the
critics as David's pebble was to Goliath
for in their sapfency they had been as
sl1rinE the world that in the time of
Moses society was not sufficiently or
ganized 20 have such a complete set of
laws zs the Ten Commandments and
the Ilevftical code. Now the critics
who are casting doubt on the story of
Esther may be confounded by the dis
covery Of a copy of Ahashuerus' de-
cree, or Of Mordecaf's seal This is the
very sort of thing the archaeologists
are digging UP: and I myself have
samples which got in BabyIonia-
When the Bagdad Railway gets to
running many OF Us may take tlzs short
trip across the Persian Gulf and see
the ruins at Susa Of the palace where
this drama Of Esther was enacted.