Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-11-02
Uncle Toms Letter

love him. Psalm 1890. Esther
pleading for her people.
From this lesson we learn the social
value of faith in God This fact is in
estimable. Instead of making social
hermits of men and working exclusive
ly for other worldism religion espec-
tally, christianity works positively for
social betterment here. God is with
the men and women who obey him
now and work for the establishment of
the kingdom of God and his Justice
here.
Esther was the queen of Persia, and
wife of King Ahasuerus, a jew by
birth Her people in Babylon were in
jeopardy. Haman, their enemy, was
planning to destroy them, root and
branch. Sne loved them and felt it
her duty to save them 1t was haz-
ardous task Her position and the
conventionalities of the day were
against her. Haman was the prime
minister in favor with the King, and
he must be exposed aud conquered.
The King, her husband. was the only
man in the realm that could counter
mand the order of the wholesale
slaughter. She must see him and win
him, but it meant death to her or any
one elsesto go into the pr essence o: the
King unbidden, and she had not seen
him for weeks and was not likely to
see him soon. To save her people she
resolved to risk her life. Such fidelity
and devotion was grand, She said,
81 will go. in unto the King, which is
not according to law, and if l perish,
| perish. This was heroism, but,
thank God Esther does not stand
alone in history of heroic deeds.
Thousands have proved their devotion.
Micah stood before Ahab and Jehoso-
phat, and hundreds of false prophets
and said as "As Jehovah loveth what
he says I will speak" jeremiah, when
under arrest for preaching the truth,
said, GAS for me, behold l am in
your hands, do with me as you please.
Only know ye of certainty that if ye
put me to death the cause which ye
are fighting will go on. -
Paul said to his friends, "'Why do
ye weep on my heart, for I am ready
not to be bound only, but also to die
at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord
Jesus
All the Hamons of the world have
never been able to cause a child Of
God to recant. Men and women who
have left all for Christ are Gods he
roes. The incentive for these risks
is not for material gain, nor even
personal salvation Great as is the
love of life and of pleasure, they never
have and never can inspire to loftiest
moral deeds. 1t is the love of the true,
the good and the beautiful, the love of
the ideal. Yes, friends, the love of
Others, pure, clean altruism, social
salvation that lifts men to the pima
Gle of usefulness, service, sacrifice and
heroic deeds. Money never gave the
world its best art, music, literature,
discoveries and inventions, but genius
fired at the holy affairs of love for God
and man.
Pure individualism of which this
age boasts, never made anything but a
fool and tyrant. Even animals are
above it in practice. Humanity de-
mands cooperation Christ demands
it of his followers 1t is.the force that
uplifts the human family and preserves
them Queen Esther saved her people.
Her uncle, Mordecai, encouraged her.
Note one thing, Esther's heroic deed
was not according to law, the law was
a class-made law, and was against
her. All class made laws and regula-
tions are against the laws of God. The
whole beautiful story of Esther teaches
us three things, first the certain and
final triumph of the cause of the OPP
pressed Second, the certain and fin
al destruction of cruel rule. Third,
the sure preservation of all men and
women who work for social salvation
until their particular work is done.
Brothers, trust God, and on next
Sunday 90 to your classes, Let us
study our Sunday school lessons care
fully, and try to emulate the pure and
good of earth. This lesson will be
stu lied next Sunday.
T. F. CARRICK.
Tracy City, Tenn.