The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1922-08-12
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
ESTHER SAVES HER PEOPLE.
Esther 4:I9-5:3.

/ Golden Text - The righteous cry
/ and the Lord heareth and delivereth
them out of all their troubles" - Pisa.
34:17.
Introduction. - The book of Esther
is a charming book and should be read
by everyone in connection with this
lesson. The setting of the lesson falls
in the days of Ahasuerus (Xerxes)
during the time that elapsed between
the dedication of the new built temple
and the journey of Ezra and his COM
pany from Babylon to Jerusalem. The
Jews had lived in the Babylonish en-
pire for more than two generations;
so Esther, the real heroine of the story
had never seen the native land of her
people, having been born and reared
, in captivity. She was an orphan girl
who had been taken charge of and
carefully brought up by her cousin
Mordecai, and now comes into place
CT power for the salvation of the Jews.
The most beautiful and praise-worthy
character in the entire book is Vashti.
the dethroned queen, whose modesty
is charming. She would rather lose
! her crown than to make vulgar dis
I play of her person. Such modesty de-
serves a crown in any age especially
the present age.
The Lesson. Hannah had been
| highly promoted and honored by the
king. But Mordecai failed to bow to
| him, as all had ben commanded to do
and Hannah became very angry. From
this time he began to plot not only the
destruction Of Mordecai but of all the
Jews in all of the provinces which in
cluded Jerusalem. When his plot was
we'll thought out he asked the kins
that all of the Jews be destroyed, ant
he would pay ten thousand talents into
the kings treasures. Ahasuerus die
not even investigate the matter. He
did not even know that his beloved
queen was a member of this race o.
people. He gave Hannah his ring witt
which to real the letters that were tc
be written commanding the destruc'
ton OF the Jews. When they learned
what was plotted against them there
was mourning all over the realm.
Modecai put on sackcloth and ashes
and came to the gate of the palace, not
I waring to enter in, because 1t was
! death for any one to do SO in muorn-
ing. When Esther heard about Morde-
cal she began to investigate. Then it
was that Mordecai requests Esther to
intercede for her people; but she hest
tates for fear of being killed; for any
one entering the royal presence with
out invitation would be killed instant
ly,, unless the king extended the royal
scepter, and she had not been called
before the king for thirty days. Morde-
cal sent her another message telling
of her own danger if the orders were
carried out and suggested that perhaps
DIG Was DiOu6ht " thC hih6uNh Iva
Just this time. Esther sent back word
that she would go into the king, re-
questing that the Jews of the city fast
and pray for her saying that she and
her maidens would do likewise. When
she appeared before the king he ex-
tended to her the scepter She re-
quested of the king that he and Haman
should honor her with their presence
at banquet which she had prepared.
At the second one Of these banquets
she makes known Humans plot
against the lives of herself and her
people. The king becomes very angry
and as a result orders Haman hanged
on a gallows which Haman had pre-
pared for Modecai. Esther next Sc
cures permission from the king to
send out decree giving the Jews per-
mission to defend themselves against
their enemies on the day appointed for
their slaughter. The laws Of the Modes
and Persians could not be altered so
they must fight for their lives and we
find the rulers of the several provinces
helping them. God was with them and
they won victory. Their enemies
were conquered and Israel had peace