The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-11
International
SundaySchoolLessor1
For August IS Is Esther Saves Her
BY WILLIAM =. ELLIS.
A Pogrom That was Prevented

Ugly rumors are afloat, among per-
sons whoNare in a position to have
earliest information, of a vast mas
sacre of the Jews that impends in
Russia and turnout eastern Europe
and western Asia. From government
officials, from distinguished Ameri-
can Jews and from Russian exiles, I
have had direct confederation of these
comprehensive plans for the practical
determination of the Jews, as soon as
the present soviet government of Rus
STA collapses. The definiteness of this
terrible anu-Semttic program is ap-
palling; it promises to be worse than
the Armenian atrocities. The main
reason for the frantic efforts of the
Jews of eastern Europe to emigrate is
the presence of this black cloud that
is lowering over the race.
This is the awesome present back
ground for the study of the most
famous of the many attempts to wipe
out the Hebrew people which history
records; an attempt that was thwarted
by an indomitable patriot, Mordecai,
and his cousin and foster-daughter,
Esther, the favorite queen of King
Xerxes of Persia Mature studentsHo
the lesson will recall the long and
ira gic succession of anti-Semitic pog-
roms, beginning in Egypt at the time
of Moses, which the Jewish race has
survived. This perspective will sober
women, and dissipate racial prejudice.
in time when the Jewish question is
afresh an issue in politics. in educa-
ton, in business, in sociology and in
religion.
A Movie Thriller.
No scenario writer ever devised a
more thrilling motion picture than
lies on the very surface of the Book
of Esther. All the dramatic ana ro-
mantle and pictorial qualities are
would halter
to peruse attentively, at one sitting,
the entire Book of Esther itself than
to read any comments upon 1t. The
great admenitions of the story are
clear even to a child. Althe the book
does not once mention the name of
God or of the temple or of Jerusalem.
it is essentially religious; and breathes
a message of faith and fearlessness in
duty.
Summarized, the story opens with
the carousing Persian king, in
drunken whira, sending for his beau
tiful queen, Vashti, to exhibit her to
his companions. She, a true woman
and brave, refused; and, as an exam
pie to all insubordinate wives, she was
dethroned. The realm was searched
for the most beautiful maidens, that
successor might be selected. Esther,
an orphan Jewess, ward of her cousin
Mordecai, was chosen, tho her race
was concealed.
This Mordecai was an outstanding
personality, who refused to make
obeisance to the big political boss of
the palace, one Haman, descendant
of the Jews hereditary foes, the
Amalekites. Altho everything was
coming Hamap's way, he grew embit-
tered because he could not enforce the
respect of this obstinate Jew, Morde-
cal. So he plotted comprehensive
oriental revenge; he would have all
the Jews of the kingdom massacred.
Mordecai put the plight of their peo-
pie squarely up to Esther, declaring
that she had come to the kingdom for
such time as this.
1t was death to enter the kings
presence unsummoned, but Esther,
saying IF perish perish" after her
coreligionists had tasted and prayed
three days, went in to the king. and
was received favorably, ana promised
the fulfillment of her wish, "even to
half of the kingdom"-such are the
oriental touches of this entirely ORR
entail story. With woman's guile, she
first invited the king to a feast, and
then to another, before proffering her
request.
In the meantime, it had come to the
kings knowledge that Mordecai had
once thwarted a palace plot against
his life, and had gone unrewarded. So
he asked his favorite courtier, Haman,
what should be done to the man whom
the king delighted to honor. AsSum-
ing, in his vanity, that the king meant
him, Haman prescribed an elaborate
series of honors-only to learn the
bitter truth, that his enemy, Mordecai,
for whom he had already erected
gallows, was the favored one.
Then, when Esther told her story.
and revealed Humans plot, and
pleaded for her people, Haman was
hanged on his own gallows, built for
Mordecai; and the latter was given
the kings seal, and put in charge of
adequate measures for the preserva-
ton of the Jews.
Can Gods Man BE Killed?
Every man is immortal until his
work is DONE" runs the familiar ex-
preston of popular belief in an over
ruling Divine Providence. In one Of
its outstanding aspects, this story is
study of providences. Every year the
Jews celebrate it by the Feast of
Purim; for it recalls the indubitable'
truth that the Chosen People have
thru the ages been the special object
of Gods protecting care. None of the
many swords lifted against them have
ever been able to cut off the Children
OF Abraham.
This strong sense of peculiar pro-
lection breathed thru Mordecafs des-
perate message to Esther. Altho all
the Jews of the far-flung Persian en-
pire were legally doomed, yet Nor
decai was sure that deliverance would
come somehow; the only point for the
queen to consider being whether she
Should accept her opportunity TO serve
as deliverer. God always mas his way.
with US or without US. Happy are
they who see and seize the opportun-
ity to identify themselves with the
great on-marchings of the Almighty.
Bitter the lot of those whose latter
days are spent in repining over lost
opportunities.
All of us are dwelling in a pivotal
time in an imperilled world. The
hackneyed word crisis was never
more largely written across a decade
or a generation Something epochal
is going to emerge. Tremendous
changes are coming to pass IN political
and social organization. The ideals
for which our armies fought and our
nennles sacrificed during the war are