Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-08-09
The Field of Holy Writ
Save for my daily range.
Among the pleasant fields OF Holy
Writ
might despair.
-Tennyson.
international Sunday School
Lesson.)
Third Quarter: Lesson VII
Esther ~. 1917. V. Il. August

Esther Saves Her People.
| The Euok of Esther is like noun,
tain stream. !, is TRANSPARENT ana
swift. II runs its course in ten short
| chapters yet the little book Is a
mirror Of tn. human soul. II rchCcts
| all passions and emotions. " mas
been described as u truly wonderful
| and paraduxi"al history. and II Is ai-
| hrmcd that the customs and arrange
mcnts of tn" Persian court are NlNidiy
and correctly depicted IN Z. ASIDE
then from tn" question 90 inspiration.
tho book commenhe 'tsclf /" those
VIII" seek tho best literature. :.
The fate Of a race Uf cNilcs trembl.'
in tho balance hold in the hand OF :.
capricious dcspOt. How the irrcVcr
aiblc decree shall he reversed Is tho
problem. In tn" solution the destiny
Of the Hebrew nation IS involved. ana
with tina, also the Scripture. ritual
and hope Of tho Messiah. on tho
dark background OF the plot the
characters Of the delivcrcrs stand
Ike white cnncoS in clear-cut out
line and high relief. Mord"cah
by sign ever significant among the
Jcws arrests tn" queens attention.
and even through the waichful cor
his adopted daughter the fearful
news and the urgent request for
media ton. That Esther hcsitates
enhances tho hcroism Of her ultimat"
course. Life is dear TO her as II al
WAYS is to a young and thoroughly
henlthful nature. She does not coNct
or court martyrdom. Yet al length.
standpoint and weighed the matter
thoroughly. she deliberatcly assumes
tho mcdiatorship. cXclaiming. III |
perish perish" rh" courage. pa
trintism. picty in that act ~ Unsur-
passed Yet even then she uscd
the utmost tact. She drew upon all
tn" fertile resources 81 her womanly
wit. with mo laChrNmpSc lace. or
dishcveled hair or piercing cries did
she run into the King. presence: hut.
every inch a Queen, with hiGnified aud
wonanly carriage. with comr,etes,
Of her peerless beauty. she stood un-
hidden and fully conscious of her
peril. Her iewclc,i foot pressed her
grave. \ score OF scinetars flashed
in air. and tho tesscllatcd pavement
might have taken one more hue, n
crimson ono. but again the hckie
hand. Iin held out the golden sccp-
ter. Esther touched H. and Was
! safe. =. This p"eriess drama has
tens TO It's dcn"ucmnfn, The Queen
an invitation. The chanEcabie, vio-
lent. cruel ,yran, is fairly tangled
in the silkcn mcSh'e Of tho net that
| love has spun. Between tho first and
second hanruetS comes that indcscrib-
ably significant scene N which Nor
decai is lifted from tn" dunshill and
mounted like a prince. while Haman.
pridc's very incarnation, is made TO
hold his bride rein. changes OF for
tun" are OF God. After the second
banquet Hannah goes "a the Rallows
he had built for Mcrdecai and the
latter takes the vacant premiership
Tho decree OF destruction cannot be
annuilcd. but II Is made imperative
by a counter decree. and the Jews
have light and sladness and JOY and
honor; To celebrate this glorious
providential dnliverhnce a new feast
is inStitut -purim-Gladies, Of the
whole Uehrew year.
Under the study Lamp.
Carlyle charactoris,ically calls the
called ALI wom"n's book The
noblest Ideals of womanly character
are irradiated and eXemplifei in the
scriptures. II has done more 10 e!e
is no abuse ~ women il does not
resist. II the Bible is the tenn
pie of womanhood the Book Of Esther
Is . LIS holy ,v Of hGiie1; 4 King asked
est evidence for the authenticity OF
the Bible. The Jews. Your Majesty"
was the laconic answer. The
feast Of Purim Is strong collateral
evidence Of the genulnencss and au-
thcnticity Of tho Book of Esther. II.
1000 years from the next Fourth of
July. the DAY should be celebrated
with rockets and crackers and read
ing 81 tho Declaration Of Independ-
ence. and il could he shown that the
day had been so celebrated annually
1'T tndI space rt time. CoCId the
historic verify "f tho event or the in
t"grity OF that instrument called tho
Declaration he doubted" The evi-
dcnce for the truth Of tho Book of
Esther Is not whit less conclusive
Esther undertook her delicate
ana hazardous task only after - sea
son OF devotion. She engaged in the
p.nitcntiai cXcrcec of fasting She
secured the advantage of concert in
this approach Ia God. The HbstcmiouS
and praying company In the palace
was matched by one in the city.
toned in the Book of Esther. Yet no
Scripture tx Il more perfect miro
Of Providence. Esther Er-ric3:
honor was not when she was crowned.
ont when .hc vas called Az ;nc
queen OF NcrNceS she would have b .cn
forgotten. Her. call 10 deliver ner
people made her immortal. Tn
increase danger. Resolution and
courage reduced IL 10 n minimum
Morhecai's refusal to do
"hciSa nc" To liaman cannot he ius-
tined on account of racial prrjudicc
or even the recognition Of the NJ
worthiness OF the man. ON such
ground his action would be rcprchen-
sillt as bringing unnecessary ruiz
posture required Was such as n Jclv
could only take before the Deity.
Anni.s is and Key.
The Rock Of Esther Mirror OF
soul. Reflects human emotions and
passions. y piece Of good litcraturc
Esther: Her character. liamun
prime minister; his. character. N"r-
dccai refuses obcisancc Haman's
anger and plot. Esther's mediation
besought. Hesitation: final heroic de.
cision. Test. peril. success. The dc
nouement.
Prcscnt-Dny Applications.
The progress Of woman toward
equality In civil privilege and it's nj
t"ndant obligation is one of the sur
priSing phenomena of today. This
Is evidently, to he matched b. her
equality In business and professional
spheres. The advance OF the world
now requires and demands shat
capacity without reference to sex he
considered in appointments in church,
state and commerce.
Young Peoples Devotional Service.
August IL. l?22-Jamce ~. $40.
Motto: Pride relates more to our
opinion OF ourselves: vanity to what
wn would have others think OF Us
Jane Austen: pride and Prejudice"
II is mark of noblencss 10 volnn-
tccr the lowest service. the greatest
spirit only attaining to humility
Emerson: civilization"
Pride md Humility.
II liz an open question whether
ever in tho history Of the world IN
any equal period there have been 50
many and such startling illustrations
Of the saying, Pride gceth before