which a chamberlain informed him that the lofty gallows erected by Haman was convenient. Accordingly, Haman was hanged on the gibbet he had erected for his foe, and the king felt better. The story ends with a patriotic flourish. Queen Esther followed up her success by getting the decree against the Jews reversed. The intended victims turned the tables and had the pleasure of slaughtering hundreds of their enemies. They "did what they would unto those that hated them." It was a field day. When the list of casualties was presented to Xerxes, he glanced over it with some interest and asked if there was anything else the queen desired. It appeared that she wished that the ten sons of Haman, who had already been slain, should also be publicly hanged; which was done. Imagine the pride with which subsequent Hebrews of later times read the following three verses, a consolation for the conquest of their country: And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. A Somewhat Neglected but Interesting Section of the Bible-4 Spirited Debate-What is the Strongest Thing in the World?-Daring of the Young MenThe Pessimism of Ignorance-Proper Attitude Toward Grief and Death-Dogs in the Bible-Judith and Holofernes-Patriotic Propaganda-Character of Judith-Comparison With Esther-4 Discussion of Materialism-The Love of Beauty-Etiquette and Table Manners-Right Use of Wine-Apostrophe to Death-Susanna and the Elders-A Daniel Come to Judgment-Alexander the Great-Career of Judas Maccabeus-Fighting With Elephants-Wisdom, Valour, and Self-government of the Romans-An Ideal Editor-His Pleasant Humour-Torture of the Martyrs-The Mother and Her Seven Sons-The Editor's Farewell. X THE APOCRYPHA The books of the Apocrypha are among the most interesting parts of the Bible; they contain excellent stories, deep wisdom, keen wit, shrewd observation of life, with a continual revelation of human nature. They have been unduly neglected not only by the public, but by Bible students; but they will richly repay an attentive reading. As they are generally unknown to children, one comes to them in mature years with fresh eyes; one is unhampered by previous conceptions of their doctrinal or moral significance; it is almost as if a man of forty read the Psalms or Hamlet for the first time. At the beginning of the Apocrypha, we come upon one of the noblest passages in the Bible; it is in the third and fourth chapters of the First Book of Esdras. It is in the form of a short story, and is an answer to this eternal question, What is the strongest thing in the world? The answer awarded the prize is precisely the one that would meet with the approval of the majority of thoughtful men and women in the twentieth century. King Darius had given a great state feast, and |