Simply as a story, the book of Esther is fascinating. To the casual reader it is worth while from the peculiarly interesting way in which character is delineated; but to the metaphysician the book is full of food for thought, so much more being implied than the mere words convey. Although God is not named in the book, yet the workings of Principle are most plainly seen; for everything that error planned to do through its willing channels—Haman and his followers—was annulled by the "words of peace and truth" spoken by Mordecai and Esther, whose lives were squared by the plumb line of Principle. Its characters represent three types of humanity such as we have to deal with to-day. In the first chapter we are introduced to Ahasuerus, the king, a man easily influenced for good or evil. He is so inflated with a sense of self-importance that he is frequently duped by error. He expresses his vanity and love of display by giving a great feast to show off "the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty." It was only an afterthought which made him consider that it might add to his glory to include in this display his queen, the beautiful Vashti. It must have been a great blow to his pride when Vashti refused to be exhibited. She asserted her freedom on a false basis, however, and so lost her influence, opportunity, and position as queen.
The vanity of the king was deeply wounded at this defiance of his authority by his queen in the presence of all his kingdom, and the king sought advice from his wise men as to how he should punish the culprit. How plain it is that fear of losing control of their wives caused the princes to use their influence to induce Ahasuerus to put away Vashti, in order that he might establish a precedent in accordance with which every man would be absolute ruler in his own house.
In the second chapter we are introduced to Mordecai, the Jew, who was the foster father of Esther. His noble character is discerned in the care with which he had brought up Esther to beautiful womanhood, and in the way he watched over her daily, even after she had been taken to the king's palace and crowned as queen. We are told that he was enabled to save the king's life by discovering a plot made by two of the chamberlains to kill Ahasuerus. Thus he proved his disinterested loyalty to the king. In chapter three mortal mind in all its ignorance and darkness is shown in the character of Haman. There was nothing of fear and conceit, bribery, suggestion, and murder, which could not use him, if he thought he could gain a point thereby. How clearly one sees in the chapters which follow that the one who uses hypnotism, animal magnetism, mesmerism, to deceive others and to advance self, builds a wall of adamant around himself so securely that he is soon hemmed in by his own wickedness.
