Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-10-28
Gbe Rible auo 1ant{1g.
HERODIAS AND HER DANClN j
DAUGHTER.

DAUGHTER.
In this connection it may not he out o
place to introduce another mother and daugh
ter of somewhat similar character, from tn
pages Of the New Testament. Among tn
dark pictures Of female character in thes'
later Scriptures, there is one that stands ou
prominently as warning to all generations
Il is that of the incestuous wife of Phillip
and her dancing daughter, whose life of sin
fcl Measure demanded no less sacrifice thar
the blood of John the Baptist.
It is somewhat doubtful whether the daugh
ter of Herodias ought to be classed among
the women or children of the New Testa
meut, at the time she is represented as dan
cling before Herod. She may have been c
woman grown, or nearly grown, at that time
/. is more probable, however, that she was Q
Young girl, as yet entirely subservient to the
will Of her wicked mother. The readiness
with which she let 60 the opportunity Of
gaining some splendid present from the king
for herself, in order to crafty her mothers
unreasonable and atrocious request for the
head of John the Baptist, seems to show
that she had not reached an age to think foI
herself, but was still within the sphere Of
girlhood. 1t was hardly to be expected that
ANYTHING good could come out of the He,
rodian family; and the incident recorded OF
this young girl gives striking illustration
Of the degravity which prevailed ia what
might be called the elegant, fashionable cir
cles of that day. 1t was then as it is now
in such circles,-the child was the true mir
ror to reflect the vices of the parent.
OF all the comments we have seen on this
transaction, the most graphic is that of DR..
Kitso, which We here give 10 his cwu words
"It was his birthday, which was celebrated
with high festivities at court. The Jews
generally disliked the celebration of birth
days; and this was one Of the Heather Gus
toms which the Herodiau family had adopt
ed from the Romans. On the present occa-
siop aerod gave great supper to his lords,
high captains, and chief estates; and, before
it closed, fair young girl, to whom Herod
was greatly attached, was introduced, and
commenced one of those solo dances for
which the East has so long been celebrated.
The fair child was Salome, the daughter OF
Herodias by her former husband. With
such marvellous grace and thrilling effect did
che perform this dance, that Herod, already
warm with wine. became excited, and, in the
fervor of his enthusiasm, vowed that she
should have whatsoever she asked, even to
the half of his kingdom. Little could he
imagine what this child had been tutored by
her wicked mother to ask; and he was
shocked and grieved, when, instead of some
costly hautle, she asked for the head of John
the Baptist. The sternest man there must
have shuddered to hear from those beautiful
young lips the blood thirsty request, afro
ciously specified, "Bring me here the head
of John the Baptist in charger" John
is not only to lose his head, but the bleeding
trophy is to be brought to her; it is to be
troughs to her there, that thore may be no
evasion that the high lords who have heard
the VOW, may witness its ful6lment. Then
she tells how it is to be brought-not in any
careless way, not in napkin, not held by
the hair, but in dish so that she,-that
Young girl,-may receiye i. into te9 cvn
hands, and take it where she pleased, with,
out danger of soiling her rich dress with
prophets blood 1t is frightful. 1t was done,
nevertheless \ man was sent to behead
John in prison; aud presently it was brought
&c the young PRINCESS, who. Doubtless, seceiS:
Cd IL with becoming grace, and bore it OF
daintiy to her mother. That the girl could
90 through all this, however we'll tutored
seems to show that Salome was indeed true
daughter of Herodias How she received
ibis prlcioqs gift We are los sold; that she
drew forth the still warm tongue that had
rebuked her crimes. and vengefully trans
fixed it with her bodkin."
Poor young girl what an education had
she received! Her mother, no doubt, look
ed With pride upon her splendid accomplish
msnts. What treasure had she not cxpond
ed in teaching her to dance. And now
though so young, she was perfect even II
the sight of the king and all his great lords
An elegant dancer, with mind utterly des
titute of intellectual and moral culture -
Her mother had sScceeded in making hei
an adept in that accomplishment, in which
any stage-player or circusrid might have
excelled her; and had left her destitute o
that intellectual grace, without which wo
man is cypher, and of that moral grace
Eithout which she soop becomes manster
She was the daughter Of the royal house
and she could dance, but her young hand
were stained with prophets blood, chief.
because of her superiority in dancing. How
much better would it have been for her, /
she had never learned to dance! How much
better if her name had come down to US
like that Of another and humber salome
who, probably, never danced at all, but live
embalmed In the most precious of all memo
rials, as one who watched at the sepuchr'
of Jesus. Who would now exchange tn,
reputation, not to say the lot, Of Salome
watching at the tomb, for that of Salome
the dancing daughter of the queen!
And what a commentary, by the way, doe
this case afford on the boasted accomplish
,ae1t of dancing! The evil of dancing con
sisted then, as it always has consisted, no
in the danoino itself, but in the things