Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-12-10


his power, cannot shield him And though he
is on the Kings business, end holds his com
mission from The Msiesty OF Heaven, and has
the hearts Of the people bound up ia himself -
prophss, this viii not avail with HerOd He
oas rashy reused the royal jealousiss, he has
shocked the propricties Of the palace, he has
dsringly invaded tho inviolsblo recesses Of the
Kings bedchsmber-nay he has thrust his
prophet spear through robes and breastplate
into the kings eonseisnce, aud through that
and into the Quesn's guilty heart, and trans
fixed them both. Surely, this intruder, this
ruffian, whether prophet, bard, OF devil, ought
TO die. Such a raven, erOakiBg dire omens.
should take his beak from out that Tetrarch's 3
breast, or have his head wrung OFF
Herod wonld have wrubg It instantly, but
ho burst not; he feared the multitude. Das-
tsrdly mani He feared the people; he durst
not take vengeance on the accredited Prophet :
burst not, aud a Kingi Here was a dilemma.
Herod had been boldly rebuked TO his face and in
the presence, II would seem, Of the adulteress II
not of his courtiers also. Il was q daring act;
effrontry could hardly 60 farther He was woun.
ded just where he was most sensitive, just where
his own conscience had already made him sore
The eonseiences Of corrupt rulers are often as
insane and fanstical as reproving prophets are.
but thev are no, so easily got rid OF.
The King was in q0andary. His conscience
was with John; but his passions were with his
pardmour, and she clsmored for the head Of
John. The Prophet is in prison; but Whit
shall be done with him--for Prophet in jail
is a Prophet still; and beheading him only
translates him into martyr. What shall be
done with John Baptstl Herodias helps
Herod out of one quandary and gets him into
another, and worse. She prostitutes her own
daughter to her demoniac purposes At Her
DDS birthday festival she sends this daughter
to play the wantOn in the banquet hail. in the
presence of the guests. The diabocal plot
succeeded. The dancing damsel pleased the
Tetruch; aud he pledged her, with an oath, to
give her whatever che should ask What
should the damsel askl A coronet blazing with
jewelsl What should the mother prompt her
daughter to askl A princely dowry against the
dav of her future nuptialsH Ali in mother
and i'll daughter the woman gives place to the
wolf; aud that damsel makes up her mouth to
say, being before instructed of her mother,
"Give me here John BAptist's head in chargN
er"
Another dilemma nowl Bad rulers are slaves
rather than soVeTeigns; slaves to their mistress.
es, to their sycophants, to their party Il may
l be, or to the dominant sentiment Immediately
about them. Was Herod Tetrarehl He wa,
| the tool of furious woman and dancing girl
he was the mere moutbpiece of company o.
jewellers gathered at his own table, and drunk
with his wine. Just around him the clamol
was for the head Of John; outside the palace
the cry of the people was, John is a Prophet
But Herod was the slave of fiendish crew -
| He dared not please the multitndr, and he
dreaded to dispoose them So the King was
sorry! Pitirul indeed Sorry - and a King
A slave rather, slave between two masters =
The nearer master was Obeyed; and Herod sent
and beheaded John. The sccursed deed was
DONE The head was brought in a charger, ell
Rlaring, CORY, Rhastlyl I5 was given TO the
damsel, swimming in its own blood She took
the oveTfiowiAg dish, and carried ii,dripping on
her garments as she tripping went, TO the
chamber Of her mother.
While they gloat over their booty, thai greaI
head, cast or photograph of which we would
prize SO highly, the disciples of John are per
mitted to take his body, which they bury much
bewailing his death, but not, sssuudly not
imputiug TO him folly or insanity. These sac
rites over, they 90 and tell Jesus; they tel
him all, and In his syinpathizing heart they re
pose their sorrowtul story. They little realized
that to Christ their beloved master was ever
moro dear and more intimately related than h,
was to themselves.
John is bsheaded and his body is buried; bul
here endeth not the matter. Jesus lives, and Her
DDS conscience still lives. And when some
time after the Tetrsrch hears Of the fame Of
Jesus, he says TO his servants, "This is Joh1
the Baptist, he Is risen from the dead; ant
therefore mighty works do show forth them
selves in him!" That unguArded confession
tells Of the remoThe that ghaws the King,
breast Ha
We leave the guilty HerOd quaking with BIZ
own ghostly fears of the beheAded Prophet
while the tide of retIibuton rushes swiftly OF
to sweep him from his throne into ignominiouI
exile.
We turn to the facts that have lately SO star
tied the whole country, and waktd tho Soutl
from its dreams Of disuniOn to the horrors o
appreheOded insure ction. In these facts th,
elements Of romantic adventure blend with th,
exploits of heroism, tho mysteries Of conspir
acy, the excitements Of insurrection, and tn,
reckessness Of constructive treason, and In,
faith that looks to undisceyning eyes like iaost
icism There is a sense in which there is bu
a step from faith to fanaticism, just as theie 1
= sense in which there is but step f.om tn
sublime to the ridiculous. Really, the tru
sublime never veTgcs on the ridiculous, but
( seems TO in the minds that cannot appreciate il
higher degrees SO faith, when it reaches th
sublime point Of fearlessness, when with tee
seopic vision It sees sfar the glowing conslm
nations Of its deeds shining like stars in th
ornament, but sees not the ciTcumventing dil
feulties; it seems very spectre of FAnAtlcisn
to those microscopic minds that see only mite
and magnify them into monsters
. We pass by those earlier events i
which John Brown, of 0ssawatomi'
was so conspicuous an actor, and y
, severe sufferer In the imperishable struggl
Tor the Freedom Of Kansas, when a noble ban
Of settlers withslood tho Border Ruiiians {
, Missouri, the chivary Of South Carolina, an
the power of the Federal Government, an
. gained decisive triumph for Liberty in lhI
I central domain of the Republic, Capt. Brow
! was the aiding spirit.
s 'Old OssawAtomie" was the terror Of Ii
despersdOes With his little band he took host
disaTm,d them, dispoiled them, and led thel
II captive. The DeliveFsT OF Kansas. his father
q heart bleeding with the wounds inflicted by II
: muTdeFers OF his sons, and his soul burning
p not with revenge, but with sympathy for d
: easlaYed passing eastwsrd, crosses Il
4 frontiers Of the slave land, and, with the ari
B denRess Of lightning, strikes blow where tw
e Slave States meet, aud where the United Stat
E have an arsenal. With sixteen men be mar
q the bridges and railroad crossings, seizes Il
{ arsenal, takes the town, AcOurSihe country au
o tills the aTm0ry with prisoners and spOils, a
. in one night In the morning the officers
q the arsenal, walking 10 the gates, are admltts
4 a. prisoners; and the inhabitants Of Harper
: Ferry awAks 10 lind their streets commanded
L insurgents. Surprise and panic psTvAde Il
: place Shots are hearJ--men are falling =
! Swift as lightning flies the news over the Sat
over the South, over the country.
d With the terrific cry Of instruction at Ha
n PsTs Ferry is joined she dreaded name Of Jol
= Brown. Ae had been living for some montl
IF ia the vicinity, iReGg lie had been maturiI
IA his insurRent plot had been gathering pike