The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-29

even visited him IN PRISON. lie was at
times apparently inclined to follow the
faithful prophets advice. A kind of "glad-
ness" came to him as he contemplated the
selfsacriice that would right himself with
the prophet and with God.
Meanwhile Herodias felt the danger of
her situation. She had left her citizen
husband; if she should now be cast out by
her royal lover she would be in utter world
ly ruin. The situation was enough to
make such woman desperate.
2. The Trick HerOdias Played
upon Herod at his Birthday Feast,
VS.. 2I-25.
When Herod's birthday came around he
celebrated it with supper; as had been
his custom during the thirty years he had
held his Hierarchy He was now past fifty;
but love of luxury had increased with his
years. He invited his military chieftains,
the members of his court, and the promi
nent citizens of Gallee then at Macha-
rus. 1t was an Oriental feast; barbaric
in profusion; the gorging tapering to tip
ping; the rotations becoming excessive,
till the carousal became SO indecent that
even pagan morality shut woman from the
scene
In this feast Herodas saw the "conven-
lent" opportunity for a scheme of revenge.
She was woman of thirty-fve or more;
her daughter Salome was now in her early
womanhood and like her mother famous
for sensuous beauty Salome, obedient to
lo- icI, nd r,rar,ora6
to take the part of a professional dancing
girl, to brisg the feast to climax with an
exhibition of such wtchery as would cap
tivate the king. Herodias by experience
had learned what would entice He-od; and
to gain her end she was willing to sacrifice
her daughters modesty. The pantomimc
dancing of Salome was no doubt the per.
lection of art and artifce; the princess had
not wanted skilled training and private
practice. 1t fulfilled its purpose.
Herod, by the sight of princess in such
a character,-a princess outdoing the pro-
fessionals in their seemingly impossible
motions,-was raised to maudlin ecstasy.
He gave his extravagant low-toned delight
an extravagant expression. Tie king said
unto tile damsel, Ash Of me qVhat Mou
7OiH, and I 70iU ,eive it khee. This was
apparently not according to the damsel's
expectation. Even Herodias had not an
ticipated such an easy and complete con-
quest over the king. Salome had no ready
reply to Herod's request. Seeing her hes
itate the king, in mock-heroism, makes a
pledge, confirming it by an oath binding
on Roman honor Whatsoever thou shalt
ask of me I qOiH .eiSe it Hee, TO tie halt
Of my kengdom.
Still Salome had no words with which
to frame reply. She retired without ven
turing a word. She informed her mother
of the unexpected royal proffer.
The decisive moment had come for
Herodias. Almost any other woman would
have hesitated. But not she. With haste
she instructed her daughter. And the
daughter, with heart as callous as her
face was beautiful, hurried back to the
waiting company with this astounding re-
quest: qOiX that Mou .forth7Vfth gi7'e me
in charger tile head John the Baptist.
8. HerOdias Secures Her Re-
venge,-vs 2o-2o
1t was arequest to sober even drunken
company. The monstrosity of such re-
quest,-from the lips of beautiful prin
cess,-when no more than an intimation
that jewels or at the utmost a palace was
looked for,-intensihed the horror.
Tie king qOas executing sorry. Stupi-
fed as the king may have been by drink,
L. fosl al, I.
time had now come when he must make
decisive choice between Herodias and the
Baptist. If the choice had been brought
to him in some clearer hour, his decision
might have been different But the be-
holding military men, the lords of Galilee,
on whose fealty he was dependent, must
not see him disregard his oath. There too
stood the waiting damsel, impatient for his
reply. She too wishes her mother saved
from the dreadful prophet who seeks her
disgrace. What can Herod do? He is in
the humor of the feast. Herodias had
planned with adroitness. She knew, when
her daughter stood thus before the king,
he zOOnld not reject her.
A whispered command to a soldier of
the guard standing near; hasty visit by
the soldier to the prison of the Baptist and
the quick-severing of the devoted head
from its body by cleaver or sword; the
soldier bringing the CORY head on a golden
or silver charger to the damsel; she carry
ing it to her mother, that she might on it
feast her vengeance these are horrors too
dreadful for detailed narrative.
Herodias for the time has secured her
safety and glutted her revenge.
And this story explains why, when
Herod soon afterwards left Macharus and
went to his new palace at liberals, and
there heard of the words and works of
Jesus, he was terrorstricken, and whis-
pered among his courteous: John, a0A0m
I 6eheadsd, he is risen.
After another year has passed, and
Jesus has almost reached the nearing cross,
the Son of Man will himself meet Herod
Antipas face to face. Plate sent the Son
of Man to Herod; Herod was glad of the