The Bossier banner., 1894-11-15
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
The Iniquity of the Fair Princess
Salome and It's Lesson.
The World Too Prone to Repeat the
RiotOus Dissipation that Marked the
Banquet OF Herod-Innumer-
able Yictizls of Frivolity.

Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage made selec-
tion of the following sermon for pub
lication this week. The subject is:
THE Quick Feet" being based on the
text:
When Herod's birthday was kept, the
daughter Of Herodias danced before them, and
pleased Herod.-Matthew xiv, g.
1t IS the anniversary of Herods
birthday. The palace is lighted. The
highways leading thereto are all ablaze
with the pomp of invited guests.
Lords, captains, merchant princes, the
mighty men of the land, are coming to
mingle in the festivities. The table is
spread with all the luxuries that royal
purveyors can gather. The guests,
white-robed and anointed and per-
fumed, come in and sit at the table
Music! The jests evoke roars of laugh
ter. Riddles are propounded. Re-
partee is indulged. Toasts are drank.
The brain is befogged. The wit rolls
on into uproar and blasphemy They
are not satisfied yet. Turn on more
light. Pour out more wine. Music!
Sound all the trumpets Clear the floor
for a dance. Bring in Salome, the
beautiful and accomplished princess.
The door opens, and in bounds the
dancer The lords are enchanted.
Stand back and make room for the
gyrations. These men never saw such
poetry of motion" Their souls whirl
in the reel and bounds with the bound
ing feet. Herod forgets crown and
throne and everything but the fascina-
items of Salome. All the magnifcence
of his realm is as nothing now COM
pared with the splendor that whirls on
tiptoe before him. His body sways
from side to side, corresponding with
the motions of the enchantress. His
soul is thrilled with the pulsations of
the feet and bewitched with taking
postures and attitudes more and more
amazing. After awhile he sits in en-
chanted silence looking at the flashing,
leaping, bounding beauty, and as the
dance closes and the tinlling cymba1s
cease to clap and the thunders of APP
plause that shook the palace to abate,
the enchanted monarch swears to the
princely performer: Whatsoever thou
shalt ask of me [ will give it thee, to
the half of my kingdom" Now, there
was in prison at that time minister
Of the Gospel by the name of John the
Baptist, and he had been making a
great deal of trouble by preaching some
very plain and honest sermons. He
had denounced the sins of the king and
brought down upon him the wrath of
the females of the royal household. At
the instigation of her mother, Salome
takes advantage of the eXtravagant
promise of the king, and says: Bring
me the head of John the Baptist on a
dinner plate"
Harlz to the sound of feet outside the
door and the clatter of swords. The
eXecutioners are returning from their
awful errand. Open the door. They
enter and they present the platter to
Salome. What is on this platter? A
new glass of wine to continue the up
roarious merriment? No. Something
red and costler-the ghastly, bleed
ing head OF John the Baptist, the
death glare still in the eye. the locks
dabbled with the gore, the features
still distressed with the last agony.
This woman, who had whirled so
gracefully in the dance, bends over
the awful burden without shudder
She gloats over the blood and with as
much Indifference as waiting maid
might take tray of empty glassware
out of the room after an entertain
mcnt, Salome carries the discovered
head of John the Baptist, while all the
banqueters shout with laughter, and
think it a good joke that in so easy
and quick a way they have got rid of
an earnest and outspollen minister of
the Gospel.
Well, there is no harm in a birthday
festival. All the kings from Pharaoh's
time had celebrated such occasions,
and why not Herod? No harm in kim
ding the lights. No harm in spread
ing the banquet No harm in arous-
ing music. But from the riot and
wassail that closed the scene of that
day every pure nature revolts. l am
not at this time to discuss the old
question: Is dancing right or wrong?
but | am to discuss the question: Does
dancing take too much place and oc-
cupy too much time in modern society?
and in my remarks hope to carry
with me the earnest conviction of all
thoughtful persons, and / believe l
will
You viii ali admit. whatever yon
think of that style OF amusement and
exercise, that from many circles it has
crowded out ali intelligent conversa-
ton. You will also admit that it has
made the condition of those who do
not dance, either because they do not
know how, or because they have not
the health to endure it, or because,
through conscientious scruples, they
must decline the exercise, very nm
comfortable. You will also admit, all
of you, that it has passed in many
cases from IN amusement to dissipa-
tion, and yJu are easily able to under
stand the bewilderment of the edu-
Gated Cbinaman who, standing in the
brilliant circle where there was dane
ing going on four or five hours, and
the guests seemed exhausted, turned
to the proprietor of the house and said: