Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-11-28
JOHN THE BAPTIST.
His Imprisonment and Execu-
ton.
BY REV. VIM. GERHARDT, D. D.
Math. IA: Lib.

4
What difference there is between
the hopes and expectations of the
man of the world, and the man of
God. The one lives for time and
endeayors to enjoy all its transitory
pleasures, but seeks not those be-
yond. The other has little delight
or pleasure in earthly enjoyments,
and frequently experiences the Sc
verest trials, crosses and persecu-
tons, but his all is beyond.
The christian is cross bearer, but
Christ was one before him, and car
ries him auith his cross, and bears
him up in love. True, He does not
always carry him through bright
sunshine and clear sky, but often
through dreadful storms and fearful
tempests. Still, his course is up
wards and upwards. He will not let
his favorite drop from his wings, un-
til the palm trees of the celestial
garden shall wave over his head.
This was the comfort, the stay and
support of that victim of moral cour-
ege, that martyr to justice and truth
John the Baptist. And by that
same staff we ourselves must be sup.
ported in passing through any and
every fiery trial, and by the same
light find our way through the gloom
and darkness of sin. And by that il
Illuminating torch let us descend into
the dark and dismal dungeon, to be-
hold John the Baptist, and witness
an example of christian heroism.
Let us consider this tragedy in its
several parts-I, The Feast. II,
The Oath, and III, The Murder.
THE FEAST.
Come, my christian friends, let me
conduct you, in imagination, into a
princely palace. Behold what splen-
dorl The whole palace is magnifi-
Gently Illuminated. The streets are
brilliant with the light of thous-
and tapers. Let US approach nearer.
But bark What do we hear? Music
and dancing, songs and outbursts of
laughter in every part of The palace
-revelry, as if Belshazzar with his
inebriate minions had risen from the
dead, and, by re-enacting the scenes
of carousing and diabolical profana-
ton, were bringing down upon the
wall another "Mena, Mena, Tekel
Upbarsin."
| Enter we the brilliant palace, and
10 what a crowd There are the
Sadducees, and there the Pharisees,
seated upon silken and damask cush-
ions, around groaning tables, merry
and with countenances flushed with
wine. Here is Herod, the Prince,
the fox as Jesus called him,-there
Herodias, the Isabel of the day and
all around the grandees of the land
the richly habited officers of state
"a gang OF smoothly fawning syco-
plants; the captains of the army,
the raw soldiery, and even the coarse
and ungodly rabblel They caronse,
they sing, they dance, they laugh,
they joke, they swear. A bestial en-
thusiasm has seized and intoxicated
every one.
What mesns all this, do you ask ?
Herod celebrates the anniversary of
his birthday. And this important
annual event can not, dare not pass
without mirth aid revelry.
All yes, it is eminently proper for
those for whom there is no second
birthday promised in the Book
of Life" to welcome and celebrate
their earthly anniversary with such
a magnificent jubilee And why, O
Herod, are you and all your men,
ials so merry? is it because you
have completed another year of sin
so safely? Is it because you are un.
conscious and regardless of the fact
that another years wickedness has
risen up before the throne Of the
Most High, to accuse and condemn
your soul ? Or do you drink to each
other to drown the thought that you
have travelled another year towards
hell's fire? Beware The sword
may now be drawn and uplifted to
cut the brittle thread of life. All !
the devil has clapped his hands over
your eyes. SO that you cannot see
your danger. Beware (! you your
self may perhaps be feasti3g at the
executioner's table! Great God J
forbid you should only be sotered
in hell
But come, we have seen enough.
Let US leave this Bacchanalian scene
this hall of carousiDg and revelry.
Let us hence to another and differ
eDt apartment. Yonder is the pris-
on, the temporary abode of another
distinguished individual. Let us en-
ter. Descending first by winding
stairs. then into subtcrraneous vaults,
now through many dark and dis.
NAL passage, and then through this
iron door, and behold, in this damp,
dark, dreary dungeon, whose form ?
What miserable object is presented
TO our view? IT'S John the Baptist.
| Behold there that wretched pris-
oner, pale and emsciated through
suffering, grief and sorrow. We seem