Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-03-15
THE BAPTIST BEHEAOED,
international Sunday School Lesson
for March 20. 1898. T.

for March 90. 1898.
BIASED Upon Peloubet's Select Notes.1
THE LESSON.-John the Baptist be-
| headed. Matthew 14:1-12. If used as tenn
| perance lesson read also account of Bel
shazzar's drunken feast CDa1 5:l-3D.
| GOLDEN TEXT.-Keep thy heart with
| nil diligence: for out of it are the issues of
Efe.-Prov. 4:23
TIME.-John was imprisoned in March or
April, A. D. IS. He was t2headed year
| later, in March or April, A. D. 20.
| PLACE.-Jesus was in Galilee with His
| twelve disciples. John was imprisoned and
| put to death at Macherus. strong for
! tress and castle on the borders of Arabia,
nine miles east Of the northern end of the
Dead Sea. The feast held by Herod at
the Baptist was probably held in this castle.
LESSON COMMENT.
| Collect together all the Scripture no.
tees of the life of John. The parallel
accounts should be kept before us as we
study. They are found in Mark 6: 1870;
Luke o:7o.
Temperance can be taught incident
ally but effectively, from the fact that
the crime was probably committed un
der the influence of strong drink.
The martyrdom of John is the main
|
cessful. although short, and crowned
with martyrs crown.
l. A Troubled Conscience-Vs. I, 2.
Jesus, in chapter 10, had sent the twelve
disciples on their Galilcan mission,
which continued all winter. About
this time they returned to report to
Jesus, and Jesus own marvellous works
and teachings had so penetrated and
stirred the whole people that the news
reached King Herod. Herod said: This
IS John the Baptist, risen from the
dead" He thought that John had
brought back with him those larger
powers, those diviner gifts, which tue
spirit receives when it enters upon the
Heavenly life, and the prophet could
now exert these powers, together with
his former terrible reproofs.
II. John Imprisoned for His Courage
and Faithfulness.-Vs. 3-5. "For,' and
the account goes back TO tell of Her.
eds having been brought face to face
with his sins by prophet of God, of the
imprisonment Of this prophet. and the
subsequent execution pleaded for BY
his partner in sin, Herodas. lie i'm
prisoncd John that he might have peace
in his crime unreproved, and because
Herodias wanted John put out of the
way. For John said probably many
times) unto him: 1T is not lawful for
thee to have her" It was not lawful
O because he had put away his lawful
wife. (2) He had persuaded Herodias
to forsake her husband, Herod's broth
| D1,;':-> fo +lo % Sc l. nd
wealth. (3) lie had married Herodias
his niece and sister-inlaw, contrary to
the law Lev. 1S:12-14. The only way
to stop the reproof was to repent or tc
destroy the reProvcr. But there is
nothing so cowardly as guilty con
science, or so to be feared by evil doors
as a holy man who voices the truth Of
God. Besides the people believed Johr
to be prophet, and Herod feared ar
uprising, so John was kept in the dun
geon for Il year.
III. The Birthday Banquet and It's
Outcome.-Vs. Gig. Herod's birthday
was kept with great banquet, to which
the mobiles and military officers were
invited. Salome, the daughter of He
rodias, by her former husband, danced
in their midst. She had been sent by
her mother to gain an opportunity fol
killing John. 1t was shrewd scheme
to take advantage of Herod's half-in
toxicated condition, and the scheme
succeeded. Herod was pleased ant
promised "to give her whatsoever sht
would ask On such occasions mer
vie with each other in the value of their
gifts to the dancer. Many a man finds
himself in straitened circumstance:
long after taking part in a similar
entertainment. A writer on the fal
cast gives this curious fact: The
dancer, Laai-Koner, gained such ar
ascendercy over the Mogul Empero,
Ma'az ed-Din, that he made her joint
governess of the empire with himself
"Anl she, being before instructed
Of her mother said, Give me here Johr
the Baptist's head in charger. Anc
the king was sorry, nevertheless fol-
the oath's sake, and them which sat
with him at meat, he commanded it tc
be given her.
IIerod was not penitent, but troubled
and anxious. He had expected some
entirely different request. There was
danger and troubled conscience in the
gift. But the willy Herodias had gained
her desire, which for year had been re-
fused by Herod. HE sent and beheaded
John in the prison." John at last was
silenced, but conscience and the voice
of God were mot silenced. Thestain OF
blood could never be washed away, nor
"all the perfumes of Arabia sweeten the
guilty SOUL"
". A Contrast. Two Kinds Of Sue
cess. We have here two impressive in.
stances which will picture the two kinds
of success-the worldly and the Heav.
emily, the false and the true. Herod
seemed to succeed, but his life was a
failure. John seemed to fail, but his
life was marvellous success.
IIerod's success was brief as well a.
troubled. In A. D. 3S. ten years after
the death of John, Herodias stirred ur
her husband to go to Rome and obtain
from the emperor the title of king. But