The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-03-17
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
'AESsoN XII, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 20.

Next OF the Lesson, Math. xiv. l-12-Mem
DRY Verses. 6-lo-Golden Text. Prov. iv
IS = Commentary by the Rev. d. M.
stearns.
Copyright 1897. by D. NJ stearnsl
!. al that time Herod the tetrarch
2heard Of the fame of Jesus" In Mark
VI, IA, it is written that His name was
spread abroad, and in Luke tx, z, it is said
chat Herod was perplexed because that it
was said of some that John was risen from
Nne dead The context in Mark and Luke
would indicate that it was about the time of
Nne sending forth of the twelve. 1t seems
40 me that the heart thought for us is that
something of the words and works of Jesus
10y some means reached Herod. If we arc
redeemed by His blood, it is that through
ms the fame of Him may be far and wide
made known. He brought Israel out of
Egypt, dividing the waters Of the Red sea-
Heading them through the desert and dry
ing up Jordan before them to make His
glorious name known. that the many
flight be blessed in Him Usa xiii, IL, IA;
Joshua iv, 24).
2. And said unto His servants, This is
John the Baptist; he is risen from the
dead, and therefore mighty works do shew
forth themselves in him. 1t is said in
Mark vi, 30, that Herod heard John glad
ay and did many things, knowing that he
was just and holy man, but as neither
hearing nor doing will avail unless Christ
is actually received into the heart Il John
Y, IL; John i, 12) Herods knowledge
did not profit him. His evil doings would
To I'D
~.
8. For Herod had laid hold on John
and bound him and put him in prison for
Herodias sake, his brother Philips wiIv
These are among the seemingly strange
things That God who controls all things
even the devil for there can be nothing
beyond His control, should permit Joseph
to be stolen, sold into slavery, falsely &C.
-cused and imprisoned; David to be hunted
AS partridge upon the mountains; .Jere-
miah to know the horrors of the dungeon
mire, and John the Baptist, His own her
aid, none greater born of woman (Math.
ID, III, to suffer imprisonment and death.
4. For John said unto him, 1t is not
lawful for thee to have her." Therefore.
for his faithfulness, he is put in prison.
Would it have been better for him to have
said nothing about this sin? Might he
have said, 1t is no affair of mine? They are
the children of the devil anyway, and to
him they are going whether Herodias lives
with Herod or with Philip? Some would
say so, and there are no doubt many things
in which we are to take no part, as they
are not given to us to NEEDLE with, but in
this case John was brought face to face
with the sin, and either had to be blind to
it for peace's sake or speak faithfully for
'Christ's sake.
g. land when he would have put him
ito death he feared the multitude, because
they counted him as prophet " How full
sof fears this wretched specimen of self in
sdulgent humanity was. He feared the
woman under whose control he had placed
himself for lust's sake. He feared the peo-
pie over whom he was placed, and he evil
identity feared the hereafter, for he did
many things, and would doubtless have
done more if such doing would have made
him sure of heaven without requiring him
to give up his darling sin.
6, z. but when Herod's birthday was
kept the daughter of Herodias danced be-
fore them and pleased Herod Whereupon
. ne promised with an oath to give her
whatsoever she would ask" Feast days
and birthdays must be kept, the entertain
ment business must go on, no matter
what becomes of Christ or His heralds. We
are sure that He was not invited to this
feast, and neither was His faithful John
This was like Belshazzar's feast, the DEVILS
own, and he knew what he was up to- He
was running this thing to accomplish his
urpose. How well he enabled that poor,
goddess girl to dance that day! How he
enabled her to captivate the sinful heart Of
Herod and to lead him in his excitement
to make her this great promise. and all to
secure the death of Johnl
8. "And she, being before instructed Of
her mother, said, Give me here John Bap
lists head in charger" We read in II
-Chron xxi, 8, concerning certain king
that ''his mother was his counselor to do
wickedly" We know also that Rebekah
was neither her own friend nor her sons
when she counseled him to lie to his ia
her Lying and deceit have the same au
hor as lust, and envy, and hatred, and
murder Let us resist the devil lest he use
wen us as he did Simon Peter, when he
laid, ..Pity Thyself, Lord" (Math. xvi, 90
nargin).
8. "And the king was sorry; neverthe-
ess for the oath 8 sake and them which
at with him at meat, he commanded it to
e given her :" His honor before his guests
yas at stake and he dared not show him
elf man Perhaps there was no man in
Jim. 1t may have been all beast, all carnal
t the lowest kind He could truthfully
ave said l cannot give what Is not mine,
nd human life is not in my power to give
take That. however, was too noble for
ucR a creature, and he dared not go
gainst Herodias. We have ell had other
lasters; can we now truly say, lone is
" Master, even Christ, whose am and
hom server"
-.E 10. And he sent and beheaded John IN
ie prison" Not long before John had
mt messengers to Jesus inquiring II He
as the Christ, or if there was yet another
be looked for. Jesus wrought miracles
sent the messengers to tell John what
lev had seen ard heard and added.
Blessed is he whatsoever shall not be
tended in Me- (chapter XII, 81. We have
record that Jesus ever went to see him.
ow is heard the tramp of feet. Some one
coming to see him. Is it the Lord and
sstArP His cell door swings open. He is
Led. not for earth, but for heaven In
moment it is over, for the damsel awaits
Gift and angels and redeemed spirits
IL to welcome the faithful messenger to
iss eternal and indescribable
II uAnd his head was brought In q