Okolona messenger., 1906-10-03

%1Kg(NE#M bic and familiar, because less re-
KfkA%M[ mote is that OF HerOd Antipas.
~ WIZ This Herod stands conspicuously
the synonym Of evil, eliminating in the death Of
John Baptist, through him in the decentralization
consequent upon the so called innocent (f) dance.
Thoughtless mothers and indulgent fathers when
filled with serious reflections the dance, with it's
polluting tendencies, might profta5ly consider
what is known in the Bible of the murderous Herod,
the adulterous Herodias and her dancing daughter.
Herod knew John Baptist, on the authority Of
Gods Word, to be just and holy; but, influenced
by his brother Phillips wife, whom he had cruelty
taken from Phillip, Herod lost all susceptibility to
good he might have received from John. MARK
6;20.) Herod, like Rabbi Hirsch, was reputed a
Sadducee. Sadducees do not believe in the resuI
rection, angel or spirit but when the cowardly
Herod heard of Jesus and His mighty works he said:
'It is John Baptist, whom beheaded"
John Baptist, "a burning and shining light,' ex
posed and condemned the sins Of the world. He
dealt in fathulness with wrong doing whenever and
wherever he found it. In so.caled high place he
had lighted on leprOus spot, and he exposed and
condemned the fagrant relation formed by Herod
with the unaithful wife Of his brother Phillip; for
John said unto Herod lit is not lawful for thee to
take thy brothers. wife,"
The shaft aimed at the man Herod touched and
angered Herodias, 'hence she had quarrel against
John, and would have killed him, but she could
not''; but one may easily imagine how cOrrupting
was the influence of this irail murderess upon the
weak Herod, with ready accessory to crime in her
daughter.
John Baptist, preacher Of righteousness, did
not indulge in mild phiippics against adultery, and
then, running "greediy after reward" undertake
to Ax the seal Of his authority upon the union Of
rich adulterous pair, whose reported las0n had
disgraced whole communities; John Baptist, like
Elijah, was not overawed by kings and, unlike Eli
jah, he Was not afraid Of HerOdias, though she was
possessed OF the same satanic spirit that filed Jeze
bel.
John Baptist, man sent from God (John 1867,
instructed Of God, stood for God with holy bOldness
uniDfuenced by the razzledazzle OF Kings courts.
The pomp and pageantry, so insinuating, 60 beguil
ing had attraction for Gods man. neither was he
misled by the tnsel which passed current for glitter
ing gold; he was as faithful to the King as he had
been to the generation Of vipers who came to his
baptism. The glamor Of high places did not affect
his sight any more than the song Of the siren affected
his hearing John sin in high places to be more
heinous because Of advantage. he recognized his
responsibility not counting the effect Of his faithful
ness toward these sinners though he be made to for
felt his liberty, and imperil his life.
sBut when Herod's birthday was kept, the
daughter Of Herodias danced before them and
pleased HerOd," Herodias had looked TO- the grace
Of her daughters limbs. They were to become po-
tent arguments in winning her way to HerOd's hol-
low heart OF hate. So HerOdas the guilty adulter-
ess, had most willing accessory in crime In her
dancing daughter. Il is true that her mother
launched this irail bark upon lies uneven sea
and then seered it to the desired haven, the hall Of
revelry and Drunkenness, debanchery and dancing;
for here she was to win favor with the king in AMI
nnseenly show, notOf heart or Oi hands, bnt with
her feet, instigated BY her shameless mother, She
was at all costs to rush unblushingly where high
carnival regned into the presence Of the king, that
she imight disarm him Of fears and nCruples, and
make him % easy prey to the machinatiOnS Of her
designing mother.
The brazenDess Of HerOdias, the adulteress, cas-
lily paves the way tO shamelessness ii the daughter
whose Sin, IN its measure waa as reprehensible as