The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-05-14

Salome reported the matter at once,
inquiring OF the mother what gifts
she should request. We can better
imagine than describe the surprise OF
the girl when told by the mother 10
request the head OF John the Baptist
on a platter" We may conceive what
a disappointment this would mean:
what visions OF the beautiful and
precious things II would DESTROY
with what surprise Salome must have
asked as TO why this gruesome gift
should be given. We can imagine the
mother Kissing 10 her that the death
of John the Baptist was the most
necessary thing In the world for them
both-that without IL any day might
see them hurled from conditions OF Of.
fiuence into the abyss OF degradation
and poverty We can imagine her
saying. This, Salome, is the priceless
gift which you must ask from the
king" And the power OF the woman
over both the king and the daughter
was wonderfully exemplified In the re.
suit Salome went gaily again amongst
the company OF mobiles whom she had
charmed and in loud voice accepted
the kings offer OF whatever she would
choose, even to the half of his king
dom and stated that accordingly the
gift should be the head OF John the
Baptist on platter
The kings conscience was not quite
dead. He was grieved: but his pride
as we'll as his subserviency to He
rodias controlled him He reasoned
that for a king to- give his word or
honor in the hearing OF mobiles and
| al. 20. NJ
| be 10 him a lasting shame. All. what
an illustration CT how the fear OF
man bringeth snare" What a les.
son we read in this!-that mans
first responsibility is TO his God and
to his conscience. whatever the cost.
| Tradition has IL that Herod was
haunted with fear the remainder OF
! his days. II is in line with this that
when he heard OF Jesus and his
mighty works, he expressed the con
viction that somehow, the spirit OF
power Of John had passed to Jesus.
\ One lesson brings before us two
strong and two weak characters. John
i and Herodias were strong characters
thesone for the right and for God. the
ether for selfish ambition and sinful
indulgence of ii. The one swayed his
nation for their good and prepared
The worthy remnant TO receive Mes
\ siah's message. The other swayed the
king and her daughter to infamy.
murder and disgrace, and terribly
blackened her own character. Johns
reward lies IN the future, when he,
as a member OF the Ancient-Worthy
class. will come forth to a better
resurrection"-to be associated with
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the
prophets in the early phase OF the
millennial kingdom.
4 Herodias, surely continuously I'M
happy, finally persuaded the king to
ia course which led to his Punishment,
In which she shared. Her future.
: according to the Bible, will be resur-
rection 70 shame and lasting con-
tempt Daniel 1929 Inasmuch as
, she degraded herself and missed grand
opportunities, we may assuredly know
that she will come forth In the millen-
mum greatly handicapped by her I'M
! proper course in the present life. IL
may take centuries, even under the
favorable conditions OF Christ's king
dom, for such a deeply-dyed character
: to purge itself of the shame and the
lasting contempt and to rise gradu-
ally to true nobility and human per.
lection. or failing SO TO do, to die the
, second death.