The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-05-18
Sunday School Column.
Side Lights on Next Sundays Les
snn for Teachers and Pupils.
BY CHAs. K. MEYERS

| \
May %. The Death Of John the
Baptist. Matt. 4: 1. IL.
We never think of the death of John
the Baptist without feeling that we
could wish he had come to the end of
life in some other way than he did.
Jesus said John was one of the great
est of the prophets, and he certainly
was loved and esteemed by he peo-
pie who heard him preach. The com
mon people heard him with gladness,
and when the Roman governor. Herod,
had put him in prison. fear Of public
sentiment aroused kept the captive
from meeting death at the time.
John was mighty man fearless,
outspoken, a denouncer of sin whether
among the lowly or those high in Off.
cial positions. 1t was because Of this
that he was put in prison, for he told
Herod to his face that he did wrong
in having for his wife the wife of
his brother, Philip. The arrow Of
truth evidently struck deeper in the
heart of the woman than the man, and
when Herodias found a chance to get
her revenge she was prompt in taking
it.
During q great celebration over the
birthday of Herod, Salome. his wife's
daughter, danced before the company,
and the ruler, in moment of passion
ate outbreak Of enthusiasm. declared
he would give the bewitching damsel
any request she might make, even to
the half of his kingdom. His mental
condition can be seen when 1t is known
that he did not own any lands and had
no power to part with any of the ter
ritory over which authorities at
Rome had madesirn temporary COVER
nor.
The girl went to her mother and made
known to her the offer OF the king,
and, wretched woman that she was,
she told the daughter to ask the be.
heading of John. Herod then regretted
his rash promise but had not the moral
courage to acknowledge his mistake
and SO ordered the girls will obeyed
As we said in the beginning, it has
been a struggle for us to see the JUS
tice and right of John coming to his
death in this ignoble way. OF course
this is looking at the matter from 8
human standpoint. John knew that his
star was going down, for he told the
people that Jesus would rise in popu
larity and power, while he would de
crease. His, mission had been accom-
lplished and it was time for him t.
ENTER on his heavenly reward. To sucl
man as he to do is to gain. Like
Paul and thousands of others. he dif
not look on death as an enemy to BIZ
dreaded, but welcome guest. From
that time forward he was in heaven
and If there be such a thing as the
giving of honors John would be vel
recompensed for his sufferings OF
earth. Paul said: To die is gain
and that is the way every person pre-
pared for death looks at it.
Let us look at few things which
the death of John teaches us. First
the grand character of John. At the
height of his popularity he was willin,
to step aside and allow Jesus to take
the prominent place. He was glad t.
see Jesus showing His power and sus
tanning the character of the Son o
God. 1t takes greatness OF characte,
to accept an inferior place, sweetly
and without grumbling; second, Johl
was like his Master, fearless in de
nouncing sin wherever found or seen
He esteemed not his life dear to him
|self, If life came through cowardice
bringing, failure to declare the full
message he had to proclaim; third
Herod, a corrupt, sinful man in
drunken carousal did and said thing
which he soon saw were wrong, blu
because of his awful life he did no
have the moral courage, the greatness
of character to acknowledge he ha
done amiss. but braved out his es
pressed will, although he knew he wa
lat fault; fourth, note the depth OF de
|pravity to which Herod's wife and he
Igirl had reached. and the fury of thi
woman when held up to scorn for he
wickedness; fifth, sorrow which doe
mot cause us to act Alright amounts t
nothing; many man sees he is wron
but keeps right along the evil course