Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-05-20

only to Jerusalem. Built high up on a
cliff, surrounded by gorges which were
steep and precipitous. 1t had been EN-
bedded by his grandfather and porticoes
added, until 1t was a most comfortable
place to live, in addition to being well
nigh impregnable. Here at this fortress
near the southern border of his country,
Eerod and his royal court took up their
abode in order that they might be near
the point of attack, and where he, the
king, could direct the operations of his
soldiers to better advantage. John was
placed in one of the dungeons below.
1t might be interesting to note that
shortly after the death of John the SOL
diers of this Arabian prince attacked
Herod's army and hacked them to pieces.
They did not take him prisoner be-
cause of his impregnable position in this
fortress; but depleted and respondent.
he moved his court back to the palace
at Tiberius. where he heard the report
OF the work which had been done by
Jesus and His disciples in their tour
through Galilee.
THE DIABOLICAL HATRED OF
HERODIAs.
Herodias had never been satisfied sim
ply with the Imprisonment of John. AS
long as he was alive he was a constant
menace to her, she thought, and so she
concocted a deep-laid plot to secure his
death, and her subsequent freedom
from embarrassment by him. 1t was on
the birthday of the king that she sue
ceeded. 1t was customary for great
feasts to be given at these times in cele-
bration of such events, and Herod made
a great banquet to his lords in the castle
above. There was everything to minister
to the sensual pleasures of the guests
rich food, gorgeous decorations, warmth
and light, and an abundance of wine.
Everything went we'll until they were all
drunken, as Herodias had planned, and
then in the midst of select circle of the
best society people of the day this wick
ed woman sacrificed the modesty of her
daughter by sending her now to act the
part of a shameless dancer. The whole
object of the dance was to excite them
in order that Herod would make some
rash promise under the excitement of
the moment One commentator has re-
marked most truthfully that Many a
professed Christian mother TO-DAY is sac
rifcing her daughters modesty by send
ing her forth in a costume unfit for pub
lie purposes, to be embraced from 10
O clock at night to In the morning by
various young men Of good families,
whose morals. if carefully inquired into.
would be found to be VIGOROUSLY rot
ten"
The scheme of Herodias was success
full Herod was pleased (the Greek word
means "excited'-with her dance and
promised that he would give her to the
half of his kingdom anything that she
desired. Withdrawing for moment 10
consult with her mother, she comes back
with the request that the head of John
be brought to her on a platter Herod
recognized in a moment the seriousness
of the request and of his own predica-
ment If he had been a man he would
not have hesitated to have broken his
drunken oath, but being wording re
thought more of his oath than he did OF
righteousness, and gave the order that
the request be granted. When the drip
ping head was presented, Herodias gloat-
ed over it. She pulled out the tongue and
stuck a bodkin- through 1.-THE tongue
that had reproached her for her sin, but
could no longer do it. She had Won
her point. She had accomplished her
purpose. but at what terrific cost-her
daughters chara cter, and her own inn
mortal soul.
Was John right in so boldly denouncins
Herod's sin? Undoubtedly yes. II ne
rofrained he might have saved his head,
hut doing so he saved mis- soul He dld
not neglect TO declare the whole counsel
Of God Herod was lost, but 1t was not
Johns fault. 1t was absolutely necessary
for John TO make the issue sharp ana
bold Considering that the world is as
II is the necessary result was the perse-
cution of John; but John in so doing en-
tered into and shared the suffering OF his
Lord lie was prosecuted for righteous
ness sake. as Jesus was. He was perse-
cuted even unto death, but his reward Is
worth many, many, many times more
than all his suffering cost him. All
that will live godly in Christ Jesus must
suffer persecution" I'VE must through
much tribuiation enter into the kingdom
of God" 1t may not be Imprisonment
and death: it may be nothing more seri-
Gus than the contemptuous look ana
laugh, or word, of our former friends;
but if it is for righteousness sake that
we are prosecuted, rejoice and be exceed
ingly glad, for so prosecuted they the
~ ophets which were before us.
Let us remember that thus we are
sharing in the suffering of our Lord, and.
trusting in Him for strength, we shall
overcome the world with its lust of the
flesh and pride of life. and enmity against
God.