The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-21

fore us as a living exhortation 10 all
men to carry out our Lords injunc-
ton To the letter. a more fearless
mar Than the wilderness prophet
never lived. His hands never
trem bied when he Snatched the cloaks
from the great swelling hypocrttes or
his day. He dared, to tell men in
authority to quit theSr meanness. He
looked straight into the eyes of fierce
soldiers and -hade thena 20 and be-
have themselves. He Eebuked the
,etrarch on his throne, though he
knew there was behind that throne a
hyena that would find his blood. And
he paid the penalty of his fearless
ness. He who had roamed the will
derness as free as any otheE living
thing In ii was brought to "A Dungeon
and to chains. Because he feared
not men. ne beheld no more thesface
of the sun. A nd by and by his bloody
head was handed about through Me
palace on a dish. \
Because he feared not the face on
man But he feared God and the
bloody head on a dish is not the
closing scene. Herod feared man and
after time went t. miserable end.
No man has kind word for HeFod
to-day and he would not be remem-
hered at all but for the warning he
has left lie. But John--the day John
lost his head. he found throne. He
was beheaded, but he was crowned.
and he wears his crown still. And ali
the world acknowledges that among
.Aaas.=tha4= a.sn=ksFa=ef= WemeH there is
not greater prophet than John the
Baptist"
Let us bring this matter close home
10 our own hearts. Which would ]
choose--Herods place on the throne
or Jut,f1is rtncr tff-tft-- dungeon :
Which would ! rather he. a Tierod
or a John? Which shall control my
life benceforth the fear of man OF
the fear Of God?
Other Important Truths.
/, John had condemned sin in low
places. of what avail would II he II
he at he same time condoned sin in
high places, where ii was clothed In
purple, and fine linen and made re-
spectacle? 1t is the gilded saloon, not
the low groggery. that starts decent
men in the path downward; they go
to the groggery after they are down.
@ One reason why our rebukcs
sometimes fall SO fiat is because We
are not sure that we are guiitlens Of
the things we condemn. A rebuke of
sens aalify coming from such a man
as John was sledge- hammer blow in
the breast
! 3. Hate is stronger than pride; else
Herodias would never have sent her
daughter to play the part Of COM
mon woman and make an indecent
exhibition Of herself at Herod's ban
quet At what cost does rage quench
Its thirst
T. Fxtravagant as Herod's offer
was. ii was not an unusual price to
pay. Many a man has given the
whole OF his kingdom here and here
after for "A moment OF sinful pleas
ure.
). OF course. If the tetrarch had
thought what the result would be
he would hardly have made such an
offer. Just as no sane man would yield
to a degrading sin. II he could realize
beforehand how much IL would cost
him. But In dealing with attractive
sins we never dream that we are deal
ing with Satan. and when Herod made
his offer 20 Salome he did not dream
that he was dealing with Herodias
! G. Herod was exceedingly sorry,
but his sorrow was not sorrow unto
! repentance. His was sorrow on nc
count of crime not vet committed.
and as the sorrow was not deep
enough to keep him from committing
/ IL, It was evidently of n very poor
quality. He was sorry because he was
afraid, though he tried, to cover up
+ his fear by calling attention to his
! conscience For his oath's sake he
would grant her request. He had
made an oath, and he was too CON
scientious TO break it. 1t Is mar
velous how suddenly, under some cir
, cumstances. wicked men discover
( that they have a conscience which
they are bound to respect.
! T. We have here one Of the few
! Instances or record or man fearing
to do right on account OF his Wife
| Herodias stood behind the throne. and
she might shake 1t until he tum bled
( OF. What great events have turned
on human relationships. If Herod
had only married the thoughtful wo-
man who became Pilates wife,