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

#Hlke Lesson Text I'm Everyday Dress.
The fame Of Jesus had spread until
43E had reached Herod's palace. and all
1 fkH court was agag over the strange
*xumors which filled the air concerning
&fm Who was this new wonder
VT1rkcrs Some said. 1T Is Elias"
pkhers said. at is a prophet" but
when Herod heard thereof, he said,
ss.If Is John whom ] beheaded, he IL
risen fFess3 the dead The tetrarchr
II is understood. was a Sadducee and
ala not believe in the resurrection
from the dead: but what Is a man =
.-xkepticism worth when opposed by a
entity conscience lnfidel theories
make a fine show until they run
/ nrairst the infideI, when they ex-
fpicde as noiselessly a. soap bulb
bies II has been noticed that the
man who does not believe In the
resurrection Is not more anxious to
meet a ghost alone at night than
common folks.
The fear of Herod Is the occa-
\ sion for relating the circumstances or
Johns death tragedy too terrible
u recall, hat for the important
truths witch il SO tFflpreEssiFeiH
reaches Herod. the tetrarch, was a
ehip Of the old hlock--plus con
Nxeience and minus a back bone AT
L heart he was probably as capable of
4 n much downright wick ednesss as hts
father. but Herod the Great plunged
I into crime with savage holdness. while
i the SON being soft, hesitated, and
is-ssss+ssss3eTstsF=tess
II him until oft-times he became too
weak to carry out his evil purpose.
IN all these sins which did not call
for strength. he was apparently a.
much Mt home as his father. 1t was
!; rs means of ono such sin tt1at rr
had come into possession OF wife,
who in turn possessed him as II
demon What Herod lacked Herodias
4 liberaily supplied. she had "a tastr
for crime. and, possessed with a
1 hnundless ambition, She knew no fear
4 Ehe only needed opportunity; she
would have killed John. but she could
not 2
John had rebuked lTerod for mar
ss rvfng Herodias his brother Philips
wife, and Herod had imprisoned him
Ter n. whole year the prophet lay
In the dungeon AT Macherus. while
{ Herodias plotted his death. Now and
then the prisoner was brought before
the tetrarch Herod seemed to he
fascinated by the prophet, for though
sha feared him. he was fond af hear
i Ing him, and he took care 10 keep him
from the clutches of Herodias. AT
slast Herods birthday came and Hero
t1ias felt that her opportunity had
GENE with 1t. There WAS a great
Y BANQUET and when the reyeIry was
3 II its height the queen sent her
flauxhfer into the banquet hall to
execute lewd dance before the
jewellers. The king was carried away
N by the performance. and being in "A
1naudiin condition. declared that he
would give her anything she might
ask unto the half of his Kingdom.
Salome withdrew for "a moment. con-
9aulfed her mother. and on return
ing boldly asked for the head of John
the baptist This request placed
Herod in a serious dilemma, but he
presently decided that II would be
easier To kill John than to endure tbs
4 Seorn OF his companion, and the rage
sssf Herodias; and the order for tn,
& prophets execution was given.
When the news of the tragedy
rNached Johns disciples they came
and took the headless corps and
placed 1t In a tomb; and then went
and told Jesus.
The Heart of the Lesson.
sIIerod stands before us as a monu-
mental warning against the man
fearing spirit He feared everybody
and he received the full penalty for
HIS tears. Once We hear. nf his
Humidity serving a good turn; he
would have killed John but he feared
the people 1t is Well for bad man
10 fear the people; 1t does not DC
I him any good but II may he good
thing for the people, Herod's fears
u Ted him into all sorts of sins anc
xaisfortunes. Fer fear Of his wife he
imprisoned John. For fear of thu
ridicnle of his companions he con
Barted to Johns death Fear made
him the worlds fool, and the foof'
cap remains on his head To this day. II
Otr Lords Injunction, Fear not them
which kill the body" needed any con
4irn1ation IL would be sufficient Il
4 point TO Herod,
On the other hand. John stands be-