Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-09-06
By
Edgar E.
Folk, d. d.
XXII.--Bethleham,
The City of David

Antipater, fell before his jealous wrath.
The destruction of his three sons led
Augustus to say, with a play upon the
that he would rather be Herod's pig
than his son.
1t is said that "in all history there is
probably2no more CHASTITY scene than that
Of Herod's death-bed. He lay there a
rotting mass, and no foot came nigh to
him save unwillingly, so offensive was
he both to sight and smell, and SO terri
BILE in the paroxysms of his rage. Bodily
and mental torture at their worst; men,
cries calculated to madden; the reproach-
full eyes of Marianne ever staring upon
him out from the past; two sons already
done to death; a third in prison under
sentence; a callous crowd outside ready
to scramble for the crown soon to fall
from his cursed brow, Gnd-to one Of his
nature, perhaps the most bitter thought
of all-not one soul in all the world to
love or weep for him" In order to COM
pei a national mourning when he died,
he summoned the chief men of all the
nation to Jerusalem, and shut them up
in the hippodrome. He then charged"
his sister, ''Salome and her husband that
the moment the breath left his body the
soldiers should be let loose among them
and all should be slaughtered"
1t was about this time that the three
wise men Of the east came to Jerusa-
lem and inquired: Where is he that
is born King of the Jews?' The in
quiry aroused all OF the Jealous rage
and blood-thirsty cruelty of the old
king. Was there then one who was
to be king Of the Jews? Was he TO
! be hailed as such before Herod's death?
Was he to come from another family
than that of Herod? Was he 10 be-
come king without the knowledge or
consent Of Herod? Herod would see
to it. And so having heard from the
wise men that the King OF the Jews"
was e. born, and having gathered all
J of the chief priests and scribes of the
people together" and having learned
from them that this king Of the Jews
was to be born in Bethlehem, in Ju-
dea, he privately called the wise men
to him and inquired OF them diligent-
ly what time the star appeared" so as
to know the age of the child, sent
them to Bethlehem, told them to search
diligently for the child; and when they
had found him to bring him word again.
giving as his reason that I may come
! and worship him also," but when the
wise men, warned of God in a dream,
| did not return to Herod, but departed
| into their own country, another way,
| ''Herod, when he saw that he was
! Knocked of the wise men, was exceed
| ing wroth, and sent forth, and slew
all the children that were in Bethle>
| hem, and in all the coasts thereof,
: from two years old and under, &C.
cording to the time which he had dill
| gently inquired Of the wise men"
This act, which seems so cruel to
us, was only in accordance with his
, nature and his whole career. To him
who had murdered his brother-in-law,
his wife, and his three sons, and who
had plotted the murder of the chief
men of all the nation. it was a small
matter to put to death a dozen or so
babes He scorned to kill simply one
He wanted to make sure work of it by
putting to death all the children under
two year, so sure work OF IL by put
ting to death ali the children under two
years, so as to prevent any possibility
pecially after.
which these hills had resounded only
short while before were changed to
sounds Of mourning. "A voice was
heard in Ramah, weeping and great
mourning, Rachel weeping for her
children; and she would not be COM
forted, because they are not."-(Matt.
2:1S).
But the one child at whom the blow
was aimed had by divine direction es-
capped to Egypt and the blow fell harm
less, so far as he was concerned.
Wonderful history this quiet little
city has had-the most wonderful OF
any city of its size in all the world.