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

It was near the close of the second
year of the ministry of Jesus that He
sent forth His disciples 10 preach
teach and heal in the cities of Galilee
while He Himself went beore them
The report of the mighty works that
they accomplished became the talk OF
the countryside, and reached even to
the palace of Herod. Note, If you
please, that these miracles were done
by men like ourselves, and that they
were so notable as to cause such a
stir in the tretrarchy or Herod. They
accomplished them because they obeyed
Jesus. You may also do mighty works
if you obey Him.
Various conjectures were made
about these, and in the palace 1T was
thought that this Teacher might be
Elijah who had returned. Others
thought that He might be one OF the
prophets. Some one suggested that
possibly it might be John the Bap-
fist risen from the dead. He had been
recently beheaded by herod, and this
theory gained great credence in the pal
ace, particularly in the mind of Herod
himself, because his conscience was
hurting on account of this foul muir
der Herod was a Sadducee and did
not believe in the resurrection of the
dead: but his guilty conscience made
him so remorseful that he was willing
to accept such a theory as this, even
though it meant the denial of his for
mer belief.
THE BOLDNraSS OF JOHN.
About a year before this, while
Johns ministry was still active. he had
come into contact with the king him
self We will recall how bold his
preaching had been to the multitudes;
how he had even faced the religious
rulers of the day, calling them a gen.
Grafton of vipers and warning them to
flee from the wrath to come; so he was
Just as bold in his Remuneration of the
king. He was no respecter of persons.
The fact that nerod was a king did
not interfere with the supreme fact
that he was a sinner. Sin must be
treated the same in sovereign and sub
ject. Herod had been VIGOROUSLY sin
full. He had capped the cIImax of his
corrupt life by putting away his own
wife and taking mis- brothers.
herodias had married her uncle
lip. a -.~If brother of herod, who
was a quiet sort of man, caring moth
ing for the pomp and splendor of
court life. Herodias was a grand
daughter Of the far-famed Marianne,
and no doubt had inherited great
many of her physical charms. She was
AMBIGUOUS. She fretted at the quiet of
her home lie and desired me splendor
of the court. and so she entered into an
unlawful allegiance wlth her brother
in-law and uncle. She took to the
court with her daughter, Salome,
beautiful young girl who had been
educated DOME, who was thoroughly
- ~&- 80 he
highest society OF the palace, amongst
which was the ability to dance most
beautifully.
This act of Herod's was VIGOROUSLY
disgraceful. and in view of the fact that
he still claimed TO be Jew and subject
to the Jewish laws. John Baptist did
not hesitate. when he had the opportu-
nifty, to declare boldly to him that IL was
not lawful for him to have his brother S
wife This antagonized Herodias: she
did not like to have her sins denounced,
neither did she care to be driven away
from the splendors of the court TO the
quiet of her own home. She set abou:
therefore to get this uncomfortable
preacher out of the way. a man wh1
would be so bold as to dare to denounce
her right to do as she pleased. She want
ed him killed at once. but Herod was
afraid to do this. John was popular. and
Herod dared not do an act which would
meet with disapproval at that time. He
finally compromised by putting John in
prison. where he heard him at times, but
never was willing to forsake his sins;
and constantly rejected the warnings
which this loyal servant Of God gave
him.
THE REMOVAL OF MACHAERUS.
The father of his first wife was =
prince who lived in the region south
of the Dead sea, which Joined Herod's
territory at the river Arnon. He was
outraged when he learned that his daugn-
ter had been put away by Herod. and
that this licentious allegiance had been
formed. Accordingly he made prepare
toEs to raise an army to take Herod,
to avenge the injustice done his daugh-
ter. These preparations bad been going
on for some time while John had been
languishing in prison You will remem-
her that during those weary months he
had been discharged and had sent the
embassy to Jesus, about which we have
studied formerly. You remember the reply
which Jesus gave him which so encour-
3Eed him.
Herod finally decided to remove his
headquarters from the palace at Tib-
erius on the Sea of Galilee to the strong
hold of Machaerus. Machaerus was =