Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-05-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson VlII.-Second Quarter,
For May e, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Matt. xiv. liz.
Memory Verses, 1o-12-Golden Text,
Prov. xvi, 32-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

For the present we are asked by the
committee 10 pass by the wonderful
thirteenth chapter why. I know not
out we viii return TO II In few
weeks and have three lessons I'm il
Although this lesson today gives an
account OF the beheading OF John the
Baptist. the sad event evidently took
place some time previous. But now.
Herod hearing of the fame of Jesus,
his guilty conscience tells him that II
is John whom he had murdered. He
was perpleNed because some said that
!Ohn was risen from the dead, some
said that Elijah had appeared and
pthcrs that one Of the old prophets
vas risen again. Herod said, "Who is
lis OF whom hear such things?" And
sired to see Him luke TX, 7-9).
.rroL'S question. who is this?' is
>: III! important one. See also Luke
=. 81; VII; ~: Matt. xxi. 10; lisa. xiii,
:: Jer. xxx. II. where the question is
n connection with the forgiveness of
>ins, the son OF David. the Messiah
and the One who Is to Judge the ma
lions. As "ur Lord put 1t to Simon
Peter. "N'iom say ye that / amp"
Matt. XVI ~ II should take hold
IF each ,'.,. rs. and unless We can
from the ,i.au reply as Peter did 1t
Will be bad Cor us. what is Jesus
Christ to me-" Is the great question.
In n previous lesson we saw mes
scngerS coming To Jesus from John in
the prison. hut now we have the ac-
count of his Imprisonment and eXecu-
ton. Herod feared John. knowing
him 70 be Il just aud holy man, and
he heard him gladly and did many
things But Herod had taken his
brother Philips wife and was living
with her. and John had told him that
II was not lawful Therefore HerodiaS
had a quarrel (margin, inward grudgel
against John and would have killed
him, but she could not. But Herod
had imprisoned John for Herodias'
sake Mark vi. 1920 For some idea
Of what n wicked. INSCRIPTIONS wo-
man can do see | Kings xxi, 7-15. and
II Kings Xi. |. and consider that Baby
lon. which Is said 10 be guilty of the
blood Of all that were slain upon the
earth, Is compared to n woman ar
rayed in purple and scarlet and decked
with gold and precious stones and
pearls Otev. xviii. 4; xviii. 24). The
life OF John in prison must have been
a sad and lonely one indeed were II
not that he had access to God. with
whom he had spent so many years in
the wilderness. No prison walls can
shut out GCd or the angels, and an
eternity Of glory will more than com
pensnte for the greatest su1ferings OF
the saints on earth 0SOm. wifi. 49,.
Birthday parties should be happy oc-
casions and innocent affairs. but this
one OF our lesson was one of the worst
on record. II was a great affair, be
ing supper made by Herod for his
lords. high captains and chief estates
Of Galilee. On this occasion the
daughter Of the wicked Herodias
danced so acceptably to Herod and
them that sat with him that Herod
promised with an oath to give her
whatsoever she would ask. Accord
Ing TO Mark verse 23), HE sware
unto her. Whatsoever thou shalt ask
OF me | will give 1t thee, unto the
half OF my kingdom" What an out
come Of drunken revel and a dance!
The result of dancing I'm our times.
so often accompanied by drink If not
by drunkenness. has never been fully
written, but enough has been written
to lead thoughtful people to renouncc
the whole thing and especially the
fashionable dancing school If you
care to know. write DR. Sylvanus Stall
Of Philadelphia for further informa-
ton. If the church had 1.-THE of
the zeal OF the devil 10 lead souls
| astray. how many might by the church
be pointed to Him who is able to save
from going down to tho pit. Bu:
where Is the zeal referred TO in the
words. The zeal of thine house hath
eaten me up" JOha il. Il; Ps Xix. %.
The girl went forth and said to her
mother. "N'hat shall ask" Ard. lie.
Ing instructed by her mother. she ask
! ed for the hCld Of John the Rap,lSt.
| Quickly II f. brought to her, ana she
carried it To her mother Did ever Il
daughter carry or IL mother receive
| so grewsome a gift? Yet this is IN
our Gay made into a play 70 cutcr.ain
thoughtless people The mu Ger ~
! John meant In due time the murder Of
| Jesus, and the world lying in ;he
wicked one seeks and applauds This
kind of entertainment 1t IS written
that the king was sorry. but the sUr-
| row that does not lead to doing right
amounts to nothing, and fear that
| he has been sorry ever since and will
| be forever. According to Phil. /. q.
%. 1t was gain to John. a very far
better, for he has been well and hap
by ever since. His disciples took I'D
the body and buried it. but they did
/ OF I.trrx I,l,