Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-29
LESSON FOR SEPT. |.
DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

LESSON TEXT-Mark 8N %.
GOLDEN TExT-'Be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee the crown OF
ife."-Hev. 2:10.
The story OF Hamlet and Banquo's
ghost is no more vivid or dramatic
than the story Of the tragedy OF John
the Baptist.
"And King Herod heard OF him."
v. 4. OF course Herod would hear OF
tho rising young cousin OF John who
was creating such q stir throughout
Galilee. His coarse, sinful. liCentious,
heart cringed at the rebuke OF such q
life Of purity. one that performed 30
many good deeds, one who was con-
stantly m%inistering to others AZ con.
trasted with the life Of lierod, who
only m%inistered to his own selfish
lusts. Small wonder he should ex.
claim, 1T Is John whom | beheadcd,"
and one can hear In fancy tho rising
tide OF terror that surged through his
heart as he must have screamed, "He
Is risen from the dead" The first
three verses OF the lesson are a vivid
picture OF how the fame Of this young
Galilean affected the conscience
stricken and gullty.hearted usurper
upon the throne.
Who was this Herod? In the first
place, he was guilty OF the sin OF In
cest, for he had married the wife OF
his brother Philip. who was still liv-
ing. From verse eighteen OF the les
son we learn further that the bold and
courageous John had rebuked him OF
this evil and az a result HcrOd had
cast him into prison, and though no
may have desired, yet he did not as
yet dare to take his life. Added to
this Is the anger of a sinful IN
John q Just Man.
This precipitated a war which re-
suited in the overthrow and utter
loss Of the army belonging to the
father Of Herod's lawful wife. Why
that Herodias desired? Verse 20 tells
us, because John wa a Just man and
nm holy" righteousness Ia often a
mans surest safeguard. Hcrod was
not altogether devoid OF conscience az
we have already seen. and this Ia
further evidence Of that fact. Verso
20 adds hat when Ilerod heard him
he was "perplcxed and heard him
gladly" We believe that UerOd was
seeking some sort OF a rccanting upon
the part OF John, that no was glad
(%anxious) to hear from his lips some
sort OF statement that would Justify
his liberation and was perplexed over
tho persistence OF John, who. though
In prison, for one moment low
cred his standard OF divine righteous
ness, nor trimmed his sails 30 az to
catch the wind Of Herod's popular
favor. That this was Johns attitude
and that II was known to Herodias IL
evident from the beginning OF tho
verse 81, land when n convenient day
was come" Herodias was all too
ready and willing TO seize her oppor.
tunity.
To evidence her depths OF depravity
and also her anxiety, note that Hero
dias was willing to sacrifice the mod
| esty OF her own daughter 10 gain her
end. Tho use Of the word herself"
v. % II. ". IL evidence that It was
an unusual thing for this daughter Of
q queen thus to exhibit herself.
Now note the oath OF the liquor and
Iust.drunken king. What an appalling
request. What a terrible consequence.
What lengths men will go to keep
| rhoir word" given tboughtlessly or ut.
tered in the heat Of passion. This Is
ono OF the blacklist pictures Of his
tory. A lust-driven. licentious poten-
tate. n rebuked but vindictive queen.
slave OF these same passions.
Not Real Sorrow.
Tho child OF the home thrust forth
before the gaze OF tho court TO help &C.
| cure the ends OF a murderous mother.
A godly. fearless saint who had n great
message from a great God. and with
| out hating, hesitancy or compromise
continued to deliver that message TIL
stricken down in the midst Of an orgy
OF passion. Herod's sorrow was not
unto repentance" ". 2G) but rather
that OF n guilty conscience.
We need nov to return again to tho
FIRST verso OF tho lesson and we can
we'll believe II must have been a sad
wall. "He Is risen" ". 18). History
| tells us Herod lost his kingdom and
that he and Herodias died In exile.
Let us turn from this awful picture
and look at John. How different. Thus
dies he who was the greatest born Of
a woman, Thus died one who dared
to rcbuke evil In high places. One
who would not compromise TO save
his life, and one who was faithful unto
death lhen the Golden TcItl. Can We