Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-29
In The Religious World;
(REv1Ew OF SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
THE MAN WHO STOOD FAST

THE MAN WHO STOOD FAST
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS)
The International Sunday Schoo
Lesson for September Is, "The
Death Of John the Baptist" Mark
6: 1929.
There was a thrilling scene at the
coronation Durbar in India, and it has
been preserved for posterity by mo-
ton pictures. The recent Durbar al
Delhi was possibly an unprecedented
spectacle. Fifty thousand soldiers
were massed in the great square. All
that skill and patriotism and wealth
could add to the magnificence Of the
temporary throne and pavilion had
been done. The entire event was
scientifically staged for the effect OF
its dramatic impression upon the PEG.
pie; yet the most moving episode OF
the whole Durbar was not the ap-
pearance of the monarchs In their
imperial splendor, nor the swinging
legions of soldiers, nor the galaxy OF
native princes in their brilliant robes.
The one scene that brought tears
to the eyes and a choking to the
throat was the review Of the loyal
veterans Of the Mutiny, the natives
who had stood true to their salt during
the dreadful days of 1857, when the
whole world seemed turned upside
down. At frightful cost OF peril to
their own lives, Of the sacrifice OF
kindred and position and of most OF
the human relationships, these men
had proved their loyalty, and probably
saved India to the British Empire. So
at the Durbar they came walking
along in a mass. no longer keeping
step like the fifty thousand youthful
soldiers all about them. No uniforms
did they wear and they were rather
motely crowd of grizzled old men,
some in western clothes and some in
native garb, but all displaying the roy
al medal for fidelity.
When this multitude came before
the royal pavilion, saluting In varl-
GUS degrees of awkwardness, the
massed bands, numbering thousand
men, broke oyt into the strains or
Behold the 0onquering Hero Comes"
The grandeur of sheer fidelity was en-
bodied in these old men who had come
to their hour of glorious vindication
and triumph. 1t was worth all they
had passed through, and gave a new
meaning to Tennyson's lines.
Not once or twice in our grim 1s-
land story
Has the path of duty been the way
to glory" a
As / looked into the faces OF these
men, when they appeared upon the
scene at the kinemacolor exhibition,
he stimulating words Of the golden
ext Of this lesson, which gathers up
he meaning of 1t all, thrilled to
mind, "Be thou faithful unto death
md will give thee crown of life.
seemed to see larger, longer COM
oany of the faithful ones marching
aast-men and women who had en-
lured the ultimate test. The mutlny
veterans were following in the train
If John the Baptist, and OF the
Greater One whom he heralded
"Unto DEATH"
Picturesque, unconventional, rug
red, brave, was John, the wilderness
,rophet. The face of kings could not
fright him, nor could the wild beasts
make him afraid Strong in the con-
,ciousness that he was COM
nissioned man with clear message, i
,e spoke his word in high scorn
# consequences The only trace OF
ear we can detect in his character
s the entirely noble fear that ne
night fail to declare the whole truth
which God had given him. High in
wealth of heroes stands
he hairy eater Of locusts and wild
honey, girt in camel's hair with a
eathern thong about his loins.
Such a man as John the Baptist
must inevitably run counter to &C.
.epted conditions He had never
studied in any school of finesse
whereby the point and potency OF
lis message would be touched by
world sophistication. He knew only
low to speak the truth, were that
ruth concerning the king on his
'hrone or the shepherd in the fields.
He was not afraid Of the face of man.
John the Baptist Is one with that
magnificent company of Savanarolas,
Calvins, Luthers, Knoxes and Wes-
eys to whom the world can never
.epay it's debt. He was a prophet
aithful unto death. We recall him
Is an antidote to the shifting.
,huffling, sinuous sychophants OF our
line who try to buy popularity at
he price of their souls and find that
hey have been cheated, for their
purchase proves to be not popularity
,ut contempt.
A King on Spree.
A woman's hate is more vengeful
md unforgetting than a mans. A
nan cannot mask his anger like a
woman; but he forgets 1t sooner.
Ierod clustered and fumed about
ohn's daring attack upon his sin
ul alliance with his brothers wife,
,ut 1t was Herodias who, in silent
md tireless hate, plotted Johns de-
truction, bending the king to her
purposes.
Her hour came when Herod, on a |
oval debauch, was fascinated by the |
ensual charms Of Salome, the daugh-
er Of Herodias-whom her mother
ad carefully trained for this oppor-
unity-and offered any reward that |
night be asked, even to the half Of
is kingdom. Herod, like all men
Tho give themselves up to passions
way, abdicated his kingliness. He
l,;,,,o1f All eooco ~ y,ro.