The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-08-27
The Religious
World
THE MAN WHO STOOD FAST.
The international Sunday School Les
son for September 1 Is, ''The Death
Of John the Baptist Mark 6:14-S0.


There was a thrilling scene at the
coronation Durbar in India, and it
has been preserved for posterity BY |
motion pictures. The recent ,Durbar
at Delhi was possibly an unprece- |
cented spectacle. Fifty thousand SOL
diers were massed in the great square
All that skill and patriotism and
wealth could ado to the m~agnifcence
Of the temporary throne and pavilion
had been done. The entire event was
scientifically staged for the effect Of
Its dramatic impression upon the peo-
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
iesions 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 dur
ing the dreadful days Of 1857, when
the whole world seemed turned up
side 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
'DAo 80 IL AAC~o liz OA60A ~
step like the fifty thousand youthful
soldiers all about them. No uniforms
did they wear, and they were a rather
motley crowd of grizzled old men,
some in western clothes and some in
native garb, but all displaying the
royal medal for fidelity.
When this multitude came before
h royal pavilion, saluting in various
degrees Of awkwardness, the massed
DandS, numbering a thousand men.
broke out into the strains of BE
hold the ~Conquering Hero Comes
Inc grandeur Of sheer fidelity was
embodied in these old men who had
come TO their hour Of glorious vim
dlcatlon and triumph. 1t was worth
al they had passed through, and
gave a new meaning to Tennyson's
lines,
Not once or twice in our grim islam d
story
Has the path of duty been the way
TO glory
As ! looked into the faces of these
men, when they appeared upon the
screen at the kinemacolOr exhibition
the stimulating words Of the gorder
text Of this Lesson. which gathers uI
the meaning Of it all, thrilled tt
mind, BE thou faithful unto death
and I will give thee a crown of life
j seemed to see a larger, longer com
pany Of the faithful ones marching
past-men and women who had en-
dured he ultimate test. The muffin!
veterans were following in the trair
Of John the Baptist, and Of the Great
or One whom he heralded.
"Unto Death"
Picturesque, unconventional, rug
Red, brave, was John, the wilderness
al no
alright him, nor could the wild beast
make him afraid. Strong in the con
sciousneSs that he was a COMMISSIONS
mar with a clear message, he srok
his word in high scorn Of conse
quences The only trace Of fear W
can detect in his character is the en-
tirely noble fear that he might IA
70 declare the whole truth which Go
had given him. High in eternity
wealth of heroes stands the hair
eater Of locusts and wild honey. gir
in camel's hair with a leathern thon
about his loins.
Such a man as John he Baptis
must inevitably run counter to &C
copied conditions. TIE had neve
studied in any school Of flneSSe where
by the point and potency OF his mes
sage would be touched by world sc
phisticatiOn. He knew only how I
speak the truth, were that truth COZ
corning the king on his throne or tn
shepherd in the fields. He was n<
afraid Of the face of man. John th
Baptist is one with that magnifce1
of Sa~vonarolas, Calvin
Luthers, Knoxes and Wesleys
whom the world can never repay
debt. He was a prophet faithful uni
death. We recall him as an antido
70 the shifting. shutting. sinuo'
s~ychophants of our time who try
buy popularity at the price Of the
souls and find that they have bee
cheated, for their purchase proves
be not popularity but contempt!
A King On q Spree.
A woman's hate is more vengeful al
unforgetting than a mans. A ms
cannot mask his anger hike a woma