is not enough for them to urge certain objections against the Christian position. Christ r11mains the wonder of all history, How could the carpenter of N azarcth Ii ve and teach and work and revolutionize the world as Jesus did if be was only a village artisan? ' lr. MEN VAINLY TRY TO EXPLAIN THE NEW BY THE OLD. Herod thinks of the one great man whom he has known. Others recall the historic figures of Hebre,v pro- ph~cy (eh: xvi. 14). lo all ~his there is no idea .that God is surpassing an~iquity; tLat ho 1s makmg a new start with a greater revelat10n and g,ory than anytbrng yet wit- nessed on earth. It was difficult to understand Jesus Christ--in part, because he was not a repetition of antiquity. So long as there was no idea of a new work of God, th1 New Testament gospel could not be entertained. The same mistake was made later and in another way by those Jewish Christians who wished to limit Christ,ianity by tying it to the ordinances of the old Law; and the old mistake is repeated to-day by those who think that Christ must be explained by what we know of the ordinary workings of human lives and characters. III. ,THE GUILTY CONSCIENCE INVENTS ITS OWN TORMENTOR. Herod's hypothesis is the creation of bis conscience. The stain of blood is on his soul, and it colours all his thoughts. He is a murderer, and he is haunted by suspicions of the return of his victim. He cannot silence the voice of the faithful prophet. Although he has shut him up in a dungeon, although at the instigation of his wicked wife he has lawlessly murdered him, he cannot forget him, cannot elude his warning voice. There is no escape froµi the guilt and consequences of sin, except by the narrow door of repentance. A king may be a slave to the terrors of his own evil conscience. IV. THE REJEOTION OF CHRISTIAN TRUTH IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE ACCEPT- ANOE OF A FOOLISH SUPERSTITION. Herod could not bring himself to accept the claim of Christ; yet he was willing to believe in a most extraordinary alternative. In early ages multitudes.who rejected the Christian gospel yielded to the spell of ridiculous charlatans in the profession of magic. To-day we see the negation of the gospel accom- panied by a ready belief in what is called "spiritualism." 'rhere is no superstition so abject as the superstition of scepticism. It is the greatest mistake to suppose that the uubelieyer is always walking in the white light of reason. Christian faith is the true ,yay of escape from. unchristian superstition. To believe in Christ as the Son of God who has risen from the dead is the best security for intellectual sanity in religion.- W. F. .A. 1 Vers. 3-12.-Th~ murder of John the Baptist. This is introduced quite inciden- tally to account for the superstitious terror of Herod; but the story i; so graphic that we ~eem to be carried into the midst of the scene of dissipation and crime. It is a hideous picture, and its cl\ief lessons are of warning, and yet its gloom is not utterly unrelieved, for the portrait of the Baptist stands out in grand contrast to its vicious surroundings. I. 'l'IIE PROPHET'S FIDELITY. John the Baptist was a prophet of repentance. His was a difficult task, because he aimed at making it effective. It is easy to denounce sin in the general; no one will be affected. It is safe to accuse the weak of their wickedness; they cannot retaliate on their censor. Therefore the temptation is to take one or the other of these courses; but the first is useless, and the second mean and cowardly. 1. John denounced particular sins. He did so with the various classes who came to his baptism. 'l'he animus of Herodias' hatred springs from the fact that his shaft went home to one great o.nd shameful act of wickedness. 2. John fearlessly accused the great. He was not stern with the miserable outcast, and meek with the sinner in high places. Pharisees could rail at the weeping penitent and be silent about the sin of the harlot-queen. John preached to the court; but he was no court preacher. The faithful prophet must denouuctl the sins of princes as well as those of peasants. II. 'l'BE PRINCESS'S s.HAME. In the flush aud splendour of her youth, the highest- born maiden of the laud lowers herself to perform a disgraceful dance under the gloating gaze of a con~pany _of balf-?,r~ken men of pleasur~. T~e siu of the guilty mother is already bearing bitter fruit m the shame of her 1ll-tramed daughter. We a.re app~lled at the contr~st between the lofty character of the fait~ful propb.':t anJ. the miserable state of the pnncess on whose young soul the bloom of mnoceuce 1s so early destroyed. The ruin of natural modesty prepares for a more horrible evil-callousues~ 76 THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [on. xrv.1-30
in brutal crime. '.I.'hus the loss of the pure simplicity of maidenhood leads to the hardened heart of unwomanly cruelty. None are so cruel as the dissolute, III. THE QUEEN'e. VINDIOTIVENm!II. It was the king s sin that John denounced, for that was the first evil; and the prophet was a man, and one who dared to bring a vile deed home to its true author. But nalurally the queen feels the sting of the reproaoh most keenly. Then, instead of admitting its justice and humbling herself, she turns on the pre&Cher like an infuriated tigress. Her very ferocity shows that her conscience has been wounded. When people will not repent at the word of a faithful ad.monitor, they flame out in a rage against him as though he were their mortal enemy. If they did but see the truth they would own him as their best friend. IV. THE 1tnm's WICKED WEAKNESS. Herod himself had some respect for the pro- phet. He even kept him, as he might have kept an actor or a singer, to amuse his idle hours; or perhaps be was somewhat drawn to the serious teaching of John. Yet he weakly yielded to the bloodthirsty demand of the daughter of Herodiae. He was moved by two con ■iderations. I. His oath. But it was a gross error to suppose that his oath could be made to demand compliance with the savage request made to him under it, for the most awful oath cannot bind a man to do wrong. 2. His fear, He dreaded to be thought weak by his guests. In this he revealed the very weakness he want.eel to avoid. There is no cowardice so despicable as that which does wrong from fear of ridicule.-W. F. A.