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النشر الإلكتروني

2

The Dance of Salome

BY GEORGES ROCHEGROSSE, A RECENT FRENCH MASTER.

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"But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod."— Matthew, 14, 6.

W

HETHER the words and the message of Jesus

ever reached John, we do not know. The time was come for the ending of the earthly life of the Forerunner. He had been kept eleven months in King Herod's prison, for having boldly protested against the king's latest marriage. Herod was not at heart unfriendly to John; he was impressed by the prophet's power, and listened with interest and even awe to his predictions. Moreover in speaking against Herod's marriage, John only spake as all other Jews. It had been a peculiarly offensive affair. Without troubling to get a divorce from his own wife, Herod had announced himself wedded to Herodias, the wife of his brother, the brother being also living.

John having been loudest in protest against this shame had been arrested merely as a scapegoat, to terrify the others; and Herod continued to converse amicably with his prisoner. The woman, Herodias, hated John and urged that he should be slain; but the king put her wish aside. Then one day, at the close of a drunken feast, there came before the king and the other revellers, Salome, a daughter of Herodias. She danced before the men, a wild, alluring, fascinating dance, which so stirred Herod that he swore in drunken folly she should have any gift she asked, even to the half of

his kingdom.

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LUKE VI-THE TREE AND THE FRUIT

1611

your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

46¶ And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth nct, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Chapter 7

1 Christ findeth a greater faith in the centurion, a Gentile, than in any of the Jews: 10 healeth his servant being absent: 11 raiseth from death the widow's son at Nain: 19 answereth John's messengers with the declaration of his miracles: 24 testifieth to the people what opinion he held of John: 30 inveigheth against the Jews, who with neither the manners of John nor of Jesus could be won, 36 and sheweth by occasion of Mary Magdalene, how he is a friend to sinners, not to maintain them in sins, but to forgive them their sins, upon their faith and repentance.

JOW when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people he entered into Capernaum.

2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:

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