And so I suggest to you that here was another chance for Herod. The issue that arose on the night of his infamous birthday celebrations arises again. It is true that Herod who faces the issue this time is not the same man. "It is a much weakened Herod. His earlier abdication was a surrender of his manhood. His moral sap was weakened. But can you doubt that, while the voice of conscience can make itself heard, however faintly, there hope.' Hag he even then, with the murder stains on his hands, fallen at the feet of Christ, can we question that he would have found abundant forgiveness? There _is no evidence or indication that he grasped this new opportunity. Te all appearance the voice of conscience! went unheeded. All that we know] of him after this shows him as a shallow, frivolous buffoon—a not unusual result in the case of men who have accefited moral defeat.
In a way we might say that the issue arose a third time, for as irony would have it, Herbd was one of the judges of Jesus. He was governor '0f Galilee and Pilate, looking for any loophole by which he might escape the dread responsibility of condemning Jesus, availed himself of that fact. When that Jesus Him to Herod. But there evidences of any moral struggle was past. Herod seemed utterly oblivious of the momentous issues that were being decided. He hoped that he might see some miracle. He wanted to see some con-fung trick. Could' vulgarization go further? For ourselves, shall we not take warning? In the physical realm, the function of pain is to give warning that something is wrong. Often, if it is heeded a cure is possible. In the spiritual realm, the prickings and tortures of conscience are intended to lead us to reentanee. And while its voice can be heard, there is hope. "To-day ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.