Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-03
Witness of Jesus to John.

Central Truth The Baptist, like the
prophets, prepares the way for Christ.
The infamous Herod had shut up
John the Baptist in gloomy dungeon
in the castle of Machmrus, in the land
of Moab, hut he could not shut out the
report OF the wondrous works and words
of Jesus from his imprisoned friend and
forerunner. He "heard in the prison
the works OF Christ, and they OF course
excited the deepest interest in his mind.
How long John had been in prison
seems not to be definitely settled rob.
ably il was several months, possibly nm
entire year. The report about Jesus was
carried TO John by his own disciples,
who seem to have been allowed To have
access To him, and it Immediately led
to the inquiry as To the Messiahship OF
Jesus. To satisfy himself on this point,
John sent Immediately to Jesus himself,
with the inquiry, Art thou he that
should come ?' or. art thou the com.
ing one ?" We do not suppose that
John himself entertained any doubts of
the reality OF Christ's mission or his
person, but it doubtless would have been
a satisfaction to him to have had for.
nal announcement of the Messiah's
dignity, and perhaps he was naturally
impatient to have Jesus make such
declaration. He naturally desired TO
have his own mission as the herald OF
the Messiah fully accredited, and TO be
able to point TO his appearance in his
kingly dignity rs a triumphant yindlca'
ton Of his own preaching.
1t was not strange that the Baptist
should desire this. lie was prisoner
in a gloomy dungeon, suffering from the
reaction from his own enthusiastic and
impassioned testimony and labors IN
behalf of the coming Messiah perhaps
tempted to some feeling OF desertion and
sadness. aud longing to have his faith
strengthened and confirmed 10y a spe.
cial revelation from the Lord.
Johns disciples did his errand, and
repeated his inquiry TO Jesus. He re.
Piled by performing some OF those won.
derful miracles the fame OF which had
already filled the land with astoush.
ment and penetrated even into the
prison where John was confined. lie
then told the messengers to 90 back TO
their master, and report what they had
seen and heard. This was the best WAY
of answering Johns question. This was
the best proof and illustration which he
could offer Of his being really the prom
ised Messiah. Thus prophecy was ful.
filed. and satisfactory evidence furnish.
ed that the promised One had come.
The Lord also added r gentle rebuke to
his imprisoned friend for any want OF
faith which he had cherished, and a
caution 10 him TO trust the Messiah to
30 his own work in hi, own way, even
though his own ideas should be d:-ap.
pointed.
So the disciples OF John returned to
their master in prison TO strengthen and
confirm his faith and to comfort his
heart, and thus prepare him to meet
with becoming fortitude the bloody
doom which was 80 soon to oyertake
him.
Jesus then proceeds to bear his testi
mony TO Johns character IA his fore.
runner, paying to him in highly iigura
tive terms the highest testimony TO his
fidelity, his courage and his resolution.
He spoke TO the people and asked them
who and what this man was, to whose
stern and uncompromising words they
had 30 recently listened whether he
was not a man worthy of credence as a
preacher OF repentance, prophet wor.
thy of unlimited confidence; no weak,
vacillating. effeminate character, but a
bold. selfsacrificing, earnest man, fully
worthy to be the messenger of God and
the herald OF the Messiah.
lie pronounces John worthy Of re.
spect and obedience as the greatest OF
all the prophets Of the Old dispensation.
i r Al l.
cause OF his peculiar relation to Christ
inferior not in personal character, nor
in the success OF his appointed work,
but only as the Old dispensation was
inferior to the New. and they who are
sons are greater than those who are
servants, or, as an old commentator puts
it, "the least Of the greatest is greater
/. e., more privileged-than the greatest
Of the least"
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/. A faithful Christian must expect
persecution for his Masters sake.
IL may come in chains, or il may
come in martyrJom, or il may come in
sneers or reproaches, or social ostracism,
or loss Of the worlds favor, but the glo.
rious promise remains sure to all mar.
tyrs. "Be thou faithful unto death and
Twill give thee a crown of life"
2. To be n consistent Christian in the
midst Of fashionable and worldly society
in modern times may require rs truly
the martyr spirit as under the coarser
persecution which in old times and rude
ages sent its victims to the dungeon or
the block.
The spirit Of John Baptist still lives
in every faithful, self.denying disciple.
3. Christianity il sufficiently attested
by what il has done for the world.
It has brought sight to the spiritually
blind, healing TO the sick soul, cleansing
TO the leprous conscience, soundness to
the halting moral cripple, heavenly