Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-02-10

hhN iNhSuthH VI ""hh Wv ''fN'''
LUXE lis
Golden Text-Luko :. Memory verses i5-l7.
Critical No.es.-The Gospel histories
now pass over long period. The date
here is given(ys. |, y with great Partlc.
ularity. but this does not help the stu.
dent to perfect chronological accuracy.
Tlberius succeeded his father Augustus
Caesar A. d. II. Fourteen years added
brings us to A. ID. %, at which time
Christ would be, according to the cor.
rected standard, nearly thirty two years
old. But TIberius became Associate
Emperor two years before, so that os.
sibly Luke reckoned from that date.
This would bring Johns ministry to 26
A. d., which is not generally received.
The scene of this ministry WAS the
thickly peopled district surrounding
HE native place in the hilly country Of
ludea, extending westward TO the
shores of the Dead Sea, and northward
Tor some distance along the banks Of
the river Jordan. The three leading
points of Johns ministry as stated here
are: first, his stern and fearless denun.
citation of sin and call to repentance
second, his enforcement OF the duties
of practical religion third, his an.
nouncement OF the approaching minis.
try of Christ. Crowds gathered To listen
to the bold preacher, but he did not
seek their attention and applause 10y
any of the arts of oratory. According
to Matthew his chief rebukes were ad.
dressed to the Pharisees and Saddu
Gees while the converts came principal
ly from the common people. "NIpers"
a. - nf oh L.
than contempt, in alluson to the poi.
sonous moral influence of both these
proud and influential Jewish sects.
Wrath to come this seems to de.
note the terrors of future Judgment,
not penalties to be imposed in this lite,
as from battles, invasIous, pestllence,
etc. V. is strong blow at the pride
of caste and race. V. .. II may bv
inferred from this that both John and
his hearers looked upon the future
judgment as near at at hand. i there
any difficulty in this? We think not.
To John the judgment of al! things
may have seemed imminent. To him
the Son of Man was already Sovereign
Lord of all things-he did not see the
intervening humiliation aud death, but
only the glory and kingship OF the Mes.
siah. vs.. 10, IL. We see here not only
the inculcation of benevoence, but
also, as it appears to us, something Of
that entire pre-occupation of Johns
mind with the coming of the new dis
pensation, which made the acquisition
of property seem to him very second.
ary matter. In one sense John was
certainly an adventist, and, If he ex.
pected that the judgment was TO be
forthwith inaugurated he was no more
mistaken than many Christians have
been from the earliest apostolic days
until now. In truth, one grand
principle OF Christianity IS the suborli.
nation of the present to the future-a
willingness to be dispossessed of every.
thing IN the expectation OF the coming
blessing. Acts . 81, IS, 1876 PuiI.
3:S. VS.. II, -. John here hits the
besetting sin of this class-the Jewish
underlings or assistants Of the wealthy
Roman publicans or Revenue farmers--
infamous for exaction and robbery In
the name OF law. From V. II we infer
that the soldlery were quarrelsOme
and discontented class. Whether they
were Romans or Jews we have no means
OF Judging. V. -. This shows the
ripeness of the popular mind tor the
preaching OF Christ's advent. W. 10
Is refer to parallel accounts in Matt. 3 (:
IL, Il; Mark =, 3; John %, p.
Johns knowledge OF Christ was proba.
bly, derived, in the first place, from his
father and mother-ZAcharias and ElIz.
abeth-whose instructions mast have
greatly Influenced him. lie was also,
doubtless, the subject OF direct nspira.
ton. John 1926 Acts > IA
DoctriHdl and practical infsTcnrcs.--
]. Repentance first condition OF &C.
ceptance with God. ,. The future
judgment n certainty, demanded by
highest considerations of equity. and
foretold explicitly by Gods word. 3. The
more sinful and licentious the age the
more stern, fearless and practical the
preaching required. (. True repent.
ance is followed by corresponding fruits
in life and conduct. 5. Religious habits
and training are proof OF conversion or
the new birth. G. Covetousness. the
first special sin denounced. ia one Of the
hardest to overcome. 7. Cheerful be.
nevolence is one OF the brightest evi.
dences of Christian principle. 8. Just.
ice as between man and man a require.
ment of the Christian religion. Q. Peac
able living and contentment OF spirit
an indispensable feature OF Christian
character. 10. The reign Of Christ in
the heart is the crowning feature OF the
Christian life. II. a faithful preacher
no less than faithful Christian in every
walk of life, does not covet eminence
for its own sake, and Is willing to sink
into obscurity il Christ can be magni.
fed thereby.
ANSWER To PRATEH.--A religious Jour.
nal oives a new illustration of n direct