Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-08-11

IN tue buhNGl narrative tnUANlNlNA
the life Of John the Baptist II IS stated
that John on one occasion sent two o
his disciples to Jesus TO ask Him the
question; "Art lhouhc that should come
or look we for another" Upon this
text some have formed the opinion thai
the mind Of John the Baptist had De-
come darkened, so much SO that he did
not know that Jesus was the Christ
The writer differs from this view and
begs to submit some Of bis reasons Tot
so doing.
In the first place the parents Of John
were both righteous before God. II
was announced to them by an angel
that they should have a son, in answer
to their prayers, and that this son should
be filled with the Holy Ghost from the
first moment Of his existence.
When John was old enough to leave
his parents, he went into the desert and
remained there under the tuition OF
those angelic beings whose mission IL
was to instruct him In all the divine
mysteries OF the kingdom Of heaven
until the full time had come for him to
70 forth among the people and then
the word OF the Lord came unto him
In the wilderness that he was TO COM
mence his mission saying. Repent ye,
for the kingdom OF heaven Is at hand,
preaching the baptism Of repentance for
the remission OF sins. and so powerful
and attractive was his preaching that
there went out 10 him all the regions
round about Jordan and were baptized
by him, conicssing their SINS lie IN.
formed the people that another man
would follow him, much more mighty
than he, who would baptizc them with
the Holy Ghost Soon after this, Jesus
presented himself among the multitude
as candidate for baptism, but John
said, 81 have more need to be baptized
Of thee, and contest thou 10 me, and
lcsus said, Suffer II to be so now, for
thus II becometh Us TO fulfill all right
cousness" Although John knew Jesus
before his baptism, yet there renamed
another and more powerful testimony
for HIM, one with which he had been
made acquainted while IN the wilderness
viz, that when he should bapugc the
Son OF God he should see the Holy
Ghost descending from heaven and rest
ing upon Him like u dove, so that no
mistake might occur, for John had al
ready baptized many men, and there
was no external difference between Jesus
and others. Therefore Il was absolutely
necessary that John should have the
means OF knowing him beyond the pos.
sibiity OF doubt. Aud John bear
record saying, II saw the spirit descend |
iug like a dove and Il abode upon |
Him."
The Pharisces on one occasion asked
John why he baptized, Il he was not the
Christ. lie answered them saying:
There standeth one among YOU whom
ye know not, lie II Is who, coming alter
me, is preferred before me. The next
DAY John seeth Jesus coming 10 hlm,and
saith, behold the Lamb OF God. which
taketh away the Sins Of the world.
knew lie should be made manifest to
Israel, therefore am ! come DaptiEing
with water"
Now II is evident that at this time
the mission OF John was nearing is
close. Il Is also evident that Jesus did
not connect his ministerial laburs with
those OF John, ior the evangelist makes
the statement that Jesus was baptzlng
Al Enon near Salcm,' aud some person
brought the information to John. HIS
reply was: "He must increase, but /
must decrease" lie evidently knew
that his mission was soon TO end
Soon after this Hcfod laid hold on
John and cast him into prison. NOW
It was told John In the prison the works
that Christ did, aud he sent two Of his
disciples Saying: 'Au thou he that
should come OF look We Tor auothcrY'
The question arises here Who was
Johns first informant Who was ID that
told John Ia the prison the work which
Christ didi And why did not John ac,
cept the testimony OF the hrsi' Why
should John, after all the evidence be
had received, be under the necessity OF
sending his disciples to Jesus to ask the
above questons9 Il is not probable that
John Had lost the knowledge he
had received from Almighty God con.
corning Jesus being the Christ The
most reasonable conclusion the writer
eau arrive at, Is that those men whom
John sent to Jesus to ask this question
we some OF his new converts, which
he had made just previous to his being
cast into prison, These might be men
who had had an acquaintance with
Jesus, who had seen no miracle wrought
FOR John did no miracle John knew
that his earthly mission was terminal.
ing and Ia order to save his new cun-
vells from doubt and DISAPPOINTMENT
and probably apostasy sent them 10
Jesus Ia order that they might be brue-
htted by the information sought
II John could not know from all the
evidence he previously had received
how could he accept the statement ui
these disciples ON such am important
natter Aud II these men did not have
testimony stronger than that indica.
ted In the text Wa, tina, Of seeing
miracles. wrought. then the whole
multitude present no the time had the
same testimony aud the recital OF what
they had seen could not be con.
elusive 10 John The mere fact that
these two men had seen q supernatural
phenomenon, could be Of but little ser. |
vice To John II Il Is admitted that
John sent those men to obtain in.uma-
lion for himself il is admitted also that /
AN the heavenly light he had received I
all the spirit and power of Elias which I
he formerly possessed must have become
as illCkeung wick ready to be rNm.
guIshed 10y the shghIgat gust
Should something have happened ly
which those disciples could MOI have .G-
turned TO John to impau the resultui
their visit To Christ then John must
nave died without knowing whether
Jesus was the Christ or not. and hs
condition would have been much moro
hopeless thln the diving mlIuiaolor
WHO, while Jesus was dying ly hH .Iu..
addressed i.m a5 Lore, and requested
10 ,hc remembered when Jesus should
come .u HIS Nugdam luUhumar. |
IOnu should have died U.IfHDUf la Xmas. ID.