The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-15

III lNTRODUCTION.--F six months
John pursued his ministry at the Jordan.
The crowds who came went away to
lcneat this message. So tho tidinEs were
carried far and wide. and the popularl-
fiy of the preacher increased. ~ mGst
Ealutary influence was eAefted ny MN I'm
upon the public life. Sinners forsook the
$rvil of their way and began to conduct
themselves in accordance with tho etMcal
teachings of Moses. righteousness De,
came the watchword Of inc ,a hour. vV ahn
u all this reform there spread. the udinss'
s,rile kingdom is at hand. The Messiah,
fol. whom Israel has existed, Tor whose
!. was near. Expectation ran high among
jSthe masses, who believed that their trou,
rles would end, and fear was awnkcHssn
y among the rulers, who knew that their
DAVIS were numbered. Ten came Jesus
from Ciulilec to be baptized by John.
i ljltpUo E.--(pe rses I3. Ia. 15.) BY some
mysterious influence. not made known,
John recognized his illuslrlous VISITOR anu
the ordinance, claiming that he should
receive what he was asked to give. But
lesus urged and John consented. why
This request? It was not by confession
~. 1t has been judged mat the intention
was to honor John and The rite, and TO
establish relations between the reformef
and the Messiah, or 10 put s'le slniess
one In the sinners place. Jesus gives
reason. ] was to fulfill all righteousness.
All priests in the Jewish church were
lnducted to office by baptism eek. &Xlv:
p, and inaslnuch as Christ was Il priest
tHel, v:6) it was proper that He should
submit TO this ceremonial n formal right
BUSINESS of great importance AZ ne begin
MIN, of his career. Had not TINS Dcen
done there would have been defect IN
the title of Jesus, which would have been
an obstacle TO his mission among the
Jews.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES S g 5t and ia w5S T af
tanned. The hatufc' and Character of Je-
stls were attested by striking prenomtsena
as He came up out 81 the water. liie
emblem OF purity and genteness., de-
seconded and lighted upon Him, visible
borl, TO Jesus and John. at the same
limo a voice from heaven declared, ms
p.cused. the form of tie sentence md,
rarlnE its source. Tho descending spirit
was seen but once in The life Of Jesus,
because it remained with him. But me
Voice uttcring the same thing, was heard
several times afterward. Q.nke iX:3s)
Jierc@were two Messianc predictions fll-
8flled-the gift of the spirit as an aplulrG
presence qsa xi;2) and ne acknoW We g1d
Testament (Psa, i:D, and the sMDllmeSt
truth of the New Testament. q I'm, ~:
5lG.) After such heavenly testimony Jonn
was able to stand as a herald TO MS
generation. and fulfilled his mission IN
declaring that the Christ had actually
como,
HGNGER-(yerses l4,2, o. A. lm tune,
forth to meet Satan. At the outset OF inc
race it had been proved that mere man
might fan; Can the Goldman resist tenn lem
,ation? The test was TO be made IN three
ways. dHeb, iv:l5). Tho first was on the
nlane OF the body where Eve broke down,
lGen. ill2) After forty Gays last '
Jesus was urged TO supply his hunger by
a miracle "A cunning suggestion TO use
Divine power. Why not follow this hint!
If for no other reason because satan OF,
10 the will Of God. and any dep arture
from that will bring disaster. Besides,
inc physical life, of Christ was appointed
af other men, (rhil. no, Had his body
been systematically supported no would
not have known intrmities. q. John l:L.
Moreover, the interests Of the soul are
paramount, and the mortliication OF the
body Is sometimes necessary. With one
worse. Of Scripture quoted from Moses
POPULARITY--( Neraes 8, 6 - The
next attack wy on a more elevated
plane; Understanding the mission OF
popular favor By one leap from the
lower OF The temple. borne nnhurt by
Descending to the. earth the populace
woul,. hasten 10 do him homage as a
Divine beng. But this, was rejected "A
definite plan had been laid down for IN,
life of Jesus from which ho must not
depart. There were 10 be years Of teach
Ing and service. sometimes with opposl
lion GIlikc ili,:3l), sometimes with popu
jarity. That earthly career must end II
tragedy, for so had the prophets toretolt
lisa, lil:5}, and 80 was atQnement to b'
made. The Son of God must not yieir
this foreordained ministry and sacri.ices
whose far-reaching results were 70 Y,
SOME other method might, quickly con
vince the world OF his divinity JeSu
Told Satan this, quoting another Scrip
lure. and administering a severe reblk
3 for having taken one text alone to sup
port h specious proposition.
romplishcd nothing in the last encounter
although he came with scripture on ~
3Eilps One more, q final attempt, he de
& tgrmIncd to make. BY some subtle IN
jfiience he causes our L9rl mind 70 e
hold as from some lofty mountain all N
Kingdoms of the earth. What compre
\ iienajYe and Inspiring view, sweeping \
4 iii points Of the compass, over the right
q SJti) poasesHions OF the Lord Jesus I'salN
, l.lul now ullenl1ed fIOm MIN tNrOukN Sin