The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-08

| BY Rev. j. e. Gilbert, D. D., Secretary Of
| ~>~~~>~~>~
| @ CUNNECrlON.--Aft the incident Of
Jesus In the temple studied last week.
eighteen years were passed In obscuriey
IN the home at Nazareth. No one can
lfteil, although surmislngs have been many.
the nsprea psnman IL vas nui fen enos
not wish to know what trasplred. The
sacred cbd 'e wa has ssat 70 rs oh her
wisuom, stntuF19 and favor, The laws Of Of
growh were 1seyed + tns Il ea nosd as
period Of retirement and re1ectlon during II,
which one may know himself nhd Gonsld;
err the great pro6ess - hn str,et dsei
pine common In those days IN JeW il,a
Scriptures as did every BOY. attending, + the
the ago for introduction to tho priesthood,
j esus was to begin His career =, -.
rUAUHUNNER Oversees !, ., Sl-ihio
on eosin SIX menthy his senor known
afterwards as John tho Baptist VINO CAME
az q refornler. He selected the county
about Jordan, where he preached with 1er-
vor. His theme was repentance, the same
=.
np1ark 1859 His call was for n change
Of I,fe .e breaking away from sin, q
turning to God. He assigned rs 2 an reaiH;G }n
tor such chAnge IN NE mino ahu ,,, ~
long promised dan. II. AZ. and grea Ky Ky
desired by the people. Was at hand. no
argument -c6ild have been more effective
tho centuries from the captivity onward
as as the tn restoration q tic Kingdom az i
was under David. subje9tion 70 ,d t0,re, g.
from which ali desired relief. Hence John
tlanEs Moreover his appeara!n7e;e, iva. {, !,
i ia iu stress lisa % &is5 lie eShorted men
for the HaSs 1t FIBRE Of IS
spirit and work than by their manners ,
Most of them adopted an apstere ,h IIde.
whether by choice or suit . eo, 70 ongir
4, u whose S Service they were, does not
matter. That style. Of living, probably
gave them influence among the people
who held them with peculiar l leVef r tis.
Old 'lestament prophets, adopted Inc
habit Of the men 81 H!s class ave1 liy ~ raa
as the garb Of q prophet Czech CHI, .xI:a3
| In this respect he resembled Elijah ana
fulfilled prophecy. tMal. lV;5) a lea ~.
grds held the gada-e Wd IN h plase tho
| former being not the pods Of the locust
treo, as some thought, but form OF
animal We eaten IN al paris ART 81 ho lns was
Wild honey, stored In trunks Of trees IN
CUNVERTs -(verses s and SIT is as
s snu qooNin aohh rh sa peepe
lem In great numpers, from the province
Of Judea in great crowds. and IN - masses tyoE'
from the sm n,,nay cr mag and gnor
a dne city aad i his aldlence This might
hay nave b been cen expected. The theme; the he
ilace. the style, OF the man, az teh9 35ar IL
I:o.) Doubtless many hailed with TIL re 1on.
ing the appearance Of q new propnet,., nN ss
having been raised up Ter 1our e God vas
It was taken so as p rood In the nation
ap oreov 90 t f6e ammo Of Messiahs
coming and the coll TOR q peter u the
would awaken the syRIaenil ui in every
| Community, The hearers became con.
! verts. They confessed and forsook th rh,'
sins. They were baptized N JoInan u NY
! what mode the theologians descrlnsl; ta ~
! thus they formed a conGrega tien. WIZ; .te
| foremost preacher of the time as spirit
Ia. head (Mntt. IX:l4) -
REPpxslydsrffss m, aha = in '
derness-that Is in the rural SECTIONS ions e o,
Judea, Two motives may " ha 1s, tM,1ut to he
sra ne i from aii alliance with the hierarchy.
| then intolerant and worldly. yet near
enough to Influence the nation,a {, !, hp hjs
! Vast crowds were attracted to MN ~ Its
nreaching. The Pharsees and the SAD
ducees the two rival sects. Sent Iep rni-
Th Mos aqc rtua Tehe
priding themselves on, their piety: s,,ha
1 latter were materiallsts, seeking TO SIP too2
state pSI!cgoRhsa TRess men, no.
| mat IN heated discussion, stood to near
greet fS 81 he bodneas
a lnsrs The ,'e Who had divided Tho nation
into factions and had been d ~ echanr 1e
gaining folloWers were e HiTged rebuke was
mover mover before. administered to the pubic '
n5;ES TtS 70
hess and cal! to h9iy Y Yfi1 egio,s Of the
ehuEch We're ha ana' revealInE national SCI
eTet upgTnh HE eAs Jews were q
Abraham They were prouo % snHt they He:
sso a is fA shemseives q
Kind as dogs. TO them blood s was eyer syeryytt
teln mssluta II those nsnsltatens whose eu5
ward observance distinguished tnem ~, iT ~
E.5peS ne 81 III HE ss sSS e aa
i matters were retained, as mement0es , o.
an early day and marks q slpey ere i ins
puro and their hearts improper. 80 Jo M
ANNOUNCES that they mgs II Hot !of e raise
SSg g tb nSYs aPs siHRis h Eft sai0'''
JUDGMENT.-Verse 1o( John say
what the public men oI nls t tmni b J
ness nos That tie divine patience towarfd
The Jewish nation was well;nlgh AJAX sXh9f pom
thhe time OF tie exodus, they had been q
nessd and rF Fsb ELL sent Pe upto them
prnnhefs Who had taught and entreated
pnd Warned eremiah W: but thy
had dsregarded the voice Of t Aed W Me1y
Imm na NaW The iii axe Was lad at tho rect
t trees m reasy Came GO % gSsSs
m m.rs1 and Institution that does not bring
ferth rshteo shall BE- he yro d Ssye
i from Worthless bushes, The same moae