The St. Louis Republic., 1905-12-25

L
ooe Has Foessooaee - ~ xeW
Eso - 000aa1ay.
mixing for his sext ''Tne veed q Co
! Brennan. at 6. Marks E1sco0ol Chuseh
moenine. said In part:
IN ss' Reosss s.sS 'Ss e:
stern. sad life of John the Baptist. He
becomes the fogerunner Of s.e new en-
III. % .noaia s. .he &c: case. e1ss Tne s,d q .se1s @
view Of life held BY the prophets b moi
abroeated by the more gracious message
Jss.. q; Tss: =. Ss ,se
heart is sternly cieansed from It's impurity
is !! ut for the gracious presence Of the
Christ-chtld.
| PIE Of repentance before she puts On the
| evergreen Of j0y. John the Baptist Vas Z
| reclase. He lived and grew up IN the
+: s, e 's ss.' ,ss sss'fsss fS1 q
dreams. the uttlenesecs OF lfe passet him
BY. There In the desert he became masseE
Of himself. A ceaioate ana q rectuoe. h1s
great thought Was borne In upon him. we
know not how. He was 70 Be the fcserun-
ner Of another; This other was to BE the
I'VE ask in vain the how Of such lives
as that Of John the Baptist. God lends
them At the historical moment to fulnll
his plan. The great inventor. the great
He sticks to his task through discourage
ment. through deprivation, through suner-
ing and imprisonment. even unto Ieatn.
He does not fully understand himself. HIS
truth makes him its slave. II drives him
on. Often to martyrdom. The ending 0f
many of thefe great lives ts tragic In the
extreme. Their life goes out In gloom AMI
failures. But the world builds their mon
uments and weeps tears OF repentance over
their graves. The life Of John the Baptist
- one of these tragic lives. ~.
breaches repentance 70 ever larger crowGs.
The people understand him thoroughly. He
is the type Of Amos and Elijah and lfetah.
back to life. The world knows the frtvoli-
~ and emptiness Of its everyday exist
-nce. It scorns itself. even while II o6eys
the voice Of fashion and society, When en-
sin IL listens gladly. II may hate the prac-
;ical path Of reformation. but IL knows its
Own heart needs the cleansing. Thus tho
an % immen.e s success. Crowds surrounded
him, crowds hailesl him ~ . prophet sent
from God. Here vas 2 test under when
many great men have fallen The test ..
popularity. The temptation vas to make
himself the center Of interest instead OF
that mysterious other.
but he VAS true to his vision. True 70
his % fa%s. .nn ri hts Is fuii:sicom glory and laid
il at Jesus's feet. How many men are
a. brave. as seif-renOunCtng as he! When
glory. when fame. when popularity come
dedicate them to Ms service: Are we
willing to say IN very truth. Thine = the
Kingdom and the power and the glory !:
influence ss from God. to be used accord
ing 10 his gill: Another test OF the true
srcainess of John came when he was
summoned before & HsrSi An.ipss; .I st.. hs5o@ no,
os evil lives like to have the approval 0f
good men as long n does not cost
repentance. H:rod "a. living With He
self had a wife living. II Vas 2 case Of
double adultery. Had John chosen to
keep silent he would have had powerful
fr:.cs Ts u S.aSsns. sns S;nfk fk.m mean. to max.
sa,si enemy. John denoancrd the union
TO the Kings face ss sinful. He vas cast
into prison: Ultimately; the fusI Of 90 =
and &C.: IT, Here. then. VAS an act Q: the
highest moral courage. II Is easy to sup
port goodness when Il costs nothing. II Il
is in prosperity aud no one attacks him:
Even Judas MAS friendly with Jesus while
he had no other foes. The test Of friend
sacRei. I % Our ;idsliiy to riehtecHsncs. is
tested when evil sits in the place OF power
and We are offered the choice II It's friend
ship y we e"ndons II o. y: enmi;y II We
character. fidelity to his message above
life itself. The world knows nO higher
hercism. Il brought from the Masters
those horn II woman there has not risen
"a er.ater than John :he Baptist:
''Thus far the life Of John the Raptiet
stands Gu a PEDESTAL almost too aussereiy
ever. makes him akin 10 us ali. There. in
prison. cut OF from activity. cut c6 from
appreciation O. friends; he hcGsn :" doubt
eoac through the same experience In sone
tragic. foriorn hour: You have fought
brave nght you have made your little
stand f.. n, ,ss truth and ..r! rsh' and ye;
unhees3ing: You seem So small an atom IN
the great purr~es Of God: He seems -
ahl" I" d. his work without YOU: So
only 'o know that your little Gift cf self
sacrifice IL worthy 10 Law at his feet: An.
only to feel that your little de.-i Of duty
waves. How splsndidIy reassurine must
have t.een the message 81 Christ 10 his
scu.: He could die bravely now. knowing
;ha, the sscrifc: Was :urremely worth
any sacrtnc" ~ self. however humble.
Christ -enfs the reaeeuFine message. ! and
nav Cross arr the highest meaning OF the
universe; ,si your .ieed . h.: made you part Of
..i>t the Chri.tmas bells ring out their
glad message cf new hope and new Joy
90 weary world: Ru, 10; us remember
grow In our hearts ne must purge our
souls ~ the idols o: self as did Of old
she r.Shty forerunner q the Prince cf
Peace
through him we're not waverine outlines.
or blurred glasses Cod Nas VCuY~Sa into