The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-01-05

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ly signified members of the tribe of
Judah, but after captivity used to de-
scribe the nation. John uses it seven
ty times to describe the theocracy in
opposition to Christ's claim.-Ibid.
Record: Witness (martyr). John
writing later, lets the shadow of his
knowledge of the malignity fall back
upon his narratiye-Camb. Bid
What then? The five questions of
the priests represent a descending
climax (the Messiah, Elijah, an anon
ymous prophet, why baptizeth
thou?; the short, laconic answers of
the Baptist, in striking contrast, Iare
rising from negation to affirmation.
and turn the attention away from
himself and towards Christ. Schaff
Lange. And he saith: Replies grow
lnIabruptness.: / am not the Christ"
Il am not" "Nor-Camb. Bid. Of
the Pharises: Sect most opposed to
Christ.-Ibid. Hostile to innovations.
New Century. John: Preacher of
singular character, great power
Abbot. Young preacher of singular
individuality and force; virile, terri
BILE, untamable; all the harshness and
grandeur OF the desert had ,entered
his blood.-Dawson. Behold the
Lamb; Reference is to the paschal
lamb, typical sacrifice; also to the
meekness and gentleness of Jesus
New Century. After me: In order of
manifestation. Before In point of
dignity Ibid. Witness: This verse
gives the resultant testimony which
1t has been the great object of the
Baptists ministry to bear
The Teach er's Lantern.
Who art thou?' The challenge is
not to one, but to all The call is to
Standardization, the assertion of
selfhood. Who are you? What do
you stand for? Your ideal of life?
One question answers another.
The marked tendency of the dav.
especially in organized industry, and
social, and even Church life, is to the
destruction of individuality. Men
become machines. The social organi-
cation becomes a Observation-Disclosures
automatic. The conservation of in
diyidualism is the persistent problem
of current life.
Il am not worthy" That presents
the rugged prophet from new angle.
The rabbits taught that the one thing
too servile for the son of prophet to
do for his master was to unloose his
sandals. He must leaye that for some
scullion. But John declares himself
not worthy to perform even that men
ial Office for the Messiah. This blend
ing of modestY with conscious power
is fascinating trait in many historic
characters.
Nazaritisn was the antipode to ex-
IRENE self-indulgence. 1t was no
golden mean. By its extreme auster-
ity it was designed to accentuate the
wanton luxury of the day. 1t was
not an ideal of life obligatory on all.
A pretty world this, if Nazaritism
were universal
Our modern temperance societies
are Christian Nazaritism. They are
moral enterprise, aiming to raise
the public practice to a standard of
temperance by exhibiting an absti-
nence from even an otherwise inno-
cent measure of indulgence.
There is no evidence that the Bap-
tisJ ever went near the temple. He
makes no allusion to existing forms
except to reveal their emptiness. He
asserts the impossibility of religious
life apart from an ethical one. The
repentance which will not share its
abundance of coats with naked
brother is OF no account in Johns eye.
With John there is passing of an
old idea that the kingdom of heaven
is deposit, which is simply to be re-
ceived into waiting hearts The king
dom is spiritual and human work,
which with infinite pain and inces-
SAINT toll is to be carried to consumma
ton. Up to Johns day the kingdom
was matter of expectation. but from
his day onward the kingdom is taken,
not received, and in the taking there
is such moral earnestness as to have
the appearance of violence.
The prophecy of Isaiah was the
textbook of the Baptist. He had o
use for Leviticus, with its infinite GER
emonial, nor yet for Joshua, with it's
martial conquests, but Isaiah's vision
of the spirituality of God and his call
to service was his meat and drink.