Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24
ST, John tbe Baptist. .


FOR say unto you Among those that born
Of women. there is not greater prophet than
John the Baptist: he that is least In the king
dom Of God IS greater than est. Luke, Fil;2s-
Today is kept as the anniversary of the
birth OF 81, John the Baptist, of whom our
Blessed Lord spoke the above words
Such words must arrest our attention
because they are very strong words, and
more. They are the words of the Eternal
Son OF God. Who knew that what He said
was absolutely true.
II one of us should utter such words
about another. they would declare our love,
admiration and esteem for such an one.
In US, however, they might be said to be
an exaggeration, the outburst of our enthu-
siasuc opinion of, perhaps noble char
acter; others would say that our love
blinded US to our friends defects; or, If
not this, yet that our knowledge was limi-
ted, and thus. that our language was not
that of a superative after universal sur
vey Of the characters of the great men
of the worlds history. In other words
that such an affirmation was not uttered
by one y no had compared, or was capable
of comparing. all men.
But none of these objections can be urged
against the words of our Blessed Lord.
He had known the characters OF all the
men OF the world. from Adam to that day
upon which he spoke the above words.
His announcement and estimate concern
ing St John the Baptist was founded upon
a comparative Judgment. His words, there
fore, express an absolute fact.
Wherefore they must arrest our atten-
ton in order to understand for our own
enlightenment what God would wish TO
see In US, and how we. too, may call forth
such words of commentator from Him
whose commentator Is of eternal inter
est to
What then were the great characters
tics of St. John the Bantist7
An especial prayer for this feast OF the
nativity of St. John the Baptist expresses
them quite fully. Let me repeat it to
you.
Almighty God, by whose providence Thy
Servant John, Baptist, was wonderfully
born. and sent to prepare the way of Thy
Son. our Savior. by preaching repentance;
make US SO to follow his doctrine and holy
Life that we may truly repent according
70 his preaching; and after his example
Constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke
Yice and patiently suffer for the truths
cake; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Here the words And after his example
Constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke
Sice. and patiently suffer for the truths
lake" express to us predominant charac-
terlstics OF this great herald of Christ
Neariessness. and forgetfulness OF selD.
And these are characteristics which are
eorely needed everywhere today.
In the business world nothing would so
permanently establish prosperity and pro-
mote the welfare OF all people as that con-
1dence which alone comes from a high
standard OF truth-thinking. truth-speaking
and truth-acting, one with another; abso-
lutte trust in the sincerity and simple hon
Asty OF another with whom one has to
deal, Is the soul OF trade. and this the
world lacks IN a great measure today AS
is evidenced by the chronic states of doubt
and disbelief of one toward another, we
must see and count for ourselves all goods
shipped to US in the presence OF q repres-
entative OF him who shipped them to us,
for fear we may be deceived and cheated
and not get Just what was promised. or
what we bought.
Written and signed contracts must now
be made with nearly everybody II one
wants to deal with another. These con-
tracts must read just No one takes
another's spoken word. but only his writ
ten, Witnessed and signed contract. and then
must see that the contract is faithfully full
filled
All such things and many more si,nlla.
In the worlds commerce show today how
little one can trust another: how little
ST. John the Baptist's example of con-
stantly thinking. speaking and acting truth