The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1910-04-16

senger preparing the way for the Mes
siah, He did not add, And | am that
Messiah 1t was not necessary. 1t
was plain. The crowd knew.
VS. H. This is singular verse.
What made John as great as the
greatest man ever born? His mes.
sage.
God honorcd him by making him
the first bearer OF the greatest mes
sage the world ever heard. There
can be only one first to do thing
John was that first
Nevertheless he was less than the
least disciple i'll the Kingdom of Hea-
ven. why:
He was not one of the servants of
that Kingdom He was not in that
Kingdom. He belonged to the past.
He was the last OF the Old Testament
regime 1t ended when he had intro
duccd the Christ to the world.
VS.. II, This is the fgurativc way in
which Jesus describes the conditions
then existing. Men had grown weary
OF the teaching OF the Scrlbes. 1t was
dry AS dust There was no lie in IL.
1t was all about pots and pans and
washings, and icasts and fasts, ard
qulps -. quibbics, and religious non
sense in general 1t was like some of
the preaching IN our day.
John came. lie cried. Stop steal
ing, stop quarreing; be content WITH
wnat you earn. Don't live with other
men wives. 1t started the country.
The crowd ran to hear, even as VIC
torious army passes into bel, agurcd
city. And the crowd did not abate
when Jesus came. ''llc taught as one
having authority and not as the
Scribcs.' Men were rushing into the
kn2aomoi Heaven. AS III the last
lesson, SO here is evidence that there
were multitudes oi disciples oi whom
we never heard the names
Nss. 1915 l he Old Testament .lsSf=
cd until John. With bin. hi.s,-'iitt'' ended.
For ne : Elijah who prophecy said
Wild return before Messiah came
llearken; men. Listen. tie was Eli
jah. am the Christ
BY no means Jail. oh teacher to get
the iulI import oi this. We're there
nothing else IN the sayings OF jesus,
this is his own CAIN to MHssilhship
Nss. 1910. These verses have been
described as a word picture OF a game
which the children played in the public
places OF the towns. Two bands Of
street or square, the other on the
other One side plays the PIPE. the
pipe. the other side dances One side
makes the mourning noise. the other
side responds with lamentation. And
when one side fails to answer the game
ial!S. Jesus said this generation is like
such children. John and have piped.
john and | have mourned. The priests,
the ScribcS, the PhGrisccs have made
NO response in kind.
John was caustic, sharp, aggressive,
Possessed oi the devil" said men
am gentle. friendly with all, love all,
am social and socabc. eat and
drink in Your houses. 'Glutton and
wineb;hbcr,' say men.
But find no fault. There are
some who recognize john for what he
| was. who recognize me inr what | am.
They are the children OF fine King
| dom"
Wisdom here is III divine Spirit
working in different manner. first in
| John. rcxt in Christ And those who
are SPIRITUAL -mindcd see it for wha,
it is and justify it; that is. give it it.
right place and power.
LESSONS.
y dungeon is duubtmaker Ii thi,
man is the King why docs he allow
me to be shut up in prison:
When one answers I doubtcr. th'
best way is not to argue 1t is to Civ,
experience. Tell what you know abou
Christ. not what some ont tells you.
Bt lei is thc better state o( min,
than doubt. Just as positive man /
better, as a rule, than negative on
One man who believes somcthin.
thoroughly viii be larger construc
tive ior'c than twenty who believe
nothing.
DO not 20 to wCarisomc lengths I,
look lor windShaken reeds. \ on cal
see them anywhere
Relation to Jesus makes greatness
Why should one persist in living II
TIL Old IcSt@mcnt when they can hav
abundant lie in the New:
| John the Baptist was the sensation
alist OF his day.
Men criticised then even as they d.
now. John had his share Jesus di
not escape No one who is anything
can hope to escape.
1t is worth while to have So live
that one, Ike Jesus, should say, III
IS the greatest man ever born
Write the great names OF men priu
I othc bcgimning OF the Kingdom 4
tirc top ri the list with John the Bar
fist.