The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-25
EARLY YFORERUNNER
 OF JESUS CHRIST Dr. Dickinson Breaches His Christmas Sermon TELLS OF ZACHARIUS Special Programme of Music Render ed-"It Is Hopeful for Any Com
 munity Where Man
 Prays"
TELLS OF ZACHARIUS

The Christmas Eve sermon at the First Baptist church, spoken by the pastor, Dr. A. J. Dickinson, treated of the his tory and character of the early forerun- ners of Jesus Christ and the power that the continued prayers of Zacharius, the father of John the Baptist, had in the coming of the Saviour. The text was taken from the verse of the gospels-"And
 the angels said, fear not, zacharius, thy
 supplication is heard.'
 The special programme of music in op-
 servance of Christmas was well rendered and the offertory was vocal duet, sung
 by Misses Dickinson.
 Dr. Dickinson said in part as follows:
 "The question of the identity of Zach arius is holding interest of the entire re- ligious and historical world today. Students everywhere are asking to what class of society he belonged, what type or life he represented, and what form or belief he advocated. Joseph and Mary
 are also receiving the attention of theo- logical research In regard to their man. ner of life and habits of thought. It is surprising what you can learn about these persons who were to play such conspicuous parts in the coming and later life of Jesus Christ. People are more and more becoming acquainted with the circle from which Christ sprang. "Zacharius was an old man, at the time of the appearance of the angel, about 60 years of age He and his wife, Eliz- abeth, had led a life devoid of the pleas ure of children, and now occupied cheerless home. He was righteous man. never negligent of religious duties, ever faithful to his trust in God and served for some time as a priest in the temple. Tn his later years he commenced to pray, and as to what he prayed for authorities cannot all agree. Nothing definite is shown as to what was the object of his devotions I do not think as some do that he beseeched heaven to send him son. but that he prayed for the deliverance of Israel and the restoration of the old glory to this nation.
 Power of Prayer
 Ut is hopeful for any community where any one man prays for its good. zacharius prayed and served but 1t had never fallen his lot to preside at the altar and burn the incense for the morning worship.
 But one morning the priests arose before daylight to cast lots to see who would procure and arrange the early sacrifice for the incense burning. Ac- companied by two priests Zacharius en- tered the temple and as he stood before the altar an angel appeared. Zacharius was troubled at the sight and thought that surely something terrible for the nation was to happen. Then the angel spoke and said: Fear not for thy sup plication has been heard and a son will be born to you that will be prophet "zacharius then asked the angel to tell him how he would know of the coming of this great man who was to bring the Israelites before the fact of Jehovah and who was to be born into his home He seemed to doubt that such a thing could be possible, and the angel wanting no half believers to speak the lessons In the temple, struck him dumb, saying that he would not speak unIll the preuicteu event had come to pass. Thus this man with his prayers brought the first overture from
 Heaven towards the salvation of hu- manity.
 "The form that the answer to his re- peated prayers has taken wasi the last thing that he had expected. He could scarcely realize that he was to be the father and Elizabeth the mother of the