Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-02-16

, breast the Messianie hope; he had learn
ed the strange events connected with
his own birth: he had become acquaint-
ed with the ritualistic unrealities of the
leaders of the people; he had seen the
graft of the publicans, the hard-heart-
edness of the people toward each other,
the overbearing attitude of the soldiers,
and other sins of the people. Now in
the solitude of the wilderness, he COM
pleted his preparation by communion
with God, seeing all these things in
their true relationships. This latter
would have been scarcely possible had he
remained in the midst of them. It was
necessary to get away from them to get
the true perspective. But as he saw them
now, he realized that these must be
righted If the way was to be prepared
for the Messiah's kingdom.
Did you ever think Of the number of
leaders who have been prepared in this
way for their work, by getting apart
with Col? Think for a moment of just
few of them-AAbraham, Jacob. Moses,
Elijah, David, John, Paul. Some were
in the wilderness, some were among
other people, but all were in fellowship
with God away from their work. get
ting a spiritual perspective
Have you ever spent time thus? Or
rather have you ever saved time thus?
It is an investment you cannot afford not
to make.
JOHNS PREACHING.
1t was in A. D. 2s, as we learn from
comparison of Luke's minutely ac-
ourate statement with secular history,
that John burst forth. The solitude in
the wilderness had filled him to the
point of bursting. As he contemplated
the sin of the people and their need for
a change before they could enter into
the kingdom of the Messiah, he could
not keep quiet longer. There could have
been no collision between him and his
cousin the Nazarene Carpenter, for they
were widely separated, and had been all
their lives He undouI tedly knew of the
strange events at His birth, too, how
ever, and thus knew that it was about
time fore Him to begin any public work
that He was to do.
Joan might have gone to the cities,
but he chose rather another plan. l
rather think it was true that he began
with the frs man he saw, and go SO
busy there in the country he did not get
time to go to the city before the city
came to him. The very strangeness of
his appearance and his message aroused
the keenest interest Immediately, and
gave him a hearing at once. He had no
city appearance at all; he looked the
simple life he had led. His appearance
and simple direct manner made someone
think of Elijah the prophet; this sur
mise was told to another, and soon the
rumor spread. Curiosity brought many
to see him, and soon he was the talk of
the hill country of Judea and even into
Galilee. Throngs of people from all
over the kingdom came to see and to
hear him. And this was the message
they all heard-"Repent We; for the
kingdom os heaven is at hand"
While the first startled them. the Sec
ond part of the message interested them.
They were anxious to get rid of Rome,
and the announcement that the kingdom
of heaven is imminent aroused the keen
est interest in their hearts. They were
not conscious of sin until his ringing
cry, Repent we, brought them to their
senses. To turn their course (for this is
what the word implies) puzzled them.
They thought they were going in the
right direction; if they were not, they
were at a loss to know which way to
turn.
Especially was this true when the
rulers came out. SUCH sensation had
been created that the dignitaries of the
church left Jerusalem to go out and see
what was going on I'M the Jordan valley.
AS they came up, this strange preacher
accosted them, 20 generation of vipers,
who has warned you to flee from the
wrath to conner" Gle had thought of
the dangerous and subtle serpents that
lived in the wilderness and who were
driven out by the approaching fires),
John knew how dangerous and subtle
these leaders were, and how nothing
could drive them out but their own
selfish desire for safety. Inst sad of
resenting his plain accusations, they
were silent. None of them were among
Johns disciples, so far as We know.
The people, however, wanted to know
which way to turn If they ad to turn.
What shall we do? they asked. Johns
ansewr was very direct. To the people he
said, Treat your lleighbols Hquarely;
show them that you love them as broth
ers by treating them as brothers. To the
publicans, Re said. stop YOUR graft: deal
honestly with the people from whom YOU
are collecting taxes. TO the soldiers
he said, do not use your power for treat
ing those under your power with injus-
tice, and be content with your wages a
strike was imminent at that iime).
These answers showed that John was
acquainted with the conditions under
which men were living, and that he was
eminently practical. These are the burn
ing issues of the day today The
church must near, must repent, must
change the direction of the vessel
Brotherly love must be demonstrated,
otherwise it does not exist Each man
must give the other a square deal, be-
cause he is Christs man.
In China graft is one of the causes
of the revolution. The publicans were
infants compared to the graft of the
Chinese officials. In China they call 1t
squeezing. A missionary recently asked
young person in school to tell what
she knew about John the Baptist. She
replied: "He taught the people to love
without squeezingr' 1t is the influence