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JOHN THE BAPTIST 
 
 (In Verse) 
 
 BY 
 
 GEO. A. LOFTON 
 
 "Semen est sanguis Christianorum " 
 
 — TERTULLIAN 
 
 PRICE, 25 CKNT9 
 
 SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD 
 
 SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 
 
 NASHVILLE, TENN. 
 
 1905 
 
U[!HARY 0* iWNSWRSS, 
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 Copyright, 1905, by the Sunday School Board 
 Southern Baptist Convention 
 
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PREFACE. 
 
 The author's aim in this short production is to bring 
 out the grandeur of life and character pictured in the 
 brief career of John the Baptist; to develop the evan- 
 gelicity of his doctrine and work as symbolized in his 
 baptism; and to demonstrate that he was a heroic Baptist 
 martyr who sealed his testimony, as such, with his 
 blood — who left us the imperishable treasury of Baptist 
 doctrine and practice, first taught in the gospel — and who 
 bequeathed to us the sacred name we bear, the symbolic 
 patronym of all saving truth and grace contained in the 
 word of God. The merit of the poem is left to the 
 judgment of the reader — its effect for good to the bless- 
 ing of God. ' G. A. L. 
 
 (3) 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 
 I. John's Character 5 
 
 II. John's Baptism 12 
 
 III. John's Preaching 22 
 
 IV. John's Baptism of Jesus 29 
 
 V. John's Mission Ended 37 
 
 VI. Death of John 46 
 
 (4) 
 
JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 I. JOHN'S CHARACTER. : 
 
 I 
 
 Of noblest birth, in priestly line, was John 
 The Baptist, manhood's greatest son ; for none 
 Of woman born than he was greater save 
 The Son of Mary who than man was more. 
 With Spirit filled from mother's womb and framed 
 In sturdy mould and stern, Elijah come 
 Again was he — the antitype of that 
 Ideal prophet flamed of God in word 
 And deed and chariot-borne above in fire. 
 Not born as other men to die. 
 
 II 
 
 Elijah-like he was and sudden came 
 Unknown of men, in desert bred, and pure 
 From touch of earth and times corrupt, afraid 
 Of none, Ahabs nor Herods dread, nor men 
 Of any state. Though clad in camel's hair 
 
6 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Ax\6. leathern girt, on locusts fed — though ne'er 
 To kingly palace known or raiment soft — 
 Within him lived a princely soul that lodged 
 A man of men, a man of God imbued 
 And kept that none could taint or terrify, 
 Though born, unlike his prototype, by hands 
 Of men to die. 
 
 Ill 
 Within that soul enshrined was virgin life 
 And truth unsoiled by human cult, or creed. 
 Or doubtful custom. Freedom-bred was he. 
 Unshackled was in thought and purpose high 
 His God alone to serve and glorify, 
 And faithful prove to mortal man. 
 As desert lion lone, with shaggy lock 
 And beard, he lived the king of self and men. 
 And scorned the prey of meaner things that taint 
 The baser sort. Upon his pallid face 
 And wan that flashed with eagle eye, there reigned 
 The holy mien of godly life and force 
 Of character that mystery enthrone, 
 And men attract, and sinners move. About 
 His rugged brow that knit with student care, 
 There gathered fast and deep the pregnant clouds 
 Of earnest, anxious thought that vivid broke 
 
JOHN'S CHARACTER. 7 
 
 With lightning flash and thunder peal, and flood 
 Of grace upon the multitudes that heard 
 Entranced, repented and believed. 
 
 IV 
 With fervid lip and burning tongue, and filled 
 With God, he spake with eloquence divine 
 That pierced the heart of Judah's frozen pride 
 And darkest Galilee. From far and near — 
 From mountain, hill and dale — from city great 
 And village small — the hosts of Israel dead 
 Were quicked and moved to hear the magic voice 
 And feel the magic touch of John whose might 
 No earthly charm possessed — no earthly force 
 Endued — no earthly law controlled. 
 
 V 
 
 And whence this power of John the Baptist great? 
 This lonely hermit of the wilderness ? 
 The desert wild and solitude his home 
 And college were, where God and Nature taught 
 And whence he drew his creed of righteousness 
 And truth that mercy warmed and love, unwarped 
 By policy of men or priestly craft. 
 By science or religion falsely called. 
 The beasts and birds so free on Judah's hills, 
 
8 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 The fish that sport in Jordan's stream and glad, 
 To him companions closer were than men, 
 And friendlier to God. The bloom of Spring 
 And Summer's fruit — the fading Autumn leaf 
 And Winter's grave — that varied seasons brought, 
 To him revealed the constant laws of God 
 And changeless order fast in sun and moon 
 And star, that good and mercy wrought for man 
 Through providential care. He heard the voice 
 Of God in thunder peal, and saw his glimpse 
 In lightning gleam, and felt his power in storm 
 And tempest grand that swept the verdant vale 
 Or tore the mountain side ; and through the change 
 Of desolating death and nascent time, 
 Beheld the shadowed curse and cure of sin, 
 And felt afar the resurrection joy 
 Of life renewed. 
 
 VI 
 Within his hand he clasped with open page 
 The Word of God — the Testament of old ; 
 And thus he looked and clear, with eye undimmed 
 By fleshly film or worldly hue, into 
 The books of God and Nature true — the old 
 And oldest revelation — both divine 
 And pure. By nature true and Spirit-filled — 
 
JOHN'S CHARACTER. 9 
 
 To nature" true and Spirit-led — he grew 
 To manhood's noblest prime in righteousness 
 And truth, and graduate with honors first 
 In God's great university. 
 
 VII 
 
 Of men who knew him not he saw enough 
 To human nature know and judge by self 
 Observed and from the Word of God. He probed 
 The depths of mortal sin, of racial guilt 
 And doom; and hence his deepest thought on Him 
 That was to come. The sacred Book he searched 
 From Genesis to Malachi, as taught 
 Of God and studied weary years. In type 
 And shadow lit — in every prophet writ — 
 "The Lamb of God" he saw, as slain, from earth's 
 Foundation old, the sin of earth to take 
 Away." Of Bible inspiration full, to John, 
 There was no doubt ; and hence to man 
 The trumpet never blew that gave a sound 
 Uncertain. Nought he cared for critic high, 
 Or critic low, nor yet for Hillel wise, 
 Gamaliel great, or Saul — for doctors learned 
 Nor Scribe or Pharisee. Untramelled thus 
 By school of Jew or Greek, of cult or creed — 
 
10 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 And far from modern university — 
 
 The Baptist came upon the scene as "sent" 
 
 Of God, as mortal free from earthly touch, 
 
 Divinely called and qualified to preach 
 
 The Gospel true and point the world to Christ, 
 
 "The Lamb of God." 
 
 VIII 
 
 For every time and mission high a man 
 Of God prepared there is ; but since the day 
 Of John the Baptist great — and save the day 
 Of Christ and his apostles true — the world 
 Hath never seen another John — his like! 
 Not all th' apostles so, as John, were great 
 And true ; and since their day the leaders grand 
 Of thought and deed, of reformations bold. 
 Of progress wide and reaching far, the world 
 Have marred by selfish aim, conflicting creed 
 And multiplied division born of strife. 
 Of such was not the simple John and true — 
 With Spirit filled and taught of God — and great 
 In brave humility, chivalric plumed 
 In honor bright, the knighted herald armed 
 With truth and righteousness, puissant come 
 To war and win the way for Christ. 
 
JOHN'S CHARACTER. 11 
 
 IX 
 
 And such a man essential was to break. 
 Between the old and new the light of life 
 And liberty that dim had flickered o'er 
 The past from hopeful glimpse of coming Star 
 Of Bethlehem. The shackled ages gone 
 Were dead beneath the tread of despotism, 
 Religious, Civic, Social — all ; and e'en the law 
 That Moses gave, became the bondage dread 
 Of yoke that none could wear and live — 
 That brought, at last, the deadly cult and creed 
 Of Pharisee, the curse of lifeless form 
 And orthodoxy. John was legal cast, 
 But Spirit-born anew and Spirit-filled 
 With gospel light and life, and fit alone 
 Of God and culture stern to break the chains 
 Religious forged, and point the world in bonds 
 To liberty — the coming Christ. The first 
 Of Freedom's sons was John, free born and bred ; 
 And lone and loud from wilderness that typed 
 A desert world, proclaimed the Kingdom Come 
 Of him that blossom should as Sharon's rose 
 And lily fair in all the world's great waste 
 Of sin and woe. 
 
II. JOHN'S BAPTISM. 
 
 I 
 He sudden rose in Judah's wilds and preached 
 On Jordan's sacred shore, and there beneath 
 Its hquid bosom deep and pure baptized 
 The thousands who, repentant, sin confessed. 
 His theme was Christ to come, whose kingdom was 
 At hand, that, unrepentant, none could see 
 Or enter. Signified repentance was 
 By fruits of righteousness that worthy grew ; 
 And symbolized remission was of sin 
 By water pure — outward washing typing full 
 The inward cleansing which repentance wrought. 
 Twas righteousness, Josephus shows of old, 
 Preceded first baptismal rite, as held 
 Of John — the righteousness of faith that looked 
 To Christ and not to law, repentance moved 
 And fruitful proved, that sin's forgiveness brought 
 As shadowed forth in water. 
 
 II 
 There were who proudly came to John and sought 
 Baptismal rite upon the boast of birth 
 
 (12) 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM. 13 
 
 In Abram's line — the lofty Pharisee 
 
 And Sadducee — nor bore the fruits that show 
 
 Repentance. John the viper brood refused ; 
 
 Them warned to flee the wrath to come, as men 
 
 Of lowest birth, nor think to say within 
 
 Themselves that Abram old their father was. 
 
 The God of grace could children raise alone 
 
 To Abraham by faith in hearts of stone. 
 
 Repentance-moved and spirit-bom ; nor all 
 
 The flood of Jordan's stream, because of faith 
 
 Or blood ancestral claimed, could make them such. 
 
 Ill 
 'Twas here that John the fundamental stone 
 Of Gospel order laid on which to build 
 The structure strong of future church erect — 
 "Believers' Baptism," Jesus taught; nor blood, 
 Nor birth, nor will of man — parental faith 
 Nor holiness — nor any fed'ral bond. 
 Ancestral, carnal or religious shown — 
 Baptismal rite can e'er bestow. Not e'en 
 The noblest seed of faithful Abraham, 
 Though circumcised and righteous held by law, 
 Adult or infant born, lineal right 
 Could show of baptism. 
 
14 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 IV 
 
 'Twas thus that Baptist John the primal step 
 That infant rite impHed, and every form 
 That rituahstic holds of Christ, forestalled — 
 And once for all. Religion true of Christ 
 To come, or having come, is Spirit-born 
 And freedom-bred to pers'nal trust in Him 
 And voluntary so ; nor ever wrought, 
 Except by grace, in Abram's seed, through faith 
 In Jew and Greek the same, to whom alike 
 The "promise" holds. Salvation's thus "to all 
 The seed" that's Spirit-born, and not by force 
 Of faith parental, priestly proxy, nor 
 Of Sacramental rite, nor organism ; 
 For fed'ral holiness, or sin, that's born 
 Paternal, or communicate by man. 
 Abhorrent is to grace that saves alone 
 The "whosoever" comes by faith. Our Christ 
 Alone is Head — our Prophet, Priest and King- 
 To whom the soul direct must come, and not 
 Through Pharisaic scheme of indirect 
 Redemption — carnal medium wrought. 
 
 V 
 
 The fleshly seed of Abraham, indeed, 
 Were fleshly circumcised to signify 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM. 15 
 
 A fleshly tovenant that keeps intact 
 A fleshly line that only typifies 
 The spiritual — the seed of Abraham 
 As circumcised in heart by faith in Christ 
 And born again of God, and symbolized 
 By water now. But circumcision ne'er 
 Hath saved a soul, in man or infant born, 
 Nor doth baptismal water save, nor help 
 To save, through covenant relation, nor 
 By sin's remission, thus secured. The blood 
 Of Jesus Christ alone, by faith, the soul 
 Can cleanse from all unrighteousness. 
 
 VI 
 
 As "sent" of God the Baptist came, and so 
 "From Heav'n" his baptism was, and not "of men : 
 Nor did it circumcision substitute, 
 As Pharisee and Sadducee who sought 
 It thus in line of Abram, seemed to think 
 It then, or now as Pedobaptists hold. 
 The rite was new in form and new designed 
 To symbolize the evangelic new. 
 And not the legal dispensation old 
 That held the Jew in bondage ever lost 
 In shadows dim of better things to come. 
 
16 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Tlie typic sprinklings ceased as signs of things 
 
 Imperfect — so of circumcision save 
 
 As fam'ly badge of fleshly Jew — and so 
 
 Of paschal lamb and sacrificial blood 
 
 That none could perfect make; but gospel rites 
 
 O'erwhelming represent, in symbols full, 
 
 The perfect work of saving grace through blood 
 
 That crucial flowed and death that dug the grave 
 
 Of Christ who rose again to give us life 
 
 And wash our sins away. And so 'twas thus 
 
 Of John's baptismal form — all-over washed 
 
 Because all-inward cleansed and quickened from 
 
 The death of sin through faith in Christ to come, 
 
 Rej>entance shown and fruits of righteousness, 
 
 That full remission brought, eternal so. 
 
 From sin's o'erwhelming guilt and doom. Alas! 
 
 To sprinkle or to pour for rite of John, 
 
 Baptismal, symbolizes shadows past, 
 
 But not the substance of the gospel. 
 
 VII 
 
 And so it was that John the genius fixed 
 Of gospel truth and order, ere the scheme 
 Was full revealed. No semblance hath the church 
 Of Christ to legal form or order old ; 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM. 17 
 
 For under 'grace we are, nor under law, 
 
 Nor any carnal covenant that shapes 
 
 The Church in legal frame. Of Sarah old, 
 
 The woman free, we are, and children true 
 
 And freedom-born of Isaac's seed in line 
 
 Of g-race ; but Ishmaelite in bondage born 
 
 Of law, of Hagar's pedigree, the church 
 
 Is not. Jerusalem the free we are 
 
 And born above, but not Jerusalem 
 
 Below. The Mount of Calvary we touch 
 
 In love, and not old Sinai in fear. 
 
 The infant rite is Sinaitic born 
 
 As substitute of circumcision old 
 
 And misconstrued, and placed amiss in line 
 
 Of covenantal grace ; and so the same 
 
 Of legal sprinklings all and kindred rites 
 
 In every form as ritualistic means 
 
 Of grace that shape the Church in legal form 
 
 And bondage born of Moses. 
 
 VIII 
 
 'Tis true there were before the days of John 
 Who saw the day of Christ to come — believed. 
 As Abel, Abraham and Moses — so 
 Of thousands more that saw the bloody cross 
 
18 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 In type and prophecy that saved the soul 
 
 By grace, as now so then ; but nought there was 
 
 Of Gospel Church, or rite, or form, till John 
 
 The Kingdom preached and Christ the Church 
 
 Did organize. The saints of old were born 
 
 Of God the same as now through faith in Christ 
 
 To come, as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Job 
 
 And Abraham, before the carnal rite 
 
 Of circumcision, seal of righteousness 
 
 Alone that tokened Abram's faith, but ne'er 
 
 The faith of saint who since believed, except 
 
 As type of heart renewed of seed in line 
 
 Of Abraham that's Spirit-born as he ; 
 
 For circumcision nought avails to save 
 
 The soul, uncircumcision neither so, 
 
 But only faith that works by love in heart 
 
 Renewed; and what was true of legal rites 
 
 Is true the same of gospel forms, to save 
 
 The soul. Nor dispensation old, nor church 
 
 Of Christ, at hands of priest or preacher bold, 
 
 Essential arbitrary ever held 
 
 To ope or close the doors of heav'n or hell 
 
 To mortal man. Of faith it is that grace 
 
 May reign to save the soul ; and "all of grace" 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM. 19 
 
 It is or "hone," nor aught of water, work 
 Nor priestly hands. 
 
 IX 
 
 The saints of old to theocratic fold 
 Belonged as ruled by law, and not to church 
 Of Christ, the democratic fold, and ruled 
 By grace. The fold of old in bondage lived, 
 Though typic still of Kingdom free, because 
 Elect and kept of God external so ; 
 And though the real sheep remained among 
 The typic sheep, yet free and Spirit-born 
 He lived above the law. The child he was 
 Of Abraham by faith and circumcised 
 In heart — the antitype of typic Jew 
 Himself did represent and live among, 
 As circumcised in flesh. The "olive good," 
 Religion true, the root and fat of which 
 Was Abram's faith in Christ, was thus retained 
 In line of Israel old, the ancient fold. 
 Till Christ, the substance true of "olive good," 
 Had come and grace revealed to all the world. 
 Believers thus of Christ among the Jews 
 Were "natural branches" graft into this tree ; 
 But unbelief, at last, did break them off. 
 
20 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 And in their stead the Gentile branches grown 
 Of "olive wild," religion false, by faith, 
 And not by carnal rite, nor priestly hand. 
 Were grafted in. 
 
 X 
 
 'Twas thus that John the Baptist formed the link 
 Betwixt the old and new in Spirit line, 
 The same in ages all and never broke 
 From Abraham till now — nor Adam back ; 
 But left behind the legal shadows all 
 And introduced anew the gospel rite 
 That symbolized in full the whole of grace 
 That saves by faith in Him who was at hand. 
 And so he preached as prophesied so long — 
 As typified by Kingdom old and dead — 
 The Kingdom new and now, at last, begun 
 At Jordan's stream, within whose waters pure. 
 As we shall see, he set in type the shaft 
 Of truth, and monumental grand, of death 
 And life again of Him the world should save. 
 Before he came and symbolized the fact 
 Himself. Of God it was designed in heav'n 
 And shaped in form and fashion so that all 
 Of truth that saves was writ in liquid light 
 Upon its crystal sides ; and there it stands 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM. 21 
 
 To-day, for every age, in mind of man 
 
 The true and starting point of progress grand 
 
 And Christian held to all the world. As when 
 
 Old Joshua twelve stones did set in midst 
 
 Of Jordan's stream to mark the line between 
 
 The wilderness and promised land, so Christ, 
 
 At hands of John, did set the landmark first 
 
 Of Kingdom new against the Kingdom old, 
 
 In Jordan's flood, where ages changed their front 
 
 And faced, in resurrection hope, to God 
 
 And future glory. This baptismal rite 
 
 Of John did monumental shadow forth 
 
 The world as risen from the dead and lift 
 
 To God ; from Jordan old to every land 
 
 Of earth we know, each sea and lake and stream 
 
 Hath since a million times, in every age. 
 
 This typic stone erect again that John 
 
 Set up. 
 
III. JOHN'S PREACHING. 
 
 I 
 
 But John was Baptist preacher great, and sound 
 In doctrine true, as practical and plain 
 As true. He boldly lashed the hypocrites 
 Of lofty line that to the waters came 
 With Abrahamic claim, as viper broods 
 That must repent to flee the wrath to come, 
 And fruitful worthy show, to be baptized. 
 So Herod, King- of Galilee, that much 
 Admired the Baptist, came and earnest sought 
 To hear ; and faithful John, to save his soul, 
 The King reproved of evils which his life 
 Had cursed and foul adultery — and but 
 For wicked wife, his soul he might have kept. 
 The people came and cried: ''What must we do?' 
 What fruitage bring to show repentance true, 
 And be baptized? To those that had, he taught 
 To give; to those in office, honesty; 
 To those in arms, content and peace with man ; 
 And thus in love and truth the masses showed 
 And plain the ways of God. 
 
 (22) 
 
JOHN'S PREACHING. 23 
 
 II 
 
 With axe of truth as keen as razor's edge, 
 And only broad to humble honesty, 
 He laid at root of Judaistic tree 
 That ritualistic bore the fruit of death — 
 Proclaimed to all the earth that every tree 
 Of good unfruitful shown, cut down should be 
 And cast into the fire by Him who was 
 To come and close at hand ; whose fan was in 
 His hand his threshing floor to thorough purge 
 Of worthless chaff and burn with quenchless flame ; 
 His wheat in garners high, and safely there, 
 To gather. 
 
 Ill 
 
 No honied words, no latitude of phrase 
 That doubtful leaves, no posing attitude 
 Or action fine or intonation art 
 Affecting truth, no empty platitude 
 Of speech, he used to sinners faithful warn, 
 Or scourge the sins of men he told to flee 
 The wrath to come. Before the prophet, stern 
 And true, the trembling sinner stood in awe 
 Of God and coming doom, repented and 
 Confessed ; and deep beneath the Jordan's flood 
 Obedient was to symbolize his sin's 
 Remission. 
 
24 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 IV 
 "With many other exhortations preached" 
 The Baptist there of "tidings good unto 
 The people." Volumes scarce could full unfold 
 His short but mighty ministry of truth 
 And love that righteous warned his fellow man 
 Of coming wrath, and thousands led to faith 
 In Him to come. 'Twas thus that John the way 
 Prepared, the paths made straight, the valleys filled, 
 And mountain high and hill did level low, 
 For Him, the King, whose reign had now begun 
 In hearts of men, and whom, as such and close 
 At hand, the Baptist herald loud proclaimed. 
 "Till John the law and prophets were: since then 
 The Kingdom's preached of heav'n" — of which was 
 
 John 
 And which he preached as preached it was by Christ 
 And his apostles all — and "every man 
 Into it presseth," since, or else by force 
 Do "take it," both before and after day 
 Of Pentecost, that some deny in vain. 
 
 V 
 
 The Baptist's fame had reached its height, when all 
 The region round had flocked to hear his voice 
 
JOHN'S PREACHING. 25 
 
 And feel his power. It stirred the heart and far 
 
 Of Israel old and reached the nation's head ; 
 
 And questions startling rose, in places high, 
 
 That sought to find in terms of prophecy 
 
 The who and what the Baptist was. To some 
 
 He seemed Messiah come, to others still 
 
 Elias more, or prophet Moses-like 
 
 Of promise old; and priests and Levites wise 
 
 To John, betimes, were sent to institute 
 
 An inquisition Judaistic — type 
 
 Of all the inquisitions since that guard 
 
 Established order old and keep intact 
 
 The Pharisaic rule. 
 
 VI 
 
 The Baptist great, and grander yet in his 
 Humility, disclaimed the semblance e'en 
 Of Christ; and though Elijah-like and come 
 As he in spirit-pow'r, declined the name 
 Of prophet typified, or prophet old 
 As Moses-like. A "voice" alone was he, 
 Obscure, nor gave himself a name, save "one," 
 As "crying in the wilderness" for God 
 And human good — to herald Christ, the King, 
 Who coming after him preferred before 
 Him was, whose sandal strings to loose 
 
26 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Himself unworthy held. 'Twas thus the "voice" 
 That soon should cease — the "one" of self and pride 
 Bereft — replied. 
 
 VII 
 
 But still the inquisition blind the meek 
 Confessor pressed : "If thou be not the Christ, 
 Elijah not, nor promised prophet, why 
 Dost thou baptize?" — a sign they seemed to feel 
 As Messianic mark essential to 
 His Kingly reign and coming. 
 
 VIII 
 The lowly Baptist, lofty and sublime, 
 And filled with God — ambition, pride and self 
 Unknown to him — the answer humbly made : 
 "In water I baptize to signify 
 Repentance and remission symbolize 
 Of sin ; but He that cometh after me 
 Shalt thou baptize in Holy Ghost and fire." 
 And so it was at Pentecost the church. 
 With Spirit filled and gift with tongue of fire. 
 Endued of God, was thus baptized in fact ; 
 And sinners pierced and Spirit-born anew, 
 By thousands in a day, "were saved" and so 
 Were washed, as John baptized, and "added" to 
 
JOHN'S PREACHING. 27 
 
 The Church with spirit filled and tongue 
 Of fire. 
 
 IX 
 External and symbolic was the work 
 Of John and brief : eternal was the work 
 Of Christ and Spirit-wrought within the hearts 
 Of men and so upon the Church. The work 
 Of John was but the introduction brief. 
 The shadow cast before the great event 
 To come and soon, the which "confessed" by him, 
 "Denied he not." But little like was he 
 The thousands who themselves have seemed to feel 
 The major part of God's redemptive work; 
 Or who exalt the human side of grace 
 Above the side divine ; or who themselves 
 And human nature boast, as if our God 
 Beside them was exceeding small, or else 
 Dependent. John the Baptist felt himself 
 As nothing but a "voice" impersonate — 
 The voice of God who through him spake 
 To men. Of man he only thought as lost 
 And needing God ; of man he nothing asked 
 Except to do him good ; to God he bowed 
 In everything. How small we preachers seem 
 Beside this man of men — titanic in 
 
28 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 HVimility, and in simplicity 
 
 Gigantic man — in courage, hero brave 
 
 Who fearless preached the truth and duty did 
 
 Despite the odds and to the death ! 
 
 X 
 
 The model preacher John the Baptist was. 
 With Spirit filled and taught of God the truth 
 Of sacred word, he spake right on, nor spake 
 Amiss his fellow man to please and souls 
 Forget. As dying man before the dead 
 In sin he stood in view of judgment yet 
 To come ; nor honors mortal shown, nor more 
 The terrors mortal threat, e'er turned his eye 
 From God and future recompense. Bereft 
 Of self-conceit and fear of man, his God 
 He never questioned aught, nor asked of man 
 Opinion his before he spake or did. 
 Elijah-like he spake as God elect 
 And did as God direct ; and good or ill 
 The consequence, as seemed to mortal man, 
 He left to God, and bore the brunt in might 
 Of meekness born of faith majestic wrought 
 And lion-like in courage. 
 
IV. JOHN'S BAPTISM OF JESUS. 
 
 I 
 
 At last Messiah came that ages back 
 Foretold and nations long had looked to see. 
 From Galilee he came o'er weary road 
 And sore to John to be baptized of him. 
 The Baptist knew him not as then, but took 
 His word, and shrank at first th' unseemly task 
 Request, that such as he his Lord baptize. 
 A sinner saved by grace, yet unbaptized 
 Himself, he would have hindered him and cried 
 The rather: "Need I have to be baptized 
 Of thee." Though Spirit-filled and called to preach 
 And so baptize and teach, the Baptist felt, 
 Beside his Lord, the "need" to symbolize 
 In water first, of sin implied, his own 
 Remission ; and, baptized or not, at best. 
 Unworthy felt to dip his Lord beneath 
 The Jordan wave — who sin knew not, nor need 
 Himself to signify repentance thus 
 Or sin's remission symbolize. 
 
 (29) 
 
30 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 II 
 
 A moment's pause. The lowly Master caught 
 The startled gaze of John, and calmly spoke, 
 In terms of truth assurance gave, and armed 
 With matchless grace, conviction wrought without 
 An argument. "But suffer't so and now," 
 The Master said, "for thus it us becomes 
 All righteousness to fulfill." With not 
 A word's reply, the Baptist "suffered Him," 
 And down into the wat'ry grave he led 
 His Lord and buried there the Son of Man 
 And King of glory — whom he raised amain 
 From tokened death to tokened life again 
 That resurrection gives. 
 
 HI 
 'Twas "tJius" a duty plain, the Master taught, 
 Believers all in Qirist, and like their Lord, 
 Should do ; for Christ himself obeyed this law 
 Of "righteousness" as every law of God — 
 And so it "us" becomes. If qualified 
 By grace, 'tis right to be baptized, and so 
 It is unrighteous not to be ; no saint, 
 The purest born, "of conscience good towards God" 
 Can "answer" have — no blessing can expect — 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM OF JESUS. 31 
 
 Till Christ he imitates, obeys this rite 
 Of righteousness and first of duties done. 
 
 IV 
 
 But otherwise and why should Christ this rite 
 Obey? No sin his own he had to mourn, 
 And no remission "thus" to symbolize; 
 And yet "became he sin" for us and took our stead 
 In guilt and condemnation — died for sin 
 Impute, or died for nought, and rose again 
 Himself and us to justify and us 
 To righteous make, through blood remission sealed. 
 'Twas "thus" as substitute he came to John 
 To represent, in Him, the sinner saved — 
 Whose sins he made his own and washed away 
 In blood, and thus by water symbolized. 
 His justifying righteousness impute 
 To us — th' all-righteousness in part — He "thus" 
 Fulfilled in Shadow clear that signified 
 Without, the cleansing of his blood within 
 The sinner's heart "from all unrighteousness." 
 
 V 
 
 But more, he shadowed forth his sorrows deep 
 And overwhelming lived — his crucial death 
 And grave enclosed — descent among the dead 
 
32 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 And resurrection triumph won — and "thus" 
 
 By water symbolized ; and so of us. 
 
 In Him, as sinners saved and dead to sin, 
 
 And raised again in soul to walk in life 
 
 Anew — and so, at last, of body dead 
 
 And resurrect from grave, millennial morn. 
 
 'Twas "thus" that Christ fulfilled, in symbol meet, 
 
 Th' all-righteousness complete redemptive scheme 
 
 Reveals ; and so must mortal saint obey 
 
 And imitate his Lord's exemplified 
 
 Command — "for thus it us becomes" — yea, "thus 
 
 It us becomes." 
 
 VI 
 
 The scene sublime of that baptismal hour 
 Hath ever touched the heart of men and moved 
 The world to make it kin in Christ ; for there 
 Behold in adumbration, simply grand. 
 The tragedy divine and glory meet 
 Of Christ in drama's noblest form and true 
 Of real persons present, seen in act 
 Sublime — the tableau great of Jesus Christ 
 As dead and buried, risen from the grave ! 
 As up he rose from Jordan's wave and went 
 His way, the skies were rent to witness there 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM OF JESUS. 33 
 
 The Son of God to John by sign foretold ; 
 And Hke a dove enwreathed in Hght and white 
 As snow, the Holy Ghost descending- soft 
 Upon Him fell, as God, the Father high, 
 With voice of thunder peal and loud, exclaimed: 
 "My Son beloved is this in whom well pleased 
 I am!" 
 
 vn 
 
 Oh, what a scene was this for angels high 
 That millions must have hovered near — for John 
 Beneath and mortal men who recognized 
 The Christ thus signified of heav'n ! and where. 
 To human sense of sight and sound, and clear. 
 The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the three 
 In one, in sep'rate persons met with man 
 To signalize in sacred rite sublime. 
 Their unity! Immersion thus became 
 The symbol grand of Trinity — of God 
 In Christ immersed and Spirit-clothed — 
 And hence triune its sacred formula 
 In terms of Father, Son and Hjoly Ghost ! 
 
 VIII 
 
 The symbol, too, it is of grace divine 
 In every doctrine taught that saves the soul — 
 
34 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Of birth anew by Spirit's quick'ning power — 
 Of cleansing blood by Jesus shed to wash 
 Away our guilt — of cross and sepulcher, 
 Of resurrection grand, of Christ and us 
 In Him of soul and body saved to live 
 Again. Immersion is the symbol whole 
 Of Gospel truth that signifies to save, — 
 A crucified Redeemer, buried, ris'n ; 
 And giving resurrection life, through death 
 To sin, to mortal man. 
 
 IX 
 
 What moral dignity this sacred rite 
 Of John that came from heav'n ! that faith demands 
 And life eternal giv'n, with sin renounced 
 And Christ confessed, as its condition fixed! 
 It is the badge of highest honor worn 
 By saint, and oath of fealty to Christ ; 
 And woe to disobedience dread that shuns 
 Its cross, or sacrilege that mars its form, 
 Design perverts, or right forbids ! It was 
 The way that Jesus went and now commands — 
 As opened up by Baptist John, the "sent" 
 Of God. 
 
JOHN'S BAPTISM OF JESUS. 35 
 
 X 
 
 How daring then the awful crime, of Rome 
 Confessed, that changed the form that God himself 
 This sacred rite endued — and so design 
 And subject worse! How weak the arguments 
 Of those who seek to prove the Romish change 
 Th' original mode and purpose found in word 
 Of God that Rome declares she changed, though long 
 In practice true of ancient form ! Alas ! 
 How strange it seems there's nought too sacred writ 
 Of God to hold escape from sacrilege 
 Of change at hands of men ! and nought so plain 
 That mortal predilection, pref'rence, pride, 
 Cannot pervert to doubt, or controvert ! 
 If aught was ever clear, it is that John 
 Immersed in Jordan's flood the Christ himself 
 And thousands more — that Christ himself the same 
 Baptismal form enjoined upon the saved, 
 "Believers only" — more, that Paul its form 
 A washing called "in water pure," and gave 
 It monumental symbol full of death 
 And burial, resurrection grand, that Rome 
 So long confessed nor now denies, and best 
 Of scholarship, in all the world, maintains. 
 No wile of philologic lore, nor pride 
 
36 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 That Pharisaic sneers, "Indecency" — 
 
 No shift "convenience" born, nor sophistry 
 
 That "non-essential," disobedient, breeds — 
 
 No doctrine fair that claims "necessity," 
 
 Nor argument that seeks to show, alas ! 
 
 The Jordan shallow so, or else too deep 
 
 To dip — can ever prove to honest mind 
 
 And humble heart that knows enough to know, 
 
 That Baptist John did not immerse, or Christ 
 
 Command it *'thus." 
 
V. JOHN'S MISSION ENDED. 
 
 I 
 
 The work of John was done. To pave the way 
 For Christ to come — disciples make and teach — 
 The Son of God to manifest to man, 
 His mission was. As Hke a summer cloud 
 That thundered, flashed, dissolved in rain 
 The world to bless, and rainbow-spanned to bode 
 A brighter day and fade away, so John 
 Decreased as Christ increased. Not all at once 
 The mighty man his zeal relaxed or work 
 Released. As speeding train from engine loosed 
 And swifter switched apart, momentum keeps 
 Till slowed by gradent friction stops, so John 
 Cut loose from primal purpose still impelled 
 But slowly drew to end his great career. 
 As Christ enlarged and overshadowed far 
 His fame and work alone preparative. 
 As morning star that grandly stood above 
 The dawn, he paled at last within the glow 
 Of rising Sun — but faded shone eclipsed 
 And blended soft with His supernal beams. 
 
 (37) 
 
38 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Bethabara and Enon where because 
 "Of water much" he still baptized, echoed 
 His mission yet permissive kept and so 
 His glory. Still he made disciples — taught 
 Them how to pray and oft to fast — a fact 
 Tliat inquisition brought to Christ himself 
 By his disciples whom, as John, he taught 
 To pray and how, but not to fast so long 
 As He, the bridal Groom, and they, the sons 
 Of bridal chamber, were together. 
 
 II 
 
 Again 'twere John's disciples stirred by Jew 
 About the purifying question. They 
 The Baptist thus : "Rabbi, behold, 'tis he 
 That with thee was beyond the Jordan flood, 
 Whom thou didst witness there, the same doth now 
 Baptize, and now to him all men do come.'' 
 'Twas thus that jealousy did seem to work 
 Between disciples true of John and Christ, 
 But not between the masters who did each 
 The other understand. 
 
 Ill 
 
 The Baptist answered thus his farewell speech : 
 "Except it be from heav'n giv'n, a man 
 
JOHN'S MISSION ENDED. 39 
 
 Can nought receive ; and witness thou dost bear 
 
 I said that I the Christ am not, but 
 
 Sent I am before ; for He that hath the bride 
 
 The Bridegroom is. The Bridegroom's friend that by 
 
 Him stands, Him heareth glad and greatly joys 
 
 Because of Bridegroom's voice. Fulfilled, therefore, 
 
 My joy is. Increase He must, but I 
 
 Decrease." And hence no more we hear the hint 
 
 That seemed a difif'rence sprung betwixt the two — 
 
 Disciples taught of John and those of Christ. 
 
 IV 
 
 The work of John was done. As Jesus left 
 The sacred scene baptismal — Jordan's shore — 
 The Baptist cried : "Behold the Lamb of God," 
 As he had cried before, "that takes away 
 The sin of earth ;" and thus he turned himself 
 To point the world to Christ. The "Voice" was hushed 
 That cried so long to tell of Him to come. 
 Except, in brief, to preach the Gospel first 
 That emphasized the cross — "The Lamb of God" 
 As slain to cancel racial guilt, the sin 
 Impute to all the world of Adam born 
 And lost to God. Theology was this 
 Of John, the keynote struck for every age 
 
40 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 To come, and fundamental truth alone 
 That saves mankind. 
 
 V 
 
 'Twas thus that John the Baptist set the pace 
 For preachers all who teach the doctrine true 
 That crucial blood exalts and sinners win. 
 Vocation sole the preacher's is to point 
 The world to Christ, "The Lamb of God" — as John. 
 Disciples two, of his, that heard him thus, 
 That day, their master left and followed Christ — 
 Another John the great with Andrew named ; 
 And yonder deep in desert wild began 
 To build on Baptist John's foundation laid. 
 With Christ, the Head, and they, the members two, 
 A church did organize, the first in all 
 The world, that grew to five and then apace 
 To twelve — and then to members twenty and 
 A hundred more — and on that wondrous day 
 Of Pentecost to thousands. 
 
 VI 
 
 His work was done. How sad it seems to set 
 Aside this mighty man, and leave him bound 
 To such a fate ! How strange that he so young 
 And great — so famed among the mass of men — 
 
JOHN'S MISSION ENDED. 41 
 
 And having wrought so much for God should stop 
 His grand career, decrease and disappear 
 From sight of men! Why not a place 
 Among the twelve and live immortal more 
 To share their mighty work, as some ? 
 
 VII 
 
 But such was not the will of God ; for John 
 A special mission had, peculiar so 
 Relate, that other place he could not fill. 
 The link he was betwixt the passing law 
 And gospel new ; and though within the new 
 As Spirit-born, his mould was legal and 
 Ascetic cast, and so partook of both 
 The dispensations represent — alone, 
 Perhaps, misfit for either. Be it so 
 Or no, 'twas meet that John should stand apart, 
 His mission closed, as he had stood before, 
 His work and glory all his own, as done 
 For God alone, and so to pass from sight 
 As other men. Elijah stern, the type 
 Of John, his mantle left of old the mild 
 Elisha, type of Christ ; and so, if true, 
 The same of John and Christ baptized of John 
 And Spirit-filled as John, but more than he 
 With "double portion" full, unmeasured. 
 
42 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 VIII 
 
 How great the Baptist's popularity 
 With men in mass ; but never won at truth's 
 Expense, nor kept for self or pelf, or cause 
 Of any kind, except the cause of God — 
 The good of man. Though knowing his "decrease' 
 Of work and fame, he willing sank from out 
 Of sight to honor Christ — the trial stern 
 And hardest yet to bear with men of mind 
 And heart so great and who. for any cause, 
 Can willing cease to be; and greater thus 
 In self-extinction shown, than at his height 
 Of fame and deed, he took the palm from all 
 The men to greatness known. "I must decrease," 
 He said, "and he increase ;" and few there are 
 For even Christ — to us so grander known — 
 That sink themselves from sight and shed alone 
 The light of crucial sacrifice, as John. 
 Ah! Who can say, to serve the Master best, 
 Or serve at all: "Behind the cross I'll hide 
 Myself and name, or cheerful cease to be." 
 
 IX 
 
 A Baptist true was John and prototype. 
 In every age, of Baptist true and tried 
 
JOHN'S MISSION ENDED. 43 
 
 That martyr lived and died for Christ and truth. 
 He was the first of Baptist preachers great 
 Who Baptist doctrine preached, disciples made 
 As Baptists make and so baptize ; and struck 
 The primal blow that Baptists strike 
 Against the infant rite. The Son of Man himself 
 He Baptist dipped, and so of members first 
 Who formed a church, disciples were of John 
 And Baptist made ; and from this model church 
 That Baptists formed, there sprang the churches all 
 That apostolic grew. 
 
 X 
 
 From him we take the sacred Baptist name, 
 Derived from sacred Baptist rite, as seen, 
 The symbol true of every doctrine known 
 To gospel grace and truth that saves the soul, 
 And builds the church, or pledges fealty 
 To Jesus Christ. It is the name, and broad 
 And deep — all-comprehensive coined of God — 
 Distinctive marks a people true of Christ 
 Baptized, and churches so, that keep the word 
 And order writ of God, sufficient rule, 
 As strict construed and faithful lived. 
 It is the name that crowns symbolic too 
 
44 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 The great Commission. "Go" — the mighty work 
 
 Of missions taught for all the world — as in 
 
 The name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost 
 
 Discipled millions saved, baptized must be, 
 
 As John did institute and Christ ordained. 
 
 It is the name that symbols Baptist-life 
 
 And history — dipped in blood and crowned, at last, 
 
 With liberty and progress true for all — 
 
 For all the world, and greatest boon of earth, 
 
 Despite the world's opposing. 
 
 XI 
 
 O sacred name is this and holy ! Name 
 Of Baptist martyr first and name of those 
 He prototypes and symbolizes true 
 xAnd all of truth they hold and practice still! 
 To drop that name, or change it, sacrilege 
 And treason be it would. 'Tis not an ism, 
 And God forbid that to it we should add 
 An ism ; for that which Baptist is, is not 
 A Baptistism, nor more, Baptisticism. 
 The Baptist name we take doth symbolize 
 The Gospel whole. All other names applied 
 Specific are of sect and certain forms 
 Of truth and error mixed, or else and oft 
 
JOHN'S MISSION ENDED. 45 
 
 Uncertain sound ; but when we say a thing 
 Is Baptist so, or Baptist not, we say 
 Enough for all that Baptists claim. 
 
 XII 
 The Baptist John did narrow seem to sin 
 And error dark — to proud hypocrisy 
 And pride — who preached to all the wrath to come; 
 And narrow still, to some, he symbolized 
 And taught the sinner's only Remedy — 
 A Crucified Redeemer, ris'n again. 
 The Christ and his apostles built on John; 
 Nor ages since, nor ages yet to come, 
 Can from his doctrine take, or to it add, 
 To save or elevate the world. As true 
 As steel and pure as gold, the Baptist was ; 
 And Baptist true can ne'er improve upon 
 His name or fame, his life and character. 
 His truth or work — but only imitate. 
 Enlarge and magnify. 
 
VI. DEATH OF JOHN. 
 
 I 
 
 The fate of all great men and good, as John, 
 Who faithful and aggressive live for truth 
 And righteousness are persecution dread 
 And death predestined, where there's pow'r to kill 
 And otherwise 'tis ostracism. To be 
 And do the truth — to hold humility 
 And honesty — no country, kindred dear 
 Nor friend, unlike himself, can mortal know. 
 Offense the deepest known to selfish man, 
 Or devil dark, is unperverted truth. 
 Fidelity to all the truth and whole 
 Of God and good for man escape hath none 
 From sword of lust rebuked, self-int'rest hurt. 
 Of pride offended, popularity 
 Or policy curtailed, of power dethroned. 
 Or mean ambition checked. 
 
 II 
 
 Not only fate it is, but badge of true 
 Discipleship to Christ, the loving Lord, 
 
DEATH OF JOHN. 47 
 
 Whose word invokes a "woe" to all of whom 
 The "all" speak well. It is impossible 
 To duty live and suffer not, where sin 
 And duty war; and he that arms for Christ 
 And suffers not, doth only seem to fight, 
 Or fight a partial battle faint, nor scares 
 Nor hurts the Devil. Soundly true is he 
 And roundly great that self forgets and wars 
 For Christ against his foes — and all his foes — 
 For every human good ; nor runs with hound 
 And holds with hare, in any case, to keep 
 His popularity, or policy 
 To serve, that compromises God. 
 
 Ill 
 
 'Twas thus with John the Baptist, true and great, 
 Who paid the price in full fidelity 
 Entails to make immortal, and secure 
 The martyr's crown. Though eating not, he came. 
 And drinking not — abstemious and pure 
 In life — they said : "He hath a devil." Scorned 
 He was and ostracised by Pharisees 
 And Scribes, that viper brood of hypocrites 
 Who came to criticise, or boastful claim 
 In Abrahamic line, baptismal rite. 
 
48 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Or question raise of his authority ; 
 And but for John's far-reaching- fame and power 
 That mighty held the common people fast, 
 The haughty priests and theocrats had hushed, 
 Perhaps, the "Voice" that in the wilderness, 
 Did ring so long and loud for Christ. 
 
 IV 
 So now as then the same, and ever since. 
 And yet to be, of circumcision or 
 Its substitute, the infant rite, as seen, 
 The root and pillar strong of Poj>ery 
 That ever inquisition made and fierce, 
 For ages long, of those who held it not, 
 And has its millions burned ; and burn again 
 It would except for freedom won and held 
 In trust by common people, born of God 
 And free themselves. "Beware," the Master said, 
 "Of the Concision." 
 
 V 
 
 Again the Baptist came in conflict dread 
 With Kingly power, the lust of which must be 
 Condoned or give offense that deadly strikes 
 The hero brave who speaks the truth in love. 
 Upon the wicked Herod, face to face, 
 
DEATH OF JOHN. 49 
 
 He charged adult'ry foul with brother's wife; 
 And moved by her that, vicious woman-like, 
 The deeper sting- of venomed hate inflamed. 
 The Baptist seized, imprisoned, bound in chains 
 And would have put to death, but fear deterred 
 The King — the fear of those the "people" true 
 That counted John a Prophet great. But more 
 The Baptist feared because he was 
 A righteous man and holy — so he kept 
 Him safe the while from woman's vengeance vile. 
 
 VI 
 
 He oft with John communed, though much per- 
 plexed, 
 And heard him gladly, Felix-like, and might 
 Hiave saved his soul, but courage failed to brave 
 Undo the bonds the sinful past had tied — 
 Resist the serpent-charm and guile that none 
 But woman vile can wield, from which but few 
 Among the mighty e'er escaped without 
 The wreck of ruin ; nor Herod was, though touched 
 With seeming good and much conviction moved, 
 Exception to the fatal rule. 
 
 vn 
 
 Alas! What fate was this that hopeless chained 
 The Baptist great in dungeon dark and vile _ 
 
so JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Of gloomy castle, wrapt in solitude 
 
 Of mountain drear and wild, depressing bathed 
 
 In Dead Sea vapors — far away from field 
 
 Of active life, disciples' cheer, to close 
 
 His grand career! His time was up, 'tis true, 
 
 And closed his mission high, but why this fate 
 
 Fidelity would otherwise have seemed 
 
 To win ? How sad and strange it must have been 
 
 To one who never shrank for God, nor blanched 
 
 Before a duty stern, nor ever paled before 
 
 An earthly foe! Nor is it strange that like 
 
 Elijah old, his prototype — pursued 
 
 Alike by woman fierce — discouraged deep 
 
 Should be, imprisoned thus ; and dark with doubt, 
 
 Send far away to Christ to know if Christ 
 
 He was, or else should he for other look. 
 
 Why should he thus imprisoned be, if Christ 
 
 He witnessed true had come with mighty power? 
 
 And so he seemed to pine as did the great 
 
 Elijah, touched, though mighty man he was. 
 
 With human weakness born, and comfort thus 
 
 To weaker men, 
 
 VHI 
 As God Elijah, sunk in deep despair 
 For purpose high permit, again inspired 
 
DEATH OF JOHN. 51 
 
 And courage gave, so Christ the message sent 
 To John in gloom and doubt of wonders done 
 By Him of word and deed — of miracles 
 That John himself had never done ; and thus, 
 Perchance, the Baptist left uplift to bear 
 And wait in hope and cheer the fate decreed 
 Of him, unknown as yet, by woman's hate. 
 "Decrease I must, increase must He," he said; 
 And thus the past forgot, the present bore. 
 And looked the future bravely in the face. 
 He doubtless hoped, despite the vicious wife, 
 That Herod's favor yet his bonds would break; 
 But though the gloomy cell was lit by ray 
 Of hope — and though communing oft with him 
 Who forged his chain — the Baptist never once 
 Apologized, nor softened down his charge 
 Against the King who stood in awe and fear 
 Before his pris'ner who, somehow, he heard 
 And gladly — tribute grand as enemy 
 Could give immortal dignity enchained 
 At hands of brutal lust and cowardice, 
 Without a fault as charged, and doomed to die. 
 
 IX 
 
 At last Herodias' hour for John had come — 
 Her longed and looked-for opportunity 
 
52 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 Her patient malice nursed had waited, watched. 
 Till, like the hungry tigress stalking slow 
 Her prey, she agile sudden sprang upon 
 Her victim bound. The King had planned a feast, 
 Licentious charged with wine and lordly crowned 
 With revelry that inadvertent bred 
 Indecency and madness reckless wrought. 
 Herodias' daughter fair, by mother moved, 
 Did lewdly dance before the noble throng 
 With approbation loud that cheered and stirred 
 The King intoxicate, unconscious all 
 Of purpose dread, an oath to take that then 
 Himself could not revoke — a promise wild 
 That whatsoe'er the dancing girl should ask 
 It should be giv'n. The loud uproar was hushed. 
 ''The head of John the Baptist!" boldly cried 
 The daughter for the mother. 
 
 X 
 
 Poor Herod sobered thus a moment — blanched 
 And sad, "exceeding sorry" was — but so 
 Infatuate with lust and wine, impelled 
 By sense of honor false, he blindly crushed 
 The touch of grief that like a spark was quenched 
 Within the icy gulf of oath-imposed 
 
DEATH OF JOHN. S3 
 
 Conventionality. The gory head 
 
 On charger fine was promptly brought and set 
 
 Like dainty dish and light before the queen 
 
 Whose vengeful appetite for blood of John 
 
 Was sated full ; and round the sacrifice 
 
 Of hate that gruesome dripped with sacred drops 
 
 She danced, perhaps, with fiendish glee that shocked 
 
 The wretched Herod whom the ghost of John 
 
 The Baptist followed to his grave — and who 
 
 When Christ to mighty fame had grown, he thought, 
 
 With terror dread, had risen from the dead. 
 
 XI 
 
 Oh ! What a scene was this for devils' hate 
 To glut and human fiends to signalize, 
 Or terrify ! The gory head of John 
 The Baptist yonder kept in mockish state. 
 The trophy grim of princely lust rebuked ! 
 His body yonder bathed in blood and left 
 In dungeon dank for potter's field ! But no. 
 The scene a brighter picture shows. The soul 
 Of John the Baptist — freed from body bound 
 In tyrant chains — released from duty stern 
 And earthly conflicts sore — by angels borne 
 
54 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 To Paradise — has entered now the glory throng 
 Amid the thrum of milHon harps that played 
 The martyr's pean grand and million shouts 
 Triumphant salutation rang, as ne'er 
 Had welcome rung before. No "greater" man 
 "Of woman born," had ever gone to wear 
 The martyr's crown of glor3\ 
 
 XII 
 
 His poor disciples, dumb and helpless came 
 And took his body — precious load — and sad, 
 They buried soft away. Their lips were closed 
 To fun'ral dirge or lofty eulogy, 
 Except the eloquence of sighs and tears 
 That volumes spoke of worth immortal Hved 
 By him and monumental love enshrined 
 By them ; and all they could they did — except 
 To go and Jesus tell. The Bridegroom's friend 
 Was gone, and orphans his disciples were 
 That turned to seek, at last, the Bridegroom dear 
 Whose counsel sweet his comfort gave and his 
 Adoption — only source solution brings 
 To every human problem dark, and spring 
 Of every hope and joy. 
 
DEATH OF JOHN. S& 
 
 XIII 
 So closed the life of John the Baptist great. 
 "A burning and a shining light was he;" 
 And none were ever greater born, or lived 
 A greater life, or died a greater death. 
 "The deep damnation of his taking off" — 
 His tragic end — bestowed the martyr crown 
 And sealed to him immortal fame that stamped 
 The signet of his character and truth 
 His mission bore upon the mind and heart 
 Of all the ages. God he glorified 
 The more; and none can tell how much himself 
 The deeper wrought in man by such 
 A death that such a life did crown. 'Twas thus 
 That, Samson-like, he slew in death the more 
 Than in his life. "The least," the Master said. 
 Than John was "greater" in the kingdom held 
 Of heav'n — in privilege and dignity — 
 As taught of Christ himself — as subjects trained 
 Within his glorious church as organized 
 And future built — but never man than John 
 Was greater born and bred to all that makes 
 A man — a man of men or man of God — 
 Nor in results of life and character. 
 
56 JOHN THE BAPTIST. 
 
 XIV 
 As Teacher great the Christ compared himself 
 To John who mourned, as He did pipe, the truth 
 With none effect upon the masses deaf 
 Of generation dead that heard them both — 
 Lamenting not for John nor dancing yet 
 For Him ; and so in both ahke the same 
 To those who heard was Wisdom justified 
 Of children hers and by her work. A man 
 Was John, and not a reed as shaken by 
 The wind in wilderness, nor clothed was he 
 In raiment soft and imbecile in house 
 Of Kings, but prophet great and "more" than such, 
 Tlie Master said. Though not the Christ, he paved 
 The way for Christ, foundation deep and broad 
 Of Kingdom great he laid that Christ had come 
 To build on faith, and next to Christ himself 
 In place and dignity — the Bridegroom's FRIEND — 
 Was John the Baptist. 
 
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