This light comes through his Word, the Gospel of our salvation, as it is proclaimed by his faithful ministers, and falls upon every sinner.  If the sinner will open his ears to the voice, and his eyes to the light, the promise in the text is that he “shall live.”  Jesus says:  “I am the light of the world.  He that followeth me shall have the light of LIFE.  In him is light, and the light is the LIFE of men.”  But if the sinner, like the owl, closes his eyes to the light of truth, and his ears to the voice of the Lord, he will abide in death, and, like the owl, love darkness rather than light forever.

SUNDAY, July 19, Magdalena Wampler and John Miller’s wife baptized.

Sermon by Elder Daniel Miller.

In the German Language, at the Linville’s Creek Meetinghouse.

    TEXT.—­And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and
    all they of Jerusalem; and they were baptized of him in the river
    Jordan, confessing their sins.—­Mark 1:5.

Judging from the multitudes that went out to John’s baptism, his preaching must have created a lively sensation in Jerusalem and Judaea.  All who went out were Jews.  In justice to the text, we must notice the fact that the word ALL, as there used, applies only to the common people.  These came to John confessing their sins.  He pointed them to the “Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.”  The scribes and Pharisees and lawyers, the chief men of Judaea and Jerusalem, went not out to be baptized of John.  These had no sins to confess; no ignorance to deplore; no spiritual ailments or infirmities.  “They that be whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick.”

It was with the common people that John succeeded in preparing the “way of the Lord.”  May we not also do the same?  When we induce men to think upon the subject of religion, when we persuade them to repent and believe the Gospel, we too are preparing the way of the Lord.  The Word of Truth does not have free course all over the world yet.  Many amongst us oppose it.  Millions far away are still in pagan darkness.  But every soul that truly believes in Jesus and is baptized has the promise of salvation; and every such soul is a fresh light in the world’s darkness.  The more of such lights we can get to shine in the world the lighter will it grow, and the more and more will the way of the Lord be prepared.

In John’s day the people were not ashamed to come and be immersed in the Jordan.  There does not seem to have been any doubt or uncertainty with them as to the mode or form of baptism.  Every one went to the river Jordan.  If a few drops of water, applied to some part of the body, had answered the end of baptism as well as the immersion of the whole body in water, I think most of them would have saved themselves this long journey.  They would have called John to Jerusalem, to that wealthy and populous city.  He could have just passed through the streets with a pail or pitcher of water in his hand, and with little trouble could have applied a few drops to the head or face of each one that asked it.