JOHN THE BAPTIST IMPRISONED. Bg

that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eternal
life.” Jesus must be lifted up upon
the cross and die, that perishing
sinners, Who look to Him in faith,
may be eternally saved.

What wonderful things Nicode-
mus heard from Jesus that night!
he was very glad to hear them ; and
he went away believing that Jesus

was not only a prophet, but that
He was “the only-begotten Son of
God,” the Messiah, the Saviour of
sinners. When we read of Nicode-
mus again, we shall find that his
faith became stronger, and that he
learnt not to be ashamed nor afraid
of confessing himself a disciple of
Jesus.

 

CCLITI.

foun THE BAPTIST ] MPRISONED.

ERIBOUT this time, John the
Baptist was thrown into
prison by Herod the te-
trarch of Galilee. This
Herod -was a son of the
cruel king of Judea who had mur-
dred the little children of Bethle-
hem. He was cruel and wicked
like his father. When John first
began to preach, Herod the tetrarch
liked him, and did many things
which John said were right, “and
heard him gladly.” But when John
faithfully and boldly reproved him
for his sins, Herod grew angry; for
he loved sin, and did not like to
give it up. So he took John and
cast him into prison, that he might
hear his warnings and reproofs no
more.

Do you think it was very wicked
of Herod to do this? It was; but

  

when we read of his wickedness, we
should remember, that we all have,
by nature, the same proud and rebel-
lious spirit which made him so cruel
to the faithful John. Many people
are impatient and angry when a
faithful minister or a kind friend
warns them of their sins, and of the
dreadful end of sin if unrepented of.
Even children are often very angry,
when reproved of their faults by
their kind parents or teachers.
Instead of attending humbly to
what is said, they are sullen and
angry because they are told of their

faults, not sorry because they have  *

done wrong. All this is very
wicked, and very foolish too; for
those who kindly reprove us, are
our best friends; and Solomon says,
“He that heareth reproof getteth
understanding.” Prov. xv. 32. |