h into them as if by a charge of a
powerful explosive. He told them that the spiritual grain was to be
gathered into the garners, while the chaff was to be consumed as if by
a fiery furnace; that the axe was to be laid to the root of the trees
which brought not forth good fruit. Verily, the "Day of Jehovah," long
promised by the prophets, was near to hand to his hearers and
followers.

John soon gathered to himself a following, the people flocking to him
from all parts of the country, even from Galilee. His followers began
to talk among themselves, asking whether indeed this man were not the
long promised Master--the Messiah for whom all Israel had waited for
centuries. This talk coming to the ears of the prophet, caused him to
answer the question in his discourses, saying: "There cometh one
mightier than I, after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy
to stoop down and unloose; he that cometh after me is mightier than
I." And thus it became gradually known to his following, and the
strangers attending his meetings, that this John the Baptist, mighty
preacher though he be, was but the herald of one much greater than he,
who should follow--that he was the forerunner of the Master, according
to the Oriental imagery which pictured the forerunner of the great
dignitaries, running ahead of the chariot of his master, crying aloud
to all people gathered on the road that they must make way for the
approaching great man, shouting constantly, "Make ye a way! make ye a
way for the Lord!" And accordingly there was a new wave of excitement
among John's following, which spread rapidly to the surrounding
country, at this promise of the coming of the Lord--the
Master--perhaps even the Messiah of the Jews. And many more came unto
John, and with him waited for the Coming of the Master.

This John the Baptist was born in the hill country of Judea, nearly
thirty years before he appeared as a prophet. His father was of the
priestly order, or temple caste, who had reached an advanced age, and
who lived with his aged wife in retirement, away from the noise and
confusion of the world, waiting the gradual approach of that which
cometh to all men alike. Then there came to them a child of their old
age, unexpected and unhoped for--coming as a mark of especial favor
from God--a son, to whom they gave the name of _Johanan_, which in the
Hebrew tongue means "Jehovah is gracious."

Reared in the home of his parents--the house of a priest--