--freemen--and hundreds of thousands of slaves. Even her
campaigns in time became virtual raids for plunder. She conquered--and
she plundered those whom she conquered. Great numbers from among the
conquered peoples were regularly taken to Rome and sold into slavery.
Judea had not escaped this. Thousands of her best people had been
transported to Rome and sold into slavery. It was never known where the
blow would fall next; what homes would be desolated and both sons and
daughters sent away into slavery. No section, no family could feel any
sense of security. A feeling of fear, a sense of desolation pervaded
everywhere.

There was a tradition, which had grown into a well-defined belief, that
a Deliverer would be sent them, that they would be delivered out of the
hands of their enemies and that their oppressors would in turn be
brought to grief. There was also in the section round about Judaea a
belief, which had grown until it had become well-nigh universal, that
the end of the world, or the end of the age, was speedily coming, that
then there would be an end of all earthly government and that the reign
of Jehovah--the kingdom of God--would be established. These two beliefs
went hand in hand. They were kept continually before the people, and now
and then received a fresh impetus by the appearance of a new prophet or
a new teacher, whom the people went gladly out to hear. Of this kind was
John, the son of a priest, later called John the Baptist.

After his period of preparation, he came out of the wilderness of Judaea,
and in the region about the Jordan with great power and persuasiveness,
according to the accounts, he gave utterance to the message: Repent ye,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Forsake all earthly things; they
will be of avail but a very short time now, turn ye from them and
prepare yourselves for the coming of the Kingdom of God. The old things
will speedily pass away; all things will become new. Many went out to
hear him and were powerfully appealed to by the earnest, rugged
utterances of this new preacher of righteousness and repentance.

His name and his message spread through all the land of Judea and the
country around the Jordan. Many were baptised by him there, he making
use of this symbolic service which had been long in use by certain
branches of the Jewish people, especially the order of the Essenes.

Among those who went out to hear John and who accepted baptism at his
hands was Jesus, t