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 the Lord."  His  whole  personality,  his  life,  his  works cried:  "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord."  Works cry  louder  than  words :  "  The  heavens  show  forth the glory  of  God  and  the  firmament  declareth  the work of  His  hands."  And  of  John  the  Baptist  it  may be  truly  said,  that  "  his  voice  hath  gone  forth  into  all the earth  and  his  words  unto  the  ends  of  the  world."

Ah, Brethren,  if  we  could  only  realize  that  words are to  deeds  as  a  whisper  to  a  clarion  note;  that  our deeds cry  out  even  when  we  are  silent. If I  that preach could  only  realize  the  importance  of  example, I would  cease  to  be  a  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling cymbal; and  oh,  that  you  who  listen  would  but learn that  louder  still  is  the  vengeful  cry  of  evil deeds — that the  blood  of  Abel  and  the  iniquities  of Sodom  and  Gomorrha  and  the  rich  man's  oppression of  the  poor  cry  to  heaven  for  vengeance,  and that the  cries  thereof  enter  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord God of  Sabaoth. If we  are  in  sin,  you  or  I,  our  whole personality — our lives,  our  deeds,  are  but  a  voice  in the  wilderness  of  this  world,  crying:  "  Prepare  ye the  way  of  the  Demon,  make  straight  his  paths." It is  sin  that  makes  this  world  a  desert — a  vast, wooded wilderness,  where,  if  you  except  the  anchorites and  hermits,  few  real  men  are  found. Many lose their  way  in  the  pursuit  of  phantoms;  tirelessly they search  for  the  fountains  of  water,  and  find  them bitter; they  climb  for  the  fruit  of  the  topmost  branch, and find  it  sour. Through this  world  roams  the devil like  a  roaring  lion;  wild  beasts,  too,  are  here in human  shape,  more  cruel  even  than  the  dumb