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 manna and  forth  the  gushing  waters  of  heavenly consolation; and  there  God  speaks  to  the  heart  of a  promised  land  beyond,  where  all  flesh  shall  see  the salvation of  God! O salutary  desert,  where,  for  the first time,  the  unbelieving,  sinful  soul  hears  that  cry of John:  "  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord;  "  whence it is  led  by  John  into  the  baptismal  waters  of  the Jordan, to  soon  emerge  again;  and  on  the  bank behold the  Lamb  of  God  who  taketh  away  the  sins of the  world! Artists love  to  paint  that  scene  at Jesus'  baptism — the  two  young  men  knee  deep  in the  water,  Jesus  smilingly  expectant,  John  hesitating but obedient,  while  over  all  the  Spirit  hovers  like a dove,  and  the  Father  proclaims:  "This  is  My beloved  Son." Simple, lowly  John,  quick  to  reverence virtue,  but  quicker  still  to  upbraid  pharisaical vice; all-humble  in  the  presence  of  his  heavenly Master, but  intrepid  and  defiant  before  the  vicious Herod! And yet,  that  Herod  loved  him  still,  is, after Christ's  eulogy,  John's  highest  encomium. True, he  was  cast  into  prison,  but  Herod  reverenced, praised, loved  him  still. The angel  messenger  of freedom,  in  chains;  the  preacher  of  reform,  the  model of every  virtue,  in  a  felon's  cell! What a  parody  on human  justice! But God's  providence  destined  his captivity to  have  a  deeper  significance. John in  his prison represents  the  abrogation  of  the  Old  Law, even as  Christ  does  the  introduction  of  the  New. The Virgin  of  virgins  gave  to  the  world  the  Author of the  New;  the  incestuous  Herodias  spitefully accomplished the  destruction  of  the  last  remnant  of