CHRIST'S BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION.

MAMMA," said Ellen, next morning, "I wish you would tell us more about what Jesus did when he was a child."

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My dear, we have no more told us in the Bible, and therefore I cannot. We only know, as I said yesterday, that he was perfectly holy, and free from sin, and full of heavenly wisdom and grace, and that little children should feel it a great comfort to know that he was once a child like themselves. Our picture to-day is what happened when he was quite a man, about thirty years old. All these years he had lived quietly at Nazareth with his mother and Joseph; now the time was come for him to begin to show himself to the world as the Son of God, the Messiah whom the prophets had told of, and God had promised

from the beginning. Now, look at the picture!"

"Oh, mamma, I know it; it is Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist!" "Can you tell me anything particular about John?"

"The angel came to his father Zacharias in the temple, when he was a very old man, and told him that his wife Elisabeth should have a son."

"And do you know what John's great office was, what he was sent to do?"

"I am not sure, mamma."

"It was to prepare the Jews for the coming of the Messiah. And so when he grew up, a little before this time, he began to teach and preach, and baptize the people, calling upon them to be ready to give up their sins, and to welcome the Saviour. He was a very holy man, and very bold in speaking to sinners, but very humble too, always saying that he was nothing compared with the Messiah, who was to come after. Read these verses."

"John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; and preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."-Mark i. 4-8.

"You may see from what you have read, that John the Baptist was followed by great multitudes of people, who regarded him as a very wonderful man; but this did not make him proud at all. He told them that a glorious being was soon to appear, for whom he was not worthy to perform the humblest service. And afterwards, when

the disciples of John came and informed him that all men were going to Christ, he heard the announcement with great joy, and reminded them that he had always spoken of the coming of One mightier than himself."

"But what are people baptized for, mamma?" asked Ellen.

"You know that we use water for washing or cleansing; when a person is baptized, it signifies that the Holy Spirit can wash all the sins away which stain the heart. But Jesus had no sinstains from which he needed to be cleansed. Why then was he baptized?" "I do not know."

"Because he was to stand in our place; God was to look upon him as one of us; and he must do whatever God commands us to do; John, who knew that he was the Son of God, was very much surprised when he came to him. Read about this."

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I

have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him."-Matthew iii. 13-15.

"Then do you remember, Ellen, what happened afterwards?”

"The Holy Spirit came down upon Jesus like a dove, and the voice from heaven spoke: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" "Very well, let us read it from the Bible."

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I ȧm well pleased."-Matthew iii. 16, 17.

"And so, in this wonderful way, God told the people that this was the true Messiah, God and man together, whom they must hear and obey.