MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
When Jesus had grown to be a young man, there came a minister through the country about Jordan, preaching to the people that they repent and be baptized. Some thought he was the Christ for whom they had been waiting. But he said to them: “I baptize you with water, but there is coming one, so much mightier than I, that I am not even worthy to untie his shoes [this was the work of the lowest servant]; He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He will make clean the hearts of his people. He will gather them in as wheat is gathered into the garner. But the wicked will be like chaff which is burned up, with a fire that cannot be put out.” Many other solemn things, also, this minister preached to the people. A man named Herod, ruler over part of the country, was angry with John because he had been reproved for many sins, among them marrying a woman whom he had no right to marry; and he put John in prison. But before that happened, one day, when John had been preaching and baptizing many people, Jesus came, and asked to be baptized also; and as he was praying, a wonderful thing happened. The Holy Ghost came down out of heaven in the form of a dove, and rested on Jesus, and a voice out of heaven said: “Thou art my beloved son; in thee I am well pleased.”