JOHN, SAINT, THE BAPTIST, son of Zechariah, a Jewish priest, and Elizabeth his wife, who was • near relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was born to them in their old age. The eacred office was assigned to him of being the precursor or herald of the Messiah. The history of the publio ministry of Jesus begins with the acts of John the Baptist, whom we find withdrawing himself from the ordinary affairs of life and retiring to the desert country watered by the Jordan, where he preached in • fearless manner against the vices of the ago, urged an immediate repentance, enforcing his exhortations by the announcement that the kingdom of Heaven was at hand, and requiring of those who professed to receive him as their instructor that they should submit to the rite of baptism.
Amongst those who came to him and were baptised by him was Jesus Christ, who at his baptism was announced, both by the Baptist himself and by a voice from heaven, to be the Son of God, the Messiah. From this time we hear little more of John till we find him in prison.
He had ventured publioly to reprove Herod the king for an act of great immorality. Herod had married Herodias, who was the wife of Philip, tetrarch of hiumiea, his own brother. The Baptist's reproof was resented more violently by Herodias than by Herod. The history is related by the evangelists with all particulars. Salome, the daughter of Herodias, had Ito pleased Herod with her dancing at a publio enter tainment given by him, that he in an oriental affluence of professed obligation said publicly, that he would give her whatever she would ask, even to the half of his kingdom. The little girl, for she was then extremely young, instructed by her wicked mother, asked the head of John the Baptist. Persons were immediately sent to the prison in which John was confined, who beheaded him, and delivered the head to the young princess, who carried it in a dish to her mother.