n I put my life beside the life
of some of these men, I say, Shame on the Christianity of the present
day. If you want to get a good idea of yourself, look at some of the
Bible characters that have been clothed with meekness and humility,
and see what a contrast is your position before God and man.

One of the meekest characters in history was John the Baptist. You
remember when they sent a deputation to him and asked if he was Elias,
or this prophet, or that prophet, he said, "No." Now he might have
said some very flattering things of himself. He might have said:

"I am the son of the old priest Zacharias. Haven't you heard of my
fame as a preacher? I have baptized more people probably, than any man
living. The world has never seen a preacher like myself."

I honestly believe that in the present day most men standing in his
position would do that. On the railroad train, some time ago, I heard
a man talking so loud that all the people in the car could hear him.
He said that he had baptized more people than any man in his
denomination. He told how many thousand miles he had traveled, how
many sermons he had preached, how many open-air services he had held,
and this and that, until I was so ashamed that I had to hide my head.
This is the age of boasting. It is the day of the great "I."

My attention was recently called to the fact that in all the Psalms
you cannot find any place where David refers to his victory over the
giant, Goliath. If it had been in the present day, there would have
been a volume written about it at once; I don't know how many poems
there would be telling of the great things that this man had done. He
would have been in demand as a lecturer, and would have added a title
to his name: G. G. K.,--Great Giant Killer. That is how it is to-day:
great evangelists, great preachers, great theologians, great bishops.

"John," they asked, "who are you?"

"I am nobody. I am to be heard, not to be seen. I am only a voice."

He hadn't a word to say about himself. I once heard a little bird
faintly singing close by me,--at last it got clear out of sight, and
then its notes were still sweeter. The higher it flew the sweeter
sounded its notes. If we can only get self out of sight and learn of
Him who was meek and lowly in heart we shall be lifted up into
heavenly places.

Mark tells us, in the first chapter and seventh verse, that John came
and preached saying, "There cometh one mightier than I after me, the