It is the mountain to the sea

That makes a messenger of me;
And, lest I loiter on the way

And lose what I am sent to say,
He sets his reverie to song

And bids me sing it all day long.

Farewell! for here the stream is slow,

And I have many a mile to go.

REV. JOHN B. TABB.

NOTES AND QUESTIONS

Rev. John Banister Tabb (1845-1909), a well-known lyric poet, was born in Virginia. After taking part in the Civil War, he became a Catholic, studied for the priesthood, was ordained, and subsequently was professor of literature at St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Md.

O Wind, why do you never rest,
Wandering, whistling to and fro,
Bringing rain out of the west,

From the dim north bringing snow?

Born in the same year as our Blessed Lord and in the same country, John the Baptist spent most of his younger days in the desert fasting and doing penance.

This life was a preparation for the great work which he was about to begin.

His dress was of camel's hair with a belt around his waist.

When he was thirty years of age, he began to preach, saying: "Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Then the people of Jerusalem, of Judea, and all the country about the Jordan went to John the Baptist, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

One day, Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by him.

John said to Him: "I ought to be baptized by You, and comest Thou to me?"

Jesus answering said to John: "Suffer it to be so now, for so it becometh us to fulfill all justice."

Jesus, being baptized, came out of the water; and lo! the heavens were opened: and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and coming upon Him.

Behold a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."

66

Shortly after this remarkable event, the Jews sent to John priests to ask him: Who art thou?"

John answered: "I am not the Christ."

They asked him: "What then?

Elias?"

He said: "I am not."

"Art thou the prophet?"

And he answered: "No."

Art thou

Then they said to him: "Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us?"

John the Baptist answered: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord."

The priests said to him: " Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?"

John said to them: "I baptize with water, but there hath stood One in the midst of you, Whom you know not. The same is He that shall come after me, Who is preferred before me, the latchet of Whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.'

John the Baptist was really a very wonderful saint. He preached the Word of God and feared

no man.

On one occasion, he told Herod that it was not right for him to marry his brother's wife, Herodias.

When Herodias heard what he had said about her, she made up her mind to have revenge.

So Herod cast John the Baptist into prison, and would have put him to death, but he was afraid of the people.

On Herod's birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod and all the guests.

She did so well that Herod promised that he would give her whatever she asked of him.

The girl went to her mother and said: "What shall I ask?"

The mother answered: "Ask for the head of John the Baptist on a dish."

Then the daughter went to Herod and said: