John the Baptist is the first personage we shall select. The miracle said to have taken place at the baptism of Jesus, is recorded by John, as follows:--"_And after Jesus came up out of the water, 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 am well pleased._" (Matthew iii. 16, 17.) Again, in John's Gospel, i., 36, when John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said of him, "_Behold the Lamb of God." John also said of Jesus, that *he knew him not till it was told him, that on whomsoever he (John) should see the Spirit of God descend, the same is he_--meaning the true Christ. Now here are repeated miracles to convince not only John the Baptist, but also all that were present at the baptism of Jesus. Such evidence ought to have stopped any future inquiries as to the real Messiahship of Jesus; but there are strong doubts as to the truth that any such wonders were exhibited at the time they are recorded to have taken place.
I shall proceed to present those doubts to the reader, as truth is my object, and I am not afraid to follow after it:--in Matthew ii., 1, 2, it reads, "_Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?_" This question, sent by John to Christ, shows clearly that John did not hear of the wonders wrought by Christ until he (John) was in prison for his reproof of Herod. This account makes it almost certain that the whole story of John's baptizing Jesus, and also of the voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom 1 am well pleased," is a fabrication altogether, and that John had never heard of Jesus until his confinement For this conclusion, we have twofold proof: since if John had baptized Jesus, and the wonders were performed as recorded, John could not have required any further evidence us to his being no pretender, but the true Messiah, the hope and expectation of Israel. On the part of Jesus, his reply would have been, "Why, John, what do you mean by sending a question as to whom I am? You heard the voice from heaven when I was baptized; you also saw the dove descend on my head; and now you send two of your disciples to inquire of me, by saying, 'Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?'"