I can imagine Herod then saying to himself: "I will have that man's head off inside of twenty-four hours. I would arrest him here and now if I dared. I will catch him to-morrow before the crowd gathers." By and by, as Herod listens, some of the people begin to press close up to the preacher, and to question him. Some soldiers are among them, and they ask John: "What shall we do?" John answers: "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages." "That is pretty good advice," Herod thinks; "I have had a good deal of trouble with these men, but if they follow the preacher's advice, it will make them better soldiers." Then he hears the publicans ask John, as they come to be baptized: "What shall we do?" The answer is: "Exact no more than that which is appointed you." "Well," says Herod, "that is excellent advice. These publicans are all the time overtaxing the people. If they would do as the preacher tells them, the people would be more contented." Then the preacher addresses himself to the Pharisees and the Sadducees in the crowd, and cries: "O generation of vipers! Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance." Says Herod within himself: "I like that. I am glad he is giving it pretty strong to these men. I do not think I will have him arrested just yet." So he goes back to his palace. I can imagine he was NOT ABLE TO SLEEP MUCH that night; he kept thinking of what he had heard. When the Holy Ghost is dealing with a man's conscience, very often sleep departs from him. Herod cannot get this wilderness preacher and his message out of his mind. The truth had reached his soul; it echoed and re -echoed within him: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He says: "I went out to-day to hear for the Roman Government; I think I will go to-morrow and hear for myself." So he goes back again and again. My text says that he heard him gladly, that he observed him, and feared him, knowing that he was a just man and a holy. He must have known down in his heart that John was A HEAVEN-SENT MESSENGER. Had you gone into the palace in those days, you would have heard Herod talking of nobody but John the Baptist. He would say to his associates: "Have you been out into the desert to hear this strange preacher?" "No; have you?" "Yes." "What! you, the Roman Governor, going to hear this unordained preacher?" "Yes, I have been quite often. I would rather hear him than any man I ever knew. He does not talk like the regular preachers. I never heard any one who had such influence over me."