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"And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:16-17 ASV <p>Illustration of Jesus kneeling next to John the Baptist. A ray of light, the spirit of God, descends from a dove onto Jesus' head. There is a cloud behind the dove. John the Baptist, dressed in animal skins and holding a staff with a banner that reads "Agnus", is standing next to Jesus.

The Spirit of God Descends on Jesus When He is Baptized by John the Baptist

"And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened…

"A name given sometimes to a seperate building, sometimes to the portion of the church itself in which the ceremony of baptism was performed. In the latter case, the Baptistery was merely the enclosure containing the font, to be seen in most English churches. According to the earlier arrangements of the Christian Church, however, the Baptistery seems usually to have been a building standing detached from, though in the immediate vicinity of the church to which it appertained." &mdash; Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

Baptistery

"A name given sometimes to a seperate building, sometimes to the portion of the church itself in which…

"And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist. And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given; and he sent and beheaded John in the prison." Matthew 14:8-10 ASV <p>Illustration of John the Baptist, having just been unshackled, kneeling in prayer while a soldier waits to behead him with an axe. . A shaft of light beams down on John. Salome can be seen just outside the archway with a platter in her hands.

John the Baptist Prays in Prison Just Before His Beheading

"And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.…

"And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:1-2 ASV <p>Illustration of John the Baptist, sitting on a rock under a tree, left hand raised and right hand holding a staff. He is preaching to the multitudes. Men, women, and children sit and stand around him. The Sadducees and Pharisees, identifiable by their robes, can be seen in the background (left).

John the Baptist Preaches in the Wilderness

"And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, saying, Repent ye;…

Roger Williams was the founder of the Providence Plantation in Rhode Island, as well as the first Baptist church in America. He crossed the Pawtucket River in order to obtain more land from the Native Americans.

Roger Williams Crossing the Pawtucket River

Roger Williams was the founder of the Providence Plantation in Rhode Island, as well as the first Baptist…