The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-04-23
Warming Himself.

do not know if it has ever occurred to .
any one to connect the Apostle Peters de-
nial of his Lord, with the fact that he was
warming himself, on cold night, when the
occasion offered.
Outside in the darkness and cold, he ap-
pears to have been even over jealous in de-
fence of his Master, little too forward to
draw his sword in presence of an armed
multitude. And even after all the other dis
cples had forsaken him and fled, Peter fol-
lowed still, though "afar off, and not find
ing ready admittance to the hall of judg-
ment, had the courage and persistence to
wait outside, till through Johns interven-
ton, he was permitted to go in. All this
looks as though he was resolved to hold fast
till the end, faithful to his colors. And Pc
ter being let in, stood and warmed himself
at the fire, with the officers and servants of
the High Priests 'household. "StOOa and
warmed himself" The fact is mentioned
with some particularly in more than one Of
the gospel narratives of that nights doings.
One says he sat down with the rest. But
his love was waxing cold while he was en-
joying the fire.
Could it be that the circumstances of
physical comfort in which he SO unexpected
ly found himself, were more dangerous to
the life of his soul than the multitude with
swords and slaves had proved, an hour or
two before? That the being received among
the members of the High Priests household,
and getting as it were, into good society,
and finding it pleasant and comfortable to
be there were more powerful to draw him
away from the path of right, and of honor,
than the darkness and agonies of Geth-
semane?
"The pilgrims resting places, says John
Bunyan, "are often most dangerous to him"
The times when everything seems to go well
with US, when we stand most at ease, having
the good things of this life most in abun-
dance, are the times when we fad it hardest
not to be ashamed of the cross of Christ,
when we are most tempted to derry the Lord
that bought US.
My attention has usually been fixed on
the dangers that surrounded Peter after his
admittance. If he should have been identi-
fed as comrade or friend of the prisoner at
the bar, he might have been made to share
in his condemnation. Whether these dan
gers existed in Peters imagination alone or
not-and it seems as if neither he nor John
we're in any imminent personal danger that
night-still think it apparent that the fact
of his denial was owing much to his circum'
stances, and the company he was in. 10
have avowed himself follower of yonder
friendless and bufetted prisoner at the up
per end of the hall would have lost hin, his
place by the fire, and exposed him to a scorn-
full election. At least he thought so-though
it is quite probable that manly confession
of his faith would have more likely procured
him the respect and sympathy Of the crowd:
When pierced to the heart by the look OF
his Lord, there was no longer any clinging
to the warmth or shelter afforded by the
fire. Peter eOsnt out, and wept bitterly
No earthly comforts or immunities can heal
such wound as that And whenever in
every age of the world since, any soul has
faltered in it's allegiance to the man OF sor-
rows, weakened and seduced by the comforts
and pleasures of life, standing and warmang
Themselves" there the apostles tears have
had their counterpart'-M c. Presbyterian,