Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-02-27

CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOriginal ]
"LOyEsT THOU MET"

liar. Jesus had been put to death and riser
again from the grave Peter had visited the
sepulchre and found that the Lord was not
there. Sometime afterward, Peter and g.
number of other individuals went to the sea-
of liberia, to fish. They toiled all night, but
caught no fish. The emorning came and found
them worn out and hungry. Jesus appeared
standing on the shore "Children, have ye
any meat?" he inquired. "No," was the re"
ply. They were directed, by the unrecog
nized Saviour, to cast their net into the sea on
the right side of their fishing bark. This
they did, and found that the net was so full
of fishes that they were unable to draw it to
the shore. John was enabled to discover who
it was that stood upon the shore, and said to
Peter, at is the Lord" Peter seems to have
been wonderfully confused. He girt his fish"
er's coat unto him and leaped into the sea-
Soon the company of fishers landed and found
fire of Goals, and fish broiling, and bread at
hand. Jesus invited the wet and hungry
party to "come and dine" This they did,
probably, in silence. The repast finished
Jesus turned to Peter and asked him if he
loved him.
No doubt our Saviour had a particular OBJ
ject to accomplish in propounding this ques
ton to Peter, rather than to any one Of the
Others Peter was very peculiarly cons,i
tuted man. Nature had done much for him.
He was generous to a fault, brave and i'm
pulsive; still, he was constantly liable to
blunder. He usually spoke without thinking,
and was, withal, inclined to be braggart
His bravery was not Of the highest order.
At one time he thought, and so declared, that
he could die with his Saviour and for him !;
but when the hour of conflict came and he
saw the Jews and Romans combined against
that Saviour, his heart failed him and his
courage was turned into cowardice. Poor
Peter, without grace, was not to be depended
upon. Our Saviour, by asking Peter if he
loved him, designed to impress upon him the
fact that in the past he had acted very incon-
sistently, and that for all coming time he
should be on his guard.
Peter replied to the Lord that he did love
him. The question was asked again. Peter re-
piled with more emphasis, "Lord, thou know
est 1 love thee." Our Saviour asked the
same question again. Peter was mortified
that he was aske the same question three
times, and replied, "thou knowest love thee,
for thon knowest all thinps"
1t is very probable that Peter, notwith-
standing his previous conduct, was accustom-
ed to talk much to the other disciples about
his love for the Saviour. Hence, to he asked
in the presence of the discip es, three times,
if he loved the Saviour, was very mortifying.
Peter did love the Saviour, but like some
other Christians, he had strange way Of
showing it. Rather, his previous conduct
had been of such kind and character that
it was impossible for any one but an omnis-
cient being to decide whether he loved the
Saviour or not.
Peter was representative character. The
Church has in it to-day, number of persons
who are, to all intents and purposes, just like
Peter was when our Saviour asked him, three
times, if he loved him. No doubt they love
the Saviour, but they have succeeded, in an
admirable way, in concealiug that love, or in
causing others to doubt respecting it. Like
Peter, on certain occasions they are loud in
declaring their attachment for Jesus Christ,
and again they are as loud in denying that
they know him. At Church, or during the
time of revival, they are full of zeal and
energy; but like Ephraim, when the contest
with the devil, the world and the flesh comes,
they family turn back.
1t was we'll for Peter that the Lord knew
all things, for had it not been so, he surely
must have doubted whether Peter loved him
or not. There are others just like Peter in
this particular. They sometimes profess to
be great friends of the Saviour; but soon they
are seen in grog-shop, or at card-table, or
some place else, even more dlsreputable.
There they carouse and practically declare
they know not the Saviour. They toll all
night and catch nothing. When the Saviour
is pleased to ask them, "Do you love me"
they are prompt to say "Yes, Of course; you
know we love YOU" Thy are mortified if the
question is repeated; and again reply, "we love
you." But how is the Saviour to know it i?
Who can tell whose friend the man is who
fights one day under one flag, and another
day under another flag?
Peter was a good man, but there was pc
riod in his history when he had no grace;
another period when he had very little grace.
He had very little grace when the Saviour
asked him seriously, "Lovest thou me?" Pc
ter grew in grace, and it was we'll for his
eternal welfare that he did. So it is with
great multitude of professed Christians Once
they were destitute Of grace, and they have
very little grace now. Great changes have
to take place in them, and they have much to
do before they will be fit for the Church tri-
umphant To US all, Jesus says: "Lovest
thou met" What reply can we make? Will
we, like impetuous Peter, blurt out hasty
"Yes?" What evidence have we that this
would be true? Can any one but He whose
eye discerns all things, at once tell whether
we love Jesus more than we do many other
things? Do we spend our days in spiritual
idleness? Nay, do we join with the ungodly
in the folly and sin of the world, and still
say we love the SavourS If such be the
case, may we not each of us ask ourself the
question, "Do l love Jesus Christ"
Ray- Children are quick to perceive the STAN