New-York tribune., 1880-03-08
nrrrR.s DENIAL OF HIS MASTER.
III =
~, Reo Harg Ward Beecher. AZ Plymouth CureN ''o"9"
"" ~'N'' g1ff0nHI bfOOktgn-

The Rso Hery Ward Beecher Plymouth Church 6co'9'e
- ~ gdtfoadL brooktyn
savep nersons were admitted TO Plymouth
Church at the opening the morning service YESTERDAY
Ferns callas and other dollhouse plants ana h'"'i7
adorned the platform Mr. Beecher preached seFmoh
hearing mon the observance Of The Lofds supper Inc
,exI was Matthew xvi 90: " Bun Peter followed linn
af.r Of unto high priests palace ana went ID anu
sat with the servants tp sec the cn"''
vhstevcr may have been said Mr. Beecher, the char
.r of Peter after the Penteeosta dav and his suhse-
an texperencc and instruction he was a. 'hiS uH8
toa. bod but couTag eous BY impulse he pul nl'h
snf forward and by reflection he became umld ana eau
flo : Not so with John and Ncodemus They were
cautious r. hrst by reflection became strohg anu
couragecu- Ncodomus IN falr weather bid himself ou'
came on and stood for the Master IN ihv
sanhecr-n a d before the authorities D0luN' Ie'V''
when the arresr made, cut on the ear Oh the hsH
Priests servant that Christ was arrested an"
snn,uitted; then he followed at dis ance. He was
Galilean peasant with the utmost veneralion tor tne
and for the High Priest. and when ho found
himself in their company spirit OF submission came
over bim He saw his Master behaving strangely ana
no miracle Of deliveranee was shown THOSE VINO ar
rested Christ held firm grasp upon him. and lie ye4ded
and WAS led away, ultimately, as 1t proved, 10 tAe
Judgment hall
10 peter and the other disciples after. they re-
eected and a dismal conception came TO them that He
WAS to die and fulfil the prophecies lie had deafeu
nuto them. II So there was end to what they had
lopcd He had not organized them there was 10
Church no ritual only eleven men, after tho detection
Of Judas with creed, held together only ny theH
faith in Jesus. There was nothing he
did not live TO inspire confidence and heroic
sefdeyotion Peter overcome by the darkness ara
sodierly array He could not follow close enough 10
Christ TO identify Him. but only afar or 10 see 'he
eod Calculation came In as a motive with him not
vulgar political calculation which waits 10 see
which way TO jump; but the calculation 10
Gee n Christ would rescue Himself or be slan'
and they would have TO go back TO theif
old occupatous Afterward Peter went into -tDe
kitchen of the palace and warmed himself ana theh
came the trial In which all honor broke down ana the
lowest vulgarity developed he denied his Lord
thrice The maid called HIM this fellow" and she hit
itexactly that was what he He said lie did not
know Jesus and did not serve by the eyes and ears
ne had none Of that true knowledge which comes by
sympathy and the penetration of love. He lied In in
tent when he said. "I know not the man," but II was
the truth
peter first drew his sword and when he sheathed he
put No his better manhood he then followed afar of.
eoujyocated denied. and finally, by vulgar and
fame oath oisowned his Master This all came from
following afar off, In with this the conduct OF
John stands out He never was meddlesome
or intrusive, though deryi and when he ap-
pears as the shifting drama draws to
close he is near the Master within earshot He and the
women renamed near. helpless and eakhanded The
horror OF the terrible death did not appa Their love
mounted with the danger and they stood by Him the
last Christ dead more precious to them than any
living being and from his tomb life bossomed TO
console them. No joy was ike the Joy Of
these devoted women, who loved TO the end
and afterward. The contrast is vivid between
the faithful and the unfaithful
But some considerations ameiorate Peters treachery
md cowardice He was not Malicious or ignorant. but
self preservation ruled him. He did not have the truest
love or the deepest He professed much IN the face OF
the Saviour forward on every occasion and was
rebuked; but when the test came he failed
Greater love hath man than to lay down
his life for bis friend" This is the final test the
mower of suffering for another. Feeling is matter OF
more or less bre; but the love test the heroic test
How much you will bear, bow much you viii suner,
how much you Will sacrifice how much OF yourself you
will gve-tbese determine the measure OF love Peters
love was coarse and vulgar, and he gave it all up to
save himself True love shows the most in
the darkest hour. At this time Christ was
nm accused criminal aud II the charge lad been true
of violating the laws Of His country u was not for His
friendship only in sunsninei When man is in trouble
aud he wants to be ribbed up with strength, then ne
needs love ana sympathy. What testimony TO love II
would have been II this baud OF disciples had
stood by Christ IN the II, supreme hSnrd S IN, lne
willingness to suffer for HIN would nave oeeh
royalty -. ,.... ,,,.,, -, ..o,,o. 90
tbis IL Christ could now he seen in city what
thrnpgs would FOLLOW him How our chOirs wOdld
MITE 20 chant the name which has perfumed the
turies But lie has gone into the silence OF the Real
ont Of The noise OF the Unreal; of the Visible
into the Invisible. There are special ways
Tor IA 10 follow Him. except follow the tnncs that
His. The development Of mankind must be toward
tne nlightemnent OF the whole human iam'v saliva
tion is not TO be confined 10 civilization 10 the
Anglo-saxon race, the Mongolian or the Indian;
IL is for the whole human race. All creatures
His whether savage Dsrp'fons' & cH'Ieo 1o, OF OF
the elements that perfectly represent Christ among
men you viii hud hat all must be iollo%e tnere can
protesting Christ ana not engaged IN some GOOD
work be follower OF HIM, and all mH5i DE ~ SYM
pathy with all the developments o. t.e Llglest SPIT
ual interests Of men. There mast Do coaial ana co
operative sympathy. He who rolls up pioindces and
brings OUT clements OF bitterness betrays Carst; H.
who spurns because they not orthodox aud not
OF the Kingdom as he limits H. si's III 'hc he"e "nu 10
baser than bis great protOtrpe ,-,.
MANY men follow afar off. They doubt This doctrine,
and discuss whether that Is OF the Book they canuOt
give up the faith of Their childhood neither can ihry
hmly bold it; they move on saherlng dn't tna max.
give up all Their fam %n go oyer no lnad ,ey St foo 70
men should ally themselves TO the name wnlch II con
fessed IN every rSnGn'' eats.r no Ie He s TO 20 to
the cross. go thou how manhy, many, py Pe'n.nT Ena
many reioce IN revival time this OF Lent
but ne Il wakes and wanes grow cold and follow afaI
and saw Lord love Thee in life and In death Z" How
many can say, All have woald gave rather than be
This is personal to all who are here.
nsrit1ie service which wonld not bring up the bloody
scene and yet commemorate the ac.lnce, We see now
t s vulvarzcd and what effect the acuai representa-
tion nroduces in countries where the cIuchX Is dis
nayed i'm every corner and the blood ~ always iowlng
and the print OF the nails Is shown, ana the mead Is ~
wavs boyed IL reduces II 20 physical tranaacllon
Cnr simple service IL OF love and memory There
can ha no hetter universal symbol than gathering around
file table and breaking bread and drinking IRON me cup
tits within the reach of poverty ITSELF as wen a OF hc
highest IL is the same in every nation BY this ccre
mony Chlist is manifested TO the Imagination ana
brought before US. -
Is seshness predominant in youi Renew your VOWS
Of conservation. There are not many more seasons
for man az Let
end l invite not merely to this external service but
with loving hearts. minds. affections. and more perfect
coneecrafon 10 bear witness for Christ and to accept
Him as "A leader and exemplar il there are any bur
dened sorrow-srlcken souls invite such TO come also