Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-10-25

Feter was, perhaps, running hither and ,
thither in search of a sword, and Tins did
not know all that happened, AS the sol.
dlers came up. 1t is most natural to
suppose that Peter was one of the two who
had swords, as appears from Luke's mar
rative. But Peter had been asleep and
his sword may have been laid aside or
even left with the eight who remained at
the entrance of the garden. However all
mis- mly bo. IL is evident thqt ut the yery
nrst motion to arrest the Master he was
ut hand, and with his short sword verv
nearly cleft tho head of the high priests
servant. Peter would have made wav
igainst the whole six Kindred soldiers if
he had been allowed to 90 at the work in
ms own way. There was no faltcrino in
his determination to die with tn, Master.
II be could die fighting; but when his
nead.ong orler was checked, and he bid.
aan TO put up the sword in which he trust
H' his courage failed. The highest valor
--7 0u'ch Iut7 ,ecrngiy IN tue midst
OF sfe 'tcst pCci '9"tiaQ for oyde,s. That
courage Eejel had no.; and when Jesus
asked and ap,a;aed ieaya lat his follow.
cts might depart unlnotes.ed, Peter dis
psr5pi with the res. Of ne company, aud
only turned o Illi9w him afar eff, and
luL.'y to d.lT tatt hg ever knew him.
Jesus tle rrince OF pcce. was gripvel
,UHl . G.Hualy Siouid come aglilst him
via yar'.Ea oqupag so he demonstrates
"'.l VIII then, telling lh2m that he had
n-v among nem W,h the utmost free
'pu ga wy htt al'owai many oppor-
4nur> If his ares tOptss. Why come
4a0n him now wi h such l fo:ceP Jesus,
.ever checks, his own remonStrauce,
! ., ug "bui he scriptures must be fulfill.
d. He saw himself constantly in the
ught of prophecy, and was not only
Wiling bat anxious TO fulfill all that was
written concerning him. The first effort
| If the Jews was to secure the voice of the
Samhedrin against Jesus. This body had
40 power of life and death, but if lhev
c'uld present Jesus TO the Romans as
, criminal, condemned to die according
- herr l1v; hen the Romans would
n ~ UEe,Y 81 ctlon their decisions in the
ct>" ant ease IN h. he put TO death
v lex ill the ardent Peter among
tae servln in the high priests palace,
warming himself by the fire they had
extemporizes. He has gone wrong in
several particulars, and his course should
| BE perpetual warning to all. First he
was rash, though he meant to be right.
Rashness often spoils otherwise excellent
men. Again he turned away from fideli-
| ty too quickly when he could not serve in
his own way. He was too tenacious
about the sword matter.
Many professedly good people now will
refuse to do anything, even in the best
cause. unless they can dictate the way in
which it shall be done. Then Peter put
himself in very dangerous position. He
was too far from Jesus to be in sympathy
with him. Away from Jesus, either NOR.
ally or literally, we are sure to be among
his enemies, and it is always their delight
to vex weak disciples into denial of the
Master. No one ever stood near to Christ
ready to bear the shame and the cross
with him, and standing there fell from
such position into the shame of denying
him. But away from him among the
servants of sin such fall is only easy and
natural.