Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-08-26
Sermon to Melldiie1's.


clancs,own on the 18th inst and is insertct
here by request.
"WmAT IS THAT TO THEE? FOLLOW THOU
ME.'-JonN 81, 90.
After our Saviour's s resurrection he
mildly rebuked Peter for denying him
by saying three times in succession
"lovest thou me and with great benign
ity restored him again to his office as
an Apostle, by commanding him to
feed his sheep. Then Jesus intlmated
the death he should suffer in the ser
vice of his Master, and Peter looking
at John, asked "what shall this man
do?' to which Jesus replied "1f l will
that he tarry till | come what is that
to thee, follow thou me-" What led
Peter to ask this question, whether it
was from some motive of rivalship, from
feeling of jealousy, or from mere Gu.
riosity we do not know but it is PLAN
that the Saviour was not pleased with
the inquiry and checked his curiosity
by saying What is that to thee, follow
thou me" But this language Jesus in
substance said, what is it to thee, what
John shall do? what shall be his con-
dition, what shall be the circumstances
Of his life, what his rank or what shall
be his death, attend to your own duty,
mind your own business, fulfill the part
which have allotted to thee, "follow
thou me-
The lesson We learn from this reply
Of our Lord to Peter is, that all prylng
inquiries into the state. the circum-
stances or affairs of others are repre-
henslble and improper, and that to
every one particular charge is assign-
ed bv the Master, the tulfilIment Of
which ought to be the primary and alb
sorbng object of his attention without
oniciously thrusting himself into the
concerns of others.
First We notice, That idle curiosity
the inqusitivc and meldIing spirit
which leads men to look after and pry
into the affairs Of their neighbors is
very rcprehensible, because it inter
rupts the good order and breaks the
harmony and peace Of society, because
it excites and nourshes bad passions
and draws men away from proper
attention to the discharge Of their
own duty.
AS members OF one common brother
hood of humanity having many com
mon interests, many similar wants and
necessities we are linked together by
! many ties and are therefore bound by
duty and prompted by interest to give
mutual assistance and to perform
friendly offices to and for each other
and in this sense every one Is "hls
brothers keeper" But these friendly
Offices are performed to the best ad-
vantage, when we avoid interfering un-
necessarily in the concerns Of others
when we wait till VIC fully understand
the situation and know that our offices
are essential to their higher interests
! The real circumstances the motives,
aims and actions of others are often
concealed from the most prying scru-
tiny and unknown therefore as long us
their pursuits are fair and lawful, and
they are not suffering for our assist
ance, we have no right to cross the
line in which others move and meddle
where we have no concern. For every
one has his own part to act and his
own interests to consult, and if he Is
improperly and unnecessarily disturb
ed he naturally claims the right of re-
senting, and friendship is thus broken,
peace destroyed and much discord pro-
duced in society. The Apostle gives
lis a good rule in his first Episte to the
Thes. by saying THAT ye study to be
quiet and do your own business
The spirit of meddllng curiosity not
only d.sturbs the peace and harmony
of the world; but it also excites a num-
Der of bad passions. 1t frequently
arises from mere idlencss which is the
parent of vice. The human mind is
active and is restive without something
to nourish the activity Of thought, and
those who find nothing upon winch to
mediate in the wide field of nature,
! those who cannot see anything in the
habits Of animals, the growth Of plants,
the blooming Of flowers, the geological
formation of the earth, the floating OF
| the clouds or the motion of the heav-
enlv bodies, those who can see Lothing
in natural or mechanical laws have no
taste for reading watch the actions
and inquire after the affairs of others
around them and what they learn or
fancy they have learned concerning