The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-01-21

| OIL human nature Is given any yWloIo III
history than that furnished by the Disci-
pies who were with the Savior in Geth-
semane With all the enthusiasm which
has ever been the distinguishing charac-
teristic of those who seemed to feel that
they were specially set apart for gospel
work, they were apparently in great
earnest in their adherence to the fortunes
of the Savior as he appeared in the flesh.
They would not desert or betray their
Lord and Master-no, not for worlds!
Well, some might possibly do so, but
Peter wanted it distinctly understood
that if every one of the others should go
back on him that he. Peter. would re-
main as firm in his faithfulneSs as the
everlasting hills. Even after the Savior
had assured Peter that he would deny his
Lord that much-abused individual was
exceedingly profuse in his protes tations
that the Savior must certainly be mis-
taken 1t couldn't be Peter, for he was
par excellence the faithful among the
faithful. He even expressed doubts as
to the prophetic power of the Savior when
assured that he would deny his master.
/ l. w
we're test of his faithfulness and veracity
came, short time afterward, but few
hours, he stood up and lied like weather
report. He not only declared that he
was not one of the immediate followers
of Christ, but that he did not know
him at all. Such was the experience
Jesus had with the liar-apd the liar has
| hal1 no,,t p1oan in, tho affairc nf
the world ever since.
Nothing makes friends like prosperity.
But let man be successful. and friends
will gather about him with ostentatious
displays of their regard. Of course, they
like him for his personal qualities alone.
They like his manner. They love to hear
him talk. They dote on the beauty of
his daily manner of life. Let the success
full man meet with a sudden reverse, and
these friends will be excessively gener-
Gus in their offers of assistance. IF I
can do anything for you, be free to call
upon mel" is the comforting assurance.
This, to the unfortunate man-who has
not made study of human nature-has
a wonderfully soothing effect. Now,
suppose such an one shall take such a
friend at his word, ask but the loan of a
small portion of the latter's worldly pos
sessions-and the Borealis never produced
such sudden and various changes of
countenance as will possess that friend
The whole face of worldly affairs is
changed, in the twinkling of an eye. He
has had bad luck with his crops; he has
had to pay large sum as endorser for a
friend; his best horse has just died; he
has note to meet in bank; and, in fact
his business is in a deplorable shape, all
the way through. Suppose that the man
who has failed in business seeks credit
for the necessaries of life, and in response
to demand for references" gives the
name of this professed friend. Let the
business man who has been referred to
him ask him as to the reliability of his
friend So-and-so, and he will equivocate
and squirm, and hesitate, then smile
patronizlngly, and say that really ht
doesn't know much about So-and-so, anG
can't say anything as to his reliabi lily
In fact, he does by his friend-who per
haps has done him many good turn
| JuSG dS I6l6I Qlu Will
Nor will treachery stop here, in a ma
jority of cases. Deplorable and ungen
erous as it may seem, in too many case
the professed friend, as soon as the unfor
tunate man begins to go downward, will
appear as swift witness against him
The conclusion from this line of though
or rather this declaration of fact, il
that the great train of friends who follow
in the wake of the successful man ar
not following the man-but something
else. We behold the successful man
with his pockets filled with money, ant
surrounded by friends, who laugh at hi
every joke no matter how stale or point
less, and declare that his every move-n
matter how awkward-is the very idea
Of grace. While we look at him tn
money suddenly slips from his pocket
He nervously clutches at it-but it i
gone. In short time one of the sur
rounding admirers slyly gets up ant
moves away. His name is Peter. A
soon as this departure is forgotten, an
other gets away. HIS name is Peter
And they all go in like manner, and th'
name of each is Peter. 1t was not tn
man they were admiring. but the none,
in his pocket. That gone, and the ad
miration was gone. The man was bu
the custodian of the object of their ad
miration-just as the most lowly servan
may have temporary possession of tn
finest work of art. But let the servan
lose the gem, and the entire household
will turn against him, and persecute hin
on account of the loss. But let maj
lose all his treasures of earth, and tn
human family appear as swift witness t
his worthlessness and lack of reliability
There are a good many people who's
name is Peter and not few whose nam
is Judas.
But this does not imply any excessiv
natural wickedness on the part of tn
people The rather it implies lack o
watchfulness. We are apt to permit oul
selves to drift into this thoughtless mar
ner of dealing with our fellows, an
doing as the world does. After all ma
can be but the trusted possessor of
treasure. And every man is in possessio
of treasure, the loss of which will leav
him with true friend, one who will i
no wise forsake him. He is made th
custodian Of that priceless treasure, a
immortal soul, a treasure which h
should guard with great deal more jea
Gus care than any earthly treasure. Th
- is treasure he cannot lose, save by h
own voluntary act in casting it ava
And it matters not how many thror
the courts of earth, against him, he has
final appeal to the great court where Il
o. case will be tried upon its merits ar
judgment rendered by the Great Jud!
who is filled with love and mercy. Eve
man should live this life with view
saving this one great treasure. The pc
10: session of it upon the earth may not 6
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