The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-03-12

and were WaSnnR CneH QeIS. 1Wo VI lily
of these fishermen had already been with
heard His words, yet had not wholly left
their calling to follow Him. How many
Christians there are now who are truly the
Lords have heard gladly His word. seen some
thing of His power, and yet while the multi-
tudes are hungering FOR the word OF God,
they are washing nets that thave taken 9otas 9
ing. ~
3. He sat down and taught the people OUT
of the boat" Having stepped into Simon'S
boat, He meskly asks him to push out Little
from the land, and sitting down, He from
eagerly attentive crowd upon the shore.
4. "He said unto Simon, Launch out into
the deep and let down your nets for q
draught." Simon having kindly given th9
use Of his boat, Jesus will now reward hfnS
for it and teach him at the same time many
things. Simon had for little season cheer:i
fully given himself and his boat to the MasteE
for His work, and now this gracious Lord
and Master is about to give special attention
to Simon's work. ~
s. ssMaster, we have toiled all the night
confessing their unavaiing toll and their
present need. So also after the resurrection,
after night of fruitless toll, in reply to the
question Of Jesus: Children, have ye any
meat?" They answered, No John XXI, y. ~
Is good thing to find out that all our efforts
are unavailing. There were plenty Of fish IN
the sea and they were no msan fishermen
but ''toiled and taken nothing" describes &ea
result Of their labor. Nevertheless, at ThY
word will let down the net" Jesus Is noW
the Captain, and they are simply obey1ng
orders; He is responsible for results.
g. "And when they had this done, they ini
closed great multitude of fishes, and their,
nets brake" Whether it be great fish t9
swallow Jonah, or smaller fish to bring q
piece Of money, or multitudes OF fish to dl
these nets, all are obedient to Him who
created them, and who also created Adam
and said unto Him, "Have dominion over
the fish of the sea-" The one before US ts
none other that the last Adam, who shall re-
move the curse and restore the dominion.
Let us be as obedient to Him as the tshea
and birds and beasts Let us yield all to-
Him, for only in His service is there rest.
Z. "They came and filed both the ships, so
that they began to sink" We are told In tha
tenth verse that James and John were part
ners with Simon, and finding that he bad
moref than he could. manage, he called h!i
partners and they found fish enough to ny
both the boats to overfowing: Our Lora
Jesus loves to have empty vessels, ana not o
few, that he may fill them. When the woman
WlCn Gne pOb VI OIL peSau w Poot 80 ~
empty vessels the oil kept coming W eYerH
vessel was filed. When Jesus fed the tbo1i
sands they did all eat and were filed. Both
tabernacle and temple when finished Were
filled with His glory. AtPentecost and again
and again the disciples were filled with the
Holy Spirit In Him dwelleth all tue fullpesa
of the Godhead bodily; and His own wordst t9
us are: BLESSED are they that hunger and
thirst after Righteousness for they shall DO
filed"
8. depart from me for am sinful man,
o Lord This is the language OF simon feterI
as seeing this great miracle he realizes somes
what in whose presence he stands, and fal!s
at Jesus's knees with these words. This Is
part of thu emptying process; deep conr
yiction Of sin as we see ourselves In Hous
sight. N A..
9 .sFor he was astonished, and all THAI
were with him." The Revised Version says
that he was amazed. So Saul OF Iarsusi
when convinced of his sin on the way 70 Uac
tLord. what wilt Thou have me to DO" W9
put forth our best efforts in most approves
fashion. and labor unwearyingly for the SAL
yation of souls and for the quickenlng OF %,
LEVERS. but how often we have to confess aS
to the result, nothing" In some unlikely
way, and perhaps through some weak bqs
empty vessel, the Spirit Of God works, ana
we all stand astonished. Our wisdom Is coHs
founded, our plans upset. and IL pecoAea
gloriously manifest that this IS the hano oI
God.
10. "And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear
not.n When convicted Of sin we fall aI
Jesus's feet in our helplessness and unwortnlj
ness. Then it is that we hear His "reaS
not,n or when we, all unworthy, are WILING
to be vessels for His service Dan. K, Il, l9s
Rev. l., II; Luke j., 13, s0. 1t is only ing
willful and rebellious who have cause @
fear. or the proud and hard OF heart, tog
they shall be broken and brought down, alA
made mad to know that the Most High doe@
recording to His will both In heaven and on
earth. and those that w:...Ma, ", ". pr7ce neH
able to abase Dan iyl. But from the first
Fear not" in the Bible (Gen, xy,, y down
to the last in Revelation there IS no placa
where the penitent and broken in heart are
taught to fear. All Is for them comforfi
and peace and JOY, and strength anS
From henceforth thou shalt catch men y
or, as in Matt. iv., 19: "Follow me and wtl4
make you fishers of men," Here we see the
spirit of prophecy most marked; listen TO
Jeremiah xvi, 16|: Behold, l will send foy
many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall
fish them" And again, to Ezekiel txlvii, l0l
''The fishers shall stand upon il, from Engedt
even unto En-eglaim." Each passage refers
to the Kingdon of Israel in its glorious fu.
ture. If we would hasten that Kingdom va
must follow Jesus, that He may make Us
skillful and successful fishers Of men from
among oil nations, that so His marriage day.
may be hastened, and the time OF Hls return
for Israels restoration. -
II. And when they he'd brought their
ships to land, they forsook all, and f9lloWsG
Him" ''lf any man viii come after Me, lot
md foke hiq rrOcS aHdl
follow Me-" "Whosoeyer he be of you that
forsaketh not all that he hath. he cannot be-
My disciple" (Matt. xvi, "a; luke xiv, 83).
Jesus does not ask us to drop what we have
without showing us something better. When
Peter ono day spoke Of their giving up all for
Him, He told them Of the throne of His
glory and the thrones that awaited them.
When Paul saw His glory, he was able to-
count all earthly glory but dross. Stephen,
seeing Him, thought nothing of being stoned
to death. Let us only get our eyes upon tho
Glory of His Kingdom and the Thrones which
await the overcomers, and we shall have no
heart for aught else but to follow Him; and
for His sake be made all things to all men,
that we may by all means save some (Matt.,
xix, 81; John xii, 26; xxi, 1922; Cor. x.,
22,.-Lesson Helper.
A FEW days ago as class at the Gin
cinnati College Of Medicine was about
to dissect the body of a man who had
died of drink young man rushed into
the room and threw himself Oh the
subject, crying: MY father, my poor
father" This recalls the fact that
some years ago President Harrison
found in the Ohio Medical College the
body of his father, John Scott Harri'
son, of North Bend, Ind. These horri.