The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-03-06
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study of the Inter.
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for

study the paragraph from the Holy scriptures rs
indicated above.l
SUBJECT: THE GREAT DRAUGHT OF FISHES.
l. Data.
We study Christ's third specific miracle. The |
lesson gives account of the catching of mar |
velOus number of fishes by SITS. Andrew, Peter, |
James and John. We find the reports in st. |
Matt, 4: 8-22; st. Mark, l: 1920 St Luke, |
Still This is tho first miracle mentioned in
the Gospels of SITS. Matthew and Mark. The
order of the miracles in st. Luke's Gospel is: l.
The cure of a dem oniac. 2. Tho cure Of the
mother-in law of st. Peter. B. The miracle
which we now study. No ono of the three re
porters saw this miracle, unless perchanCe
Matthew was among the people on shore.
The last named, living in Capernaum, would
doubtless hear of the singular event and he
probably knew all the parties. SITS. Matthew
and Mark are supposed to have written at
Rome, while st. Luke issued his Gospel in
Achaia, Greece.
Q. Time.
We put this miracle A. ID. 81, January. st.
Luke, 5 5, shows it was early in the morning.
The favOrite time for fishing is at night. This
fact makes the miracle the more wonderful. We
have account in the lesson of Christ's specific
calls to SITS Andrew, Peter James and John.
He met SITS Andrew and Peter ISIS. Philip and
Nathaniel were also presont) in March, A. ID.
90, nine months before our lesson. They did
not then, however, leave their secular vocation.
(St. John, ! 35-5I.) The paragraph for pres
ent study gives account of Christ's calls to the
four to abandon for good their former trade
aud to become his ministers. Hence Christ
said, From hencefOrth" (St. Luke, D: 1O.)
From henceforth " means from the now, here
after, during tho rest of their lives on earth.
Did they ever return to their old vocation?
After tho resurrection of Jesus, st. Peter re-
sumed his former employment of fishing, but
only temporarily. (St. John. 81: lid, verse
in specially ST. John, 81: Id, also shows that
SITS Thomas Nathaniel, James and John and
two Others who were probably Peter and An
drew engaged for time again in fishing (See
verse speciality
3. Place.
After his baptism at Bethabara and his sub
sequent ill-treatment at Nazareth Christ made
Caperuaum his home. (St. Matt, 4: ID; st.
Mark, 81; St. Luke, 4 3D. We find that st.
Peter had probably owued) house in Caper-
naum. (St Mark, ] :2l, 29.) For three and
half years Jesus made Capernaum his head
quarters. 1t is not unlikely he lived large
part Of the time at the residence of SITS. Peter
and Andrew. The fshing-grounds were the
Sea of Galice in the vicinity of Capcrnaum.
That sea is about - miles long and SIX TO seven
miles wide. IL abounds in fishes. 1t Is also
called the Sea of Genncsaret. (St. Luke, D: H.
T. Persons.
The principal Person is Christ, tho Miracle
worker. Then there are two braces of brothers.
| I. There are the two sons of Jona St John,
| ! i2,) to wit Andrew and Peter. 2. The two
| sous of Xebedec and Salome 10 wit James and
| John Peter is also called Simon and Ccphas.
| CuriOusly st. Luke ignores Andrew in his ac-
| count of this miracle. 1t seems all were part
/ ncrs. (St. Luke, ST., l0.) They probably
| carried on quite an extensive business. We
/ find from ST. Mark, 20, that they had q num-
( Der of hired servants" We infer they wero
Z faI ole metz A aygl
/ stood on the shore attracted by Christ's pres
ence lie first delivered an address to them,
making righteousness take the precedence OF
/ fishes.
5. The Address.
Christ must have been an effective speaker
People crowded 10 hear him. tSt. Luke. 3 L.
a. When delivered? January, A. ID. %.
! b. Where delivered? On the Sea of Galilee.
| C. Speaker Jesus.
a. Hcarers2 SITS. Peter. Andrew, James, John
| Zcbedec hired servants and the people.
/ e. Pulpit The boat was extemporised for 8
| platform. st. Peter occupied it with our Sa
| vior.
T. Audience room? An out-ofdoor sermon
was delivered.
q. Subject? ST. Luke. >: l. says: Tho peo-
pie pressed upon him to hear the Word of God.
The sermon on tho Mount probably gives
good idea OF our Sayiors general preaching
81. Luke, a. 1862 is an illustration also OF thu
tenor of Christs instruction.
h. Reporter? Only st. Luke mentions thu
address Of Jesus at this time, and he refers Il
it only incidentally. All we know is thai
Christ preached the Word of God" We have
| an illustration of st. John, 81 p
l. Suggestions Of the address. ID We shoult
| press to the house of God To hear his minister
teach and preach. IL is a bad slgn ia any com
munity when the sanctuary is thinly attended
The service held by our Savior was very early
in the morning, without the usual church con
| veuieuGes, in the absence of bell and organ
aud yet there was n large congregation. An,
they went not probably by appointment o
Christ aud SO with assurance he would addres
them. but simply with the hope they might b
favored by sermon from him.
81 Do not cease preaching from lack O
most elegant and convenient surroundings
Preach out of d0ors-preacb, il circumstance
! offer no better structure than barn, or hall
or school house, or leotureroom, or opera house
The preaching is the most important
! ment is secondary.
t3) Preach the Word of God. Preaching i
, for purpose of its own, and cannot be substi
tuted by intellectual lectures nor scientific al
dresses. Ministers are 10 preach Christ AM
: him crucihed. They must bring Christian
! principles 10 bear on all the relations of life
f and all the great questions of the times. The.
t must seek to know and declare Gods Word o
all moral subjects
{ "a Ministers should cultivate "a popula
style OF address-use language understood b
, the masses-try 10 make plain all the teaching
of Christ. 1t is evident jesus was Il speake
{ who did not seek TO coufonnd the ordiuar
mind by a misty, incomprehensible grandlC
[ queut wordincss. Heis a good example. Eve
learned people not offended with speake
r who uses plain words.
: 6. The Miracle.
l a. Christ was the Messiah. But he must cor
vince the world of the fact. 1t was necessar
he show himself to be supernatural. As th
Savior lac proposed great work and he mus
give proof of competency. He effected th
p, miracle which we now study The first mira
Gle consisted in changing water instantaneous
> into wine. The second was the cure OF th
son of the nobleman of Capernaum. The thr
. is the subject of our study.
b. Time? A. ID. %, January. 1t occurre
: early in the morning. The fishermen had $,
lected the best time for fishing successfully an
> had failed. Jesus chose the most discouragin
part of the day, and made IA marvellous hau
Here is "a step in the miracle.
c. Place? The fishing was in the Sea of Gal
lee, just OF from Capernaum. But we motto
. one curious feature-they went out into I'll
u deep water. That was Il time of surprises
D Peter, Andrew, James and John.
o Il. Method2 Let down your nets for
draught," says Christ. But that is just VIII;
4