Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-20
EXAMPLE OF ANDREW.
How the Good Fisherman Found the
Messiah and Followed Him.
BUT THE FINDING WAS NOT ALL.
He Really Did Not Know Him Until on the
Hount of the Ascension.
PARALLEL IN EVERYDAY LIFE

| WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArCHl
1--WE have found the Messiah That wal
Andrews great discovery.
Andrew found the Messiah because he wal
looking for Him. Yet it is not likely that
Andrew was consciously in search of Christ
It is not likely that he went about the
streets watching the faces of all the men he
met, thinking that some day he might
recognize the Holy One of Israel. Andrew
was looking for Christ because he was in
search of all that was best in his generation.
He wanted all the truth that he could gel
into his mind, and all the good that he
could get into his life. He had his eyea
wide open to all that was highest and
| worthiest in the world in which he lived.
He desired to be the disciple of the best
teachers of his time. And that desire
brought him to the feet of Jesus Christ
Whoever is looking for truth and goodness
| anywhere is in search of Christ. And he
will find Him, if he perseveres, as Andrew
| did.
The Story Of st. Christopher.
st. Christopher, in the old story, was .
strong man who desired to serve the great
est master in the world. So he began with
the most powerful nobleman of his own
neighborhood, and served him. But one
day, as Christopher rode in the nobleman's
train, they met company of people gaily
clad and in the midst one statelier and
better dressed than any of the others, to
whom the nobleman in passing doffed his
hat 1t was the King. So there was .
greater master than the nobleman: thence
forth Christopher attached himself to the
service of the King.
forest, amid the dripping of dismal rain,
and the moaning of the wind among the
branches. and the groaning of the distant
thunder, Christopher saw that the King,
looking anxiously to right and left, fire.
quently made the sign of the cross upon
bis breast; and when he asked the reason,
the King answered that he was dreadfully
afraid of the devil So there was greater
master than the King Christopher forsook
the King and entered the service Of the
devil
Served Whom tho Devil Feared.
But another night, riding in Satan's COM
pany along a lonesome road, Christopher
noticed that the devil left the travelled way,
and made long detour across the fields,
apparently avoiding something. And
Christopher discovered that beside the path
ahead there was wayside shrine, showing
the thorn-crowned figure of the Crucifed.
The devil was afraid of Him who died upon
the cross. So Christopher deserted the
devil, and seeking ever the service of the
strongest master, he betook him to hermit
who lived beside river, and asked to be
enlisted among the soldiers and servants of
the Cruci6ed.
And when the hermit found that Chris
topher could neither fast nor pray, he set
him by the river to carry passengers across
So Christopher, for love of Jesus Christ,
became a ferryman. And one black, stormy
night, there came little child, and called
for Christopher, and begged to be carried
over. And the river ragged against the
banks, and the winds blew furiously, and
the rain fell heavily, and the night was
wild, black, fearful night. Yet Christopher
arose and took the little child upon his
shoulder, and waded into the seething
water.
His Reward After the Sore Trial.
And the waves dashed up against him, and
the wind pushed him and jostled him, and
the rain blinded his eyes, and the stones of
the river we're slippery beneath his feet,
nd the little child upon his shoulder grew
heavier and heavier till the weight of him
seemed like the weight of the whole world. |
Yet on be went and gained the other shore.
And as he set the child upon the bank,
there was sudden CLEAN of glory in the |
midst of the black night, and there stood |
the Lord Christ Himself and blessed him. |
Thus, Christopher, seeking the service of |
the best master and serving him the best he |
could came at last to win the personal bene- |
diction of the Lord of Lords.
The most important difference between |
the story of st. Christopher and the story |
Of St. Andrew is that Andrews story is |
true. Andrew was a fisherman on the |
Lake OF Galilee. Fishing is an occupation
that allows time for thinking. And An
drew, no doubt, made good use of all the |
time be had. Every helpful thing that he
heard in the synagogue, or learned out of |
.he Scripture, he treasured up in his memory,
md carried with him in bis boat out into
he lake, and there, pondering over it,
made it his own.
How Andrew Found His Master.
When he heard that a new teacher was
preaching at the ford of the Jordan, a won-
lerful new teacher, like one of the old
prophets come to Lire again, he took ad-
vantage of the first week of stormy weather
when there could be no fishing, and went
lown to hear him. So Andrew became
Johns disciple. But one day, as he stood
With John, Jesus passed by across the way,
ind John pointed him out. There, he said,
s the supreme teacher, the master Of
masters, the latchet Of whose shoes am not
y sorthy to unloose.
And Immediately Andrew left John and
ollowed Jesus He went to His lodging
md spent all the rest of the day with Him,
rearing Him and asking Him questions
rhenceforth Andrew was Christian. He
lad found Christ. He had found Him by
imply following all the religious light he
;new, by trying to learn all the good les
ons that came within his reach by seeking
he instructions of the wisest teachers.
The Age Of Truth Seeking.
We all want to find Christ. 20 that I
now where might find Him." is the cry
f every earnest soul to-day. This is not an
ge of faith Thank God for thati The ages
f faith were the ages of credulity and
alsehood. No; there is something tar bet
er to be said about the time in which We
re privileged to live. This is the age of
ruth. Never have men and women been
lore eager than they are to-day to ,
now the real truth and the whole ,
rnth, no matter what it is, and to give it !
And that touches truth theo-
,gical. The age, with all its revolt against
ne Church, is profoundly religious
1t is great mistake to imagine that all |
ne discussions of religion take place in |
or that the only people
hO are interested in religion are those who
re members of the Christian churches. ,
very intelligent man and woman is inter- i
'ted in religion. The great problems of g
,eology, the deep questions that have en- {
aged the attention of the profoundest !
mixers, and that touch the very heart of g
Imam lie, are debated over club tables
ld behind office desks in Pittsburg every s
That NJ iah h. ir,a i 1