The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-18
Lire shall triumph over death. Turn TO
God. believe, and live forever.
AN IMPRSssfvE SERMON
by Rev. c. N. Chumbley on Peters Denial
and Restoration.


Rev. C. NJ. Chumbley. pastor OF West
Minister Presbyterian church, preached
most interesting and impressive sermon
Sunday, from Matthew xviii. Il. the SUB
feet being Peters Denial and Kestora-
ton"
This is a sad chapter from the history
OF Peter, said AIr. Chumblcy, and yet We
would not have 1t omitted. ii is all
so life-iike. so human. and Appeals 70 US
so strongly. that we read and re-rcad H.
Every Christian has pondered the storS
over and over again. till it has become
one of the most precious and familiar 90
Bible stories. Around 1t gathers 4 halo
OF consolation-nay. OF glory.
once l said in sermon that Peter
lost the opportunity of his life In deny
Ing his Lord. l repeated IL 10 two on
my friends and ono of them thought foe
few moments and said, YES, that's
true lie did lose tho chance OF his
life. hut IL would be hard for US to I'M
prove on It as IL IS. For my part, l am
glad Il f. as II is." This opened new
train OF thought. and l SAW what he
meant and we all agreed that we would
not change II II we could. No, we could
not afford ~, we do ike him too often
ourselves. and need TO know how he acted
and what God did upon that occasion.
This ~ the reason II appeals TO US so;
this IS why IL is so much studied. upon
II we may spend some time this morning,
and no moro fruitful line OF study will
present itself than that opened up by tho
inquiry. ''Why?" why did Peter deny his
Iord2 What the cause? What the oc-
casion7 Distinguish between cause and
occasion, illustrated by striking match:
the cause OF the match taking fire IL
10 xtshf oh
nose the head: the occasion is the strik-
inc II on n rough surface. SO there was
a cause and an occasion for Peters de-
nial.
Tho cause was in his own nature. He
WIS a depraved sinner and II was
part OF his nature. as OF every mans 10
sin. The exact cause or the exact defect
in his charactcg was want or mora
courage. He was a moral coward, and
this is common defect OF character. We
soc Illustrations every day. "A man can
not bear the GOODNESS of friend or the
contempt Of a leader or opinion anu
so he STILES his own Independent Judg-
nenf and goes with the majority. a
rvarcnt cannot bear 10 risk the loss or MS
chi,d's good will even for an hour. and so
oroits the chastisement he deserves Inc
most common and grlevous maniesta
ton of Il is In denying Christ. Msn
bnow that there is God that th-
puJa "a tr,,e. that.Christ IS God and yet
for the taunts and jeers OF the majority
stnv away and damntheir Immortal Souls
The occasion for this denial was t'o
question asked by the servant girl' "no
kept tho door. Here Peters greatest ~,
snonsrhility came in. lie was response
,To Tor the wickedness OF his heart. but
morn responsible yet for giving II an op-
oP aeqprffpg itself. lie over
estimated his strength and 80 put nun
self an the way OF temptation Beware oL N
ike sin. all ye followers OF christ, re-.
gut watch as We may we VIII oi'eu
,ou otto, nenv our Lord: ana mere II Is
mat this story becomes so precious refer
,-aa ro-stven. surely wemay be also. Iho
o,tor mentions or Peter are among the
s,veeteet and tenderesJ. Wnen mo risen.
LORD appeared TO the women tie sent
a epeciaI message to Peter. He himself
hunted MIN up IN person 10 assure 'i1lil
OF his forgiveness and restoration
rho reason Peter was so fully for
given Is that he SO fully repented. This
was the greatest act OF his life. He-khew
himself as never before, ana sned tears
or agony ana grier. Peter was a great
man when on the way TO Caesarea Phi
nppi ne said 70 Christ, Thou art tho
Christ. tho Son OF tho living Cod" He
was a great man when he stood on tho
Mount OF TRANSPORTATION and saw tho
glory Of Christ's person. He was a great
man wnen, on the day or fentecost ne
led three thousand souls 10 Christ. But
ne was greater when, IN the cmn or the
early dawn. he went ont (maybe 10 Geth-
semene) and fell upon his face and wept
for his sin and lifed up HIS heart to
God. So Of every mans life His low
Hest moments are his greatest