The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-27
..Nerer d Exnuisite pagn.
lnfm never the exp uAS4le piss,
For a heart that IS dull TO that
Can never be strung to this

In selecting his young hDlSntS ne
took men from the common walks of
life, who had a capacity for hardships.
1t is worthy Of note that we find in
these young knights peculiar traits Of
character which ne believe had much
TO do with their being chosen by the
master
Let US glance at the character of the
four most conspicuous of the chosen
twelve There was Peter the apostle
of hope, the impetuous ferVent soul
Whatever he learned he was almost
sure 10 put into practice. II is true his
foot slipped once but look at him III
the flush of pentecostal power. a
young knight under the training OF the
resurreeted Christ, and the power of
the holy ghost. Now Christ needed
Just such a fearless soul to proclaim
his death and resurrection as Peter.
Undaunted he stood, clad in Christian
armor. a knight of the cross in which
he gloried. In the flush Of that pente-
costal power which came to him after
the ascension OF his Lord, ne drew a
miShtier sword than he held at GethSe-
name. 1t was after the resurrection
that Christ called him the rock, James
was severely practical in his view of
the gospel When Christ called this
young man he called one whom he
knew would look at the bearings of
the gospel upon mans relation 10 man.
James was a devoted soul. idealistic.
but not dreamy He was a true Chris
tan ascetic. A comment by Eusehens
from Hegesippus is significant. Refer
ring to James HegiSippus says: He
drank no wine nor strong drink, nor
did he eat anything that lives. No
razor came upon his head, NOT did he
anUint himself With oil.
His gospel was not a gospel Of holy
theory, and holy phraseology. but of
character and deed he seemed TO
understand all Christ's teachings in a
practical sort OF way, and the teach
ings Of the Nazerine were not wholly
lost upon this young knight. So prac-
teal did he make these teachings that
his eDistle IS called THE gospel of
common sense
believe Judas the oldest of the
twelve. He does not seem at all plas-
tic in the hands of the master. He had
the knight S arnor without the knight 5
loyalty. The strength of ChriSt's holy
character seemed to have no trans
forming power over the life of this
man.
He seems to have lived a miserable.
Wretched. gTasping life. which even the
words ana works of Christ could not
put Down. When with sweet patience
and pathetic sorrow Christ reproved
him he laid il bat little TO heart. IN
deed LongfelloW in his divine comedy
makes Judas himself lament the in
susceptibility Of his nature TO receive
the divine treasure in his earthly yes
sci
l said q few minutes ago that I be-
Heved Judas TO be the Oldest Of the
disciples and my reason for Ii IS this:
Youth is susceptible to good influence,
and can be easily moulded into the
right form Of life and thought While
age Is difficult 10 mould at all. Habits
Of evil thought can so possess the mind
THAI 1t is extremely difficult to bring
that life into harmony with God. Now
let US notice the youngest Of the
twelve and see what effect Chr5St's life
mad upon John. He is called the apos-
tie OF love. He was little more than
q boy when he was called to follow
Christ. and living 10 be very old man
passed through strange experiences. II
was he who saw the curtain hiding the
unseen world drawn aside. and looked
upon sights which no mortal has since
beheid. The city he sees IS made lu-
minous With God.
Schleiermacher said that the soul of
John must have been perVaded with
eternal ehiidlike Christmas joys"
Do you not see that the life which
developed to the highest perfection OF
all the young knights of the Nazarine
was earliest brought under the power
of the great traction. We would ex-
pect TO see that life beautiful in old
age, I believe that there is every adj
vantage both IN this world and in the
world 10 come by entering the school
of Christ in youth. The noblest knight
hood is Christian knigflthood. But let