The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-06
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iJ,.i.sast -. fhsl .ns.ryts,s bet.sl..a =,
ssus Lord and simon hat s suEE
word ..knowest. s, IN tho first sssan.s
SswsrN find S "a. Lord THOU knoMsst.issS
lin the second. Il eturns: !. 2 es,ss Lord,
Thou knowest;;'''' AMI a. third time e ap-E
pears asain--'' Lord, Thou knowest B an ~
things; Thou sknowest. ~
How did Jesus know that Peter loved
SHim2 So far as the open history IS con-
scerned, the last incident points to Petsr's
shameful denial OF his Lord !: but we
have not to deal with the open history
alone. but With tho secret and unreport-,
ed interview. IN that solemn colloqus
1T was made clear to Jesus Christ that
under all the blaspheiny there lay m
sanectionats heart; nders all the lapss
and shame there, throbbcd an immortal
love, humble, devoted and accepted by his;
Master.
What questions Christ might have
asked? Simon Peter. hast thou re-
pented Simon Peter. hast thor humbled
myself !? Simon Peter, hast thou told the
disciples that thou art: q wicked man -
Nothing OF the kind was said by the
gentle Jesus; He uses that word which
Is chief In all the Christian voca bnary-s
Lowest Thou Me pa question you
might put to a child; - yet the deepest
+ question Of all.
This was profound because love car
rics everything: it Is the power that
moves the world; furnace that purges
gold OF all its dress; an enthusiasm
which means prophetic insight and SYM
patty with all things pure, true, and
lovely. It Is the supreme question. We
may not be great scholars, or philoso-
pliers. or poets. but We can all anwserS
the question as to our love.
/. Where there is love there will be no
difficulty in the progress Of the Christian
life.
Love sees in the darkness. walks on the,
water, turns the wilderness into glowing
garden.
Love is cast down but not destroyed,
prosecuted but not forsaken, in continual.
peril yet In perfect safety. Love opens
the door OF every difficulty and makes
IS 1t was a gracious question as well. be-
cause it excited hope. Everything de-
ponds upon the tone in which a question
is asked. Who can tell the music Of the
inquiry as it fell on the ear Of Peter.
Lowest Thou Mc?''
rIia5 { $I,of r l1opp
what your reply will be. for the great
heart Is Just a child's heart, simple and
honest and full Of loyalty. The very
question stirred the spirit into hopeful-
ness. Give a man to understand that
you despair Of him and he will despair OF
himself. But open for, him new door.
and he will rise toward 1t with new
energy and confidence.
& This was a. practical question as we'll
rs gracious and PROFOUND. Love is the true
qualification for labor. A man cannot
labor for Christ unless no loves Him.
Tits love, that fails.l and therefore service
goes down. 4 Butttlie heart will not con-
fcss this; it. is fertile in excuse for con-
duct. Why do you fdrsake the sanctu-
airy now? Then. will f9me aiilong list OF
lies. Why 40 you nd. give literally as
,ou used to do? Then will come any
thing but a Atruea confession. What is
the real truth? Love has failed
Peter gave a great heart answer at
the last,i..Lord, Thou knowest all things;
Thou knowest that I love Thee: And md
his voice trembled as he spoke. IT was
a noble voice, was Peters; accustomed
to speak out on the open sea, and give
orders amid the raging Of the wind but
when this question touched his heart all
that great voice shrank into a fearful
whisper. "Thou knowest that love
Thee Outwardly there are many
things to disprove my affection. but in
the centre and depth of my love there
is loyalty to Thee. 1t lies open to Thee
and '"Thou knowest all; Thou knoWest
it, Can we say the same?
After citing figures showing how many
marine disasters there have been on the
coast of North Carolina during the past
ten years, he says that the ocean south
OF Beaufort Inlet offers no unusual haz-
ard to navigation, owing to the nearness
Of the Gulf Stream, and that any steamer
that can navigate. Chesa peake Bay with
safety can navigate the ocean south of
Beaufort Inlet. He believes that ulti-
mately there will be a chan OF iE.ai-d
waterways from Boston to Beaufort iE-
let, but the most important line In the.
chain, which lie has abOr. MENTIONED,
should be completed first.
This was the pet scheme Of the late
Marshall Parks Of Norfolk. He was a
great enthusiast on the subject, and spent
a great deal Of his time in trying to work
up sentiment, but like most reformers, he
was ahead Of his day. This work Should
be done and we have no doubt that event
daily it will be done, not only for COM
mercial purposes, but as q x'r necessity.
Such a waterway would pc OF ;neulcv.a-
Bile worth to the government in the ev.nt