Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-09-18
,,r,es, then asker Jesus Of His disciples,

priest Then asked Jesus OF His QlsciPies'
and of His doctrine. Jesus answered nm,
! spake openly to the world; l ever tanghlt
in the synagogue and in the temple, whth,
er the Jews always resort, and in secret
have said nothing. Why askest thou Me?
Ask them which heard Me what ] have
said unto them: behold, they know what
said. And when He had thus spoken one
Of the officers which stood by struck Jesus
with the palm of his hand, saying, An
swerest Thou the high priest sso!" so,
1t was an awful thing for this man with
open hand to strike Him in the face 20
strike Him, before Whom the angels vsled
their faces; to strike Him before Whom
the archangei sang, "Hoiy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty" ,
But do YOU notice that when they struck
Him He never shuddered? They could not
hurt Him with any such blows as this. but
when we read, "Now Simon Peter stood
without and warmed himself this IS
blow which makes the Son of God shudder
and His heart grow sick.
The second part of the trial was His APP
pearance before Caiaphas. Here, although
false witnesses appeared against Him lie
was perfectly silent. "But Jesus held lis
peace. And the high priest answered and
said unto Him, adjure Thee by the living
God that Thou tell us whether Thou be
the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said
unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless, l
say unto you Hereafter shall we see the
Son of Man sitting on the right hand OF
power and coming in the clouds OF hea
ven."
"And they did spit in His face" but He
never saw them. His eyes were blinded to
His insults, but Peter in the presence OF
His enemies was a blow at His very heart.
They smote Him until if He had been only
mar lie would have staggered in HIS weak
ness but they might as well have struck a
rock like Gibraltar and expected 1t to tau
as to move Him with their blows. but
when Feter stood IN the presence of those
who were against Him, IKE one OF them
himself, it was terrific blow at the Son
of God.
The third part of the trial was before
the Sanhedrim He is led out from the
court where He has seen both Annas aud
Caiaphas, and passes through an outer
court to another room where the Sanhc'
drim is to meet. As He passes, possibly
near enough to reach out His hand and
touch His disciple, suddenly lie hears
Peter say:
81 tell you know Him not
He could forget the splitting of His one
mica the blows of those who hated Him,
and the rods that had fallen upon Him in
the hands OF the angry multitude but lie
could not forget Peter.
That which hurts Him the most in these
DAYS is not the sin of the unregcnerate-
this lie must expect but the sins of His
own people for whom He suffered and
died. and rose again.
There is an infinite amount OF pathos in
the words, "Hr turned and looked at Pc.
ter No word of rcproach fell from ll>
lips, but simply an expression OF sorrow
was there to be seen. Does lie not look
upon YOU to-day, and does lie not arouse
memories in your lifc-vOWS that you have
broken--piedges that YOU have never kept:
Jesus, let Thy pitying eye call back the
wandering sheep
False to Thee nike Peter, | would fam
like Peter weep
III.
But do not he discouraged, Mans use.
fitness not imlrequently spring, from his
recovery from some sin. Out Of Peters
fall came his first cpistlH. The best glimpse
that | have of the Saviour heart Is that
which comes when think of Ills personal
dealings with indviduals. When | think
OF the God of Abraham I think ol one who
strengthens His child under trial. The
God OF Jacob is my encouragement to be-
lievc that my old nature may be con,
quelcd, and my name changed from Jacob
to Israel. the prince OF Cod The God Of
Elijah teaches me that PRAYER must he an.
svcred. The Saviour of Thomas cncour.
ages me while IN doubt; the Saviour Of
Paul sustains me in my Suffering, hut the
Saviour OF Peter is the rcStor,r oi the pen.
itent.
Peter and Jesus met after the Rcsurrcc'
ton on the shore of the lake. Il is most
significant that when he denied Christ it
was in the presence OF the fire OF Goals IN
the court OF the enemy. When the Son
of Cool met him on the shore OF this lake
there was hrc of Goals burning there
doubt not but that all the story of his de.
NAL came rushing upon him. What was
said at that interview we shall not know
until we hear it from Peters own hr-, hat
il is safe to say that all his sins We're for.
given. and even the marks OF his denial
were taken away
If YOU have denied this same Lord in
your business. in your home. or in society,
He waits to forgive and to forget, and lie
is the same yesterday, to-day and for.
ever"