The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-09-18

priest then asked Jesus OF fiis disciples,
and of His doctrine. Jesus answered him,
/ spake openly to the world; / ever taught
in the synagogue and in the temple, whith.
er the jews always resort. and IN secret
have said nothing. Why nskest 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, saving, An
swerest Thou the high priest SO"
II was an awful thing for tlrs man with
open hand to strike Him in the face. To
strike Him, before Whom the angels yelled
their faces; to strike Him before Whom
the archangel sang. HOY, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty
But do YOU notice that when they struck
Him He never shudderedy 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 ap-
pearance before Caiaphas. Here, although
false witnesses appeared against Him He
was perfectly silent 'But Jesus held His
peace And the high priest answered and
said unto Him, adjure Thee by the living
the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said
unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless l
say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see tho
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 blow at His very heart.
They smote Him until il He had been only
man He would have staggered in His weak
ness, but they might as well have struck a
rock like Gibraltar and expected it to fall
as to move Him with their blows, but
when Peter stood in the presence Of those
who we're against Him, like 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 and
Caiaphas, and passes through an outer
court to another room where the Sanhe-
drim is to meet. As He passes. possibly
near enough to reach out His hand and
touch His disciple, suddenly He hears
Peter say:
al tell you / know Him not"
He could forget the splitting of His enc
mics, the blows OF those who hated Him,
and the rods that had fallen upon Him in
the hands of the angry multitude, but He
That which hurts Him the most in these
days is not the sin of the unregenerate-
this He 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, "He turned and looked at Pc
ter" No word of reproach fell from His
hps, but simply an expression of sorrow
was there to be seen. Does He not look
upon you to-day. and does He not arouse
memories in your life--vows that you have
broken-pledges that you have never kept?
Jesus. let Thy pitying eye call back the
wandering sheep.
False to Thee like Peter, l would fain
like Peter weep"
III.
Bat do not he discouraged Mans use.
fulness not infrequenty springs from his
recovery from some sin. Out of Peters
fall came his first epistle. The best glimpse
that | have of the Saviour's heart is that
which comes when | think of His personal
dealings with individuals. When 1 think
of the God OF Abraham / think of one who
strengthens His child under trial. The
God OF Jacob is my encouragement to be-
lieve that my old nature may be con.
quered, and my name changed from Jacob
to Israel, the prince of God. The God of
Elijah teaches me that prayer must be an
swered The Saviour of Thomas encour.
ages me while in doubt; the Saviour of
Paul sustains me in my suffering, but the
Saviour of Peter is the restor.r of the pen.
itent.
Peter and Jesus met after the Resurrec-
ton on the shore of the lake. 1t 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 God met him on the shore of this lake
there was fire 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 lips, but
it is safe to say that all his sins were 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 He
sis the same yesterday, to-day and for.
ever"