The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-29
.PETE!RI.
.lselected for lThe Times.)

(selected for The Times)
hou art Peter, ana on this rock
will build ctll1rc st Matthew.
XVI: is.
What sort OF man was this on whom the
sL.rd 8 esus Christ put sosgreat an honor?
And what did tho Lord give st. Peter
to- fl him for SO. great an Officer How
did he use christ's g1ft7
These and other questions naturally
arise. and the best way to answer them EN-
IS to study the life Of st. Peter. as re- re-.
corded in the gospels
From them we learn that St Peter
was always frank and brave; an honest,
hlgh-spirited man; II he thought a thing
ought to be done he did II without de-
lay or parIey.
Our earliest glimpse OF him was when
Jesus, walking by the Lake OF Galilee,
saw Peter with his brother casting q
net into the sea, for they were fishers.
I Thu Lord said unto them: Follow me-
s Will make you fishers Of men. ana ana
they straightway left their nets ana loi-
lowed Him. This may or may not nave
Seen the first time Peter had seen our
& Lord or heard Him speak. Living IN the
same part of the country, he must nave
heard before of His teaching and mira
scJea But now he hears and obeys at
soace No doubt there was struggle IN
his mind (for he was a married man
with perhaps a family to leave his en-
!ployment and go wandering from place
to place with one who had not where 70
lay his head. Yet when the call is made
1t is obeyed with alacrity. It seems as
IL from the first his wish was to be OF
uge and do good to his fellow men.
Gradually he seems to have become the
spokesman for ell the other apostles
Wien they wished to ask our Lord any
thi1e Peter was the one put forward.
and when the Lord asks them a cues
ton ST. Peter answers for them ALL
"Whcm say ye that ann" And Peter
answered and said: Thou art the Christ.
this Son Of the Living God"
God had taught him that he never
could have learned it by himself He had
kept his eyes and heart open to learn
Gods truth and love God showed 1t TO
him in an abundant degree.
But in his, great gifts lay his great
darger. He was plainly q bold and deter
mined man. who knew his power and was
ready to use it fearlessly-what might
he rot be tempted to do?
Immediately after our Lord had be-
slowed on him this great honor spoken Of
in the text. we find Peter mistaking his
power, and, therefore, nisusing tt. From
that time forth began Jesus to show unto
lis disciples how that He must go unto
elders and chief priests and scribes. and
be killed and be raised again the third
day. Then Peter took Him and began to
rebuko Him., saying: BE it far. from thee.
Icrd; this shall not be unto thee But
Ho turned and said unto Peter: Get thee
behind me- Satan; thou art an offense
into me, for thou savorest not the things
vnat be of God. but them that be of
men,,
As stern words as man could hear!
Peter thought he was doing all he could
to protect his Lord, but in fact he was
tempting Hin as I1c Idu Uecu IClbPtSO
in the wilderness So znear beside each
of us lies heaven and hell. SO easy is It
for poor human nature to fall into spir-
| itual pride.
He learned another lesson when 1eaping
Boldly overheard from his little boat he
camo walking towards Jesus on the
waves. That was noble and worthy of
Feler, but he became afraid, and at
that same moment he began to sink.
Fle lad ceased trusting in Christs power
to keep him up, and at once he was help
less.
That gentle lesson was forgotten, and
so later he had to learn once for all,
by a terrible trial, not to trust his own
faith or courage, for without his Lord
he would become helpless or cowardly
felt-one day protesting vehemently to his
Lord. Though I die with Thee. I will
not deny Thee" the next declaring with
oaths and curses, 'I know not the mani"
No wonder that when Jesus turned and
looked on him Peter went out and wept
as bitter tears as was ever shed on
earth.
Tic was sure he loved his Lord. Now
he had deceived him! He who was SO
brave to face them. He so frank and
honest, and brave-te to turn g. coward!
He to tell a base lie! In the moment he
col'd hardly believe that he was him
self.
If we. forget that all which IS good or
strong in us comes from God, we cut off
ourselves from Gods grace, and then in
some fateful hour we may find ourselves
say ing and doing shameful things
Satan gained little in sitting ST. Peter
The chaff Of rashness and conceit was
taken out, and was gone forever. The
wheat Of courage and faith and honor
which were God-given, remained unto
the end.
What may we learn from his history
and character? Frankness, boldness, a
1,;cl,s x,pi ri+ tout will and an affections