The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-03
ST. Peter.

tselected for THE Times. Dispatch.) 4.'3
"Thou art Peter, and on this rock will
i build MY church. ST Matt, xvi, IS,
What sort of a man was this on whom
the Lord Jesus put SO great an honor?s$.
we first hear of him when with his
brother he was casting a net into the
lake of Galllee. Our Lord walking by the
lake said unto Ethenf"Folow Me. and
i will make you fishers Of men. And
they straightway left their nets and fol-
lowed Him.
Perhaps this was not the flrstttime that
ST. Peter had seen the Lord, aor heard
Him speak. Lying in the same part Of
the country Ia doubtless had heard Of
His MIRACLES, sti1lIt must have cost him
a struggle (fors he was "a married mani
to throw UP his employment and 60
wandering around with One who had not
where to lay His head Yet we read
that he did 1t and without delay,
+ From the very first st. Peters wish
was to do good Ills, yellow creatures
and gradually heSseenls ITO hav,eabeconle
the leader of ths,sotlisr. apostles; When ZEN
they wished to ask our Lord any cues.
ton, st. Peter Is the one chosen to ask
It. and then ourLord asks them, Whom
say ye that | am Peter answers for
them all. Thou art the Christ the Son
of the living Cod
In the daily intercourse with the Mas
ter st. Peter had learned that truth,
because he had kept his eyes and ears
open and his heart readyYand4 teachable,
Many and excellent gifts had st. Peter
ny nature, and more, had been added by
the grace of God, lie was q very bold
and determined man, who knew his pow
or and in this lay his danger.
For instance, VIC read Immediately af-
ter our Lord had conferred this great
honor on him, II will glve thee the keys
of the kingdom of heaven" we find Pee
ter mistaklng Ills power and therefore
misuslng 1t. From this time forth he
gan Jesus to show unto His disciples how
| He must so unto Jerusalem and suffer
many things of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed and be
raised again tho third day. Then Peter
took Him and began to rcbuke Him.
saying, Be at far froW Thee. Lord;
this shall not be to- Thee" And what
does our Lord answer: sect thee behind
Me, satan; for thou art an offence unto
Me-" So that Peter whilo he fancied
himself near to the angels, found out to
| his shame, that he was trying to do The
very most which the devil tried to do
/. when he tempted the Lord in the will
dorness. So near to each other lio hea-
ven and hell. So easy 1t Is to give place
to the devil and fall into the worst
OF sins,
More than once ST, Peter had to learn
the same lesson, When he lcaped boldly
overheard from tho boat aud came walk
ing to his Lord on the sea, that was
worthy OF his bravery and his trust
But, looking away from the Master, he
saw the troubled waters and began tc
sink. Immediately the Lord caught anc
saved him, gently Gliding his lack o.
a faith, Had he needed that mild reproo
lie might have been spared later hi.
terrible trial. We all know how he fell
, Che day protesting yehemently, "lhougf
! | ] die with Thee will not deny Thee
and the next declaring with oaths, :"
! know not the Man.
No wonder that when the Master turn
4 cd and looked on him Peter went on
y broken-heartcd, to weep as bitter tear
y of shame as We're ever shed on TIL
/ Garth. lie who was trusted compan
d ion, to forsake his friend when in need
4 He so hold and confident. to fall thus
i He, 30 frank and honest and brave; II