The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-01-28
's9essa7ss se7e1ee7ss7 so's1sI0s9o
Jesus Calls Four Disciples

Jesus Calls Four Disciples
There was nc need 10 ring bell TO
secure Jesus an audience. People
flew to him like filing to a magnet In
this instance it is said the people
pressed on him TO hear The little
company who first discovered him on
his early morning walk by the lake,
quickly grew to great concourse.
The Masters fertility in expedients
had another illustration. 1t only took
him moment to convert "A boat in
to pulpit. The scene makes theme
for an artist. The lake beneath, the
sky above, the nine considerablecities
on the hill-slopes, looking down like
distant observers: the mixed multitude
crowdins to the edge of the shore,
their faces mirrored in the water at
their feet. and in the fishermans boat,
screened by the loosened sail, prince
of all preachers speaking from the
bosom of the placid lake, itself an
emblem Of the peace he could give.
But the sermon was only an Incl
dent. His real errand that morning
was to call his apostles. He had
already given the what might be call
ed preliminary or probationary calls.
From these the disciples were after
/ ward dismissed to attend to their
worldly affairs, and while doing so, in
/ their old and familiar environments,
and free from excitement of novel sit
uations to think on what they had
heard and seen. The calls were also
progressive. But this one was final.
Jesus had an open rupture with the
ecclesiastical establishment. Hemust
needs now organize his followers. He
knew where his pledged men were,
and came to enlist them for active
service.
He prefaced the call by a thrilling
pictorial miracle. Nothing could haye
more significantly taught them what
they were to be and do. The com
mand, Launch forth into the deep,
and let down your nets for draught, "
was surprise. keble voices the fisher
mans plant;
But hesitation, if there was any
was momentary. Peter quickly laid
all his fisherman lore at Jesus feet
as sacrifice to his faith.
That last catch after the old CT
der was a symbol of the future occu-
patton. The size of the take was
a pledge of future success in the new
calling. That miracle took Peter and
his comrades where they were, in
their natural environment and every
day employment. 1t was all the more
! significant to them, the better under
stood and appreciated.
The considerateness of Jesus in thus
encOurs ging his disciples is character
istic and worthy of note. He was ask
ing these men to join their fortunes
with his, an communicated man,
to sunder ties of tribe and family, to
abandon the only means of livelihood
they were familiar with Again, they
were called, not merely to be learners
like the flowers Of the average rabbis,
not to be recipients, but doors. They
were to launch out and let down their
net into the sea of human life. They
were Ito translate it literally to take
men alive; to persuade and make con
verts. And that, too, under the very
shadow of great and hostile eccIesi.
astical establishment.
If ever man needed to be heartened
it was the four menu Jesus called that
day. IL ever men had immediate and
divine encouragement, it was in this
} instance. That miracle put GRIM
] in their backs. The moment they
| could get their ships ashore, they for
/ sock all, and followed him.
The Teachers Lantern
1t is helpful to recall Jesus previoui
dealings with these men.
= Il y y ::
| During Jesus forty days in tn,
Wilderness, his Messianic characte
and work fully dawned upon him
There he evolved his plans and tn,
principles of procedure, to which Ii,
| adhered to the very close Of his career
1 = \ = Il y
He came back to the vast concours
still attending the ministry of JohI
the Baptist at the fords of the Jordan
as to a human quarry from which h
could select living stones as the foun
dation of that spiritual edifice he de
signed to rear. Nor was he disappoint
ed. He found five out of the twelve
| :; y y y
II When John saw him, he gave hir