The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-01-19

ing in their vain confidence. but sinners
in their penitence and humility to'a better
knowledge of themselves and Of Him. He
who could see where the fishes swarmed IN
their multitude in the hidden deep knew
also the innermost heart OF His disciple,
and saw under all his frailty the trmness
OF his rocklike constancy and the hxity OF
his nascent faith. No man need expect
Christ to leave him because he knows him.
sell sinful. The moment when he is most
painfully and abasing.y conscious OF has
weakness and inferiority is the instant IN
HIS disciples experience when Jesus Is
surest to turn encourager and restorer OF
His own. When We are determined to say
the worst of ourselves He is busy making
the best OF Ms. When we think. such -
our sense OF unworthipess, that He and
we must part company, then He is most
resolved never to leave nor to torsake us.
Fear not" rings out His word or cheer;
"This is the beginning OF richer ne ana
wider service. Henceforth thou shalt cafch
men," For the knowledge or self and me
distrust OF sell it arouseS. and the knowl-
edge of Christ, with the confidence III
Christ il awakens - these are the flrst
shoots OF spiritual growth and the frst
foundation stones in the edifice OF a dis
ciple's usefulness. Spiritual sensitlveness
is the condition OF ministerial ehectNe-
ness. 1t is the man who knows he Is not
fit to minister whom Christ can make So.
Therefore, when the boats with their
marvellous freight OF fish, had been broisht
to land, did Jesus ask OF Peter and his
mariner that surrender OF themselves TO
service. which involved the separating OF
themselves from every other interest ana
occupation to exclusive ana continuous
eompaniopship with Christ; and 20 con-
slant work for others. under HIS dlTec,
ton. Then and there, as one OF tour. did
Simon Peter make that supreme renuncia-
tion. which. because it was made at ms
own command. ard was the manifestation
of faith. and the proof OF love. the Lord
accented, and forever after blessed: They
forsook all and followed Him." 1t was
sacrifice OF conservation which only those
who have done the like arc fit or compe'
tent to nudge II we are ready to pat OR
selves in Peters place, to face the iraeter-
inmate future as he faced Ii. that day: to
think OF the kind of interest IN hls huS'-
ness man OF such energy must have had,
and the enthusiasm for his occupation as
fisherman which evidently, to the last. he
felt. if we are observed 70 note the latent
evidences in the gospel story that the bHsI-
ness hitherto had hourished and pros
pered. so that Peter and his associates
dwelt in comfort, bordering on the edGe,
at least. of competence, estimated by the
standards of that land and ase-then we
shall know what venture OF faith ana eN-
preston OF confidence in his Lord Peter
made when he lett all for Christ. giving up
the chance of future gains and binding
himself to the sacrifcal use OF present
possessions for the common good. 1t is
frequently said. disparagingiy, OF Peters
OF the world and its good;
at was little all that he .eft. and
Peter has been criticised, for himself, re-
ferring, at later day, to the sacrifice ne.
with Others, now maoe-"a boat, lew
nets, dirty and old. an occupation espe.
cially laborious and in some features OF lt
TO men Of ordinary refinement.
was what he left, we are told Well. oer-
haps it was so; more Likely was o:her-
wise. But whether the all ere lltt.r OF
much. Peter left it; left 1t instantly, utter,
" and without regret. He transferred
himself in profoundest faith and livehest
gratitude to Jesus Christ and His service
exclusively, forever. For Chrlsts SAKE
the. works sake, the worlds sake. he re-
nounced his former life and ambitions. to
give himself and all he had unreservediy
to Jesus Christ. And Christ welcomed:
applauded and has abundantiy rewarded
the sacrifice 1t is surrender not asi:ed
OF every disciple, but in proportion as any
disciple approximates its spirit OF faith
and consecration, in that measure Will ne
realize lis completest spiritual life. 1t is
sacrifice completer even than Is asked OF
every disciple called to an exclusive MIN
istry: but only to the degree that the MN
lister OF Christ can detach himself from the
world, and its spirit OF gain getting, Will
his largest spiritual power and widest m
fuence be realized. Here stands Peters
noble example OF remuneration for Christ
sake. upon the pages OF scripture, summon
ing us all. from our vain seeking. for ma
tarial good as the all OF life; and from or
disposition to keep what we have g6tte.l
as exclusively as our own. Christ's d'sci-
pies belong to Christ, and all they have ls
His: whether they are called to use 1t all
in His more immediate service Or not.
7 Jet every servant OF Jesus beware OF ios-
ing his life in the effort to save and cher
ish il. For what is 4 man protited II ne
shall gain the whole world and lost his
soui:"
Surely the incentive to such sacrifices is
NOT wanting in the light of Peters suose-
ouent career. On that later day, when the
rich young ruler had gone away sorrow:ng
because he had great possessions, and was
therefore unwilling to maize the renuncia,
ton, which, IN his case, Jesus ndu dSHe"
TO save him from the cancer OF avarice'
which was eating out his life, Simon Peter,
after the Lord had discoursed little on
the Geceitfulness and hindrance OF riches
undu.v loved, said, 10, we have left our
own and followed Thee" Whereupoa
Jesus replied, Verify ! say unto you,
there is no man that hath left house. o:
vile. or brethren, or parents, or children;
for the kingdom of Gods sake, who sha!
not receive manifold more in tins time;
and il the world 10 come eternal Ite.
And has not that promise been abundant
" fulfilled in Peters case: One thinks
MOI so much OF the eternal distinction thaS
has come to him in the venera ton Oh mu.-
tudes who think of him as the foremost
aDostle Of the church; nor OF a memorial
to his name SO magnificent as that winch
rears its lofty, graceful dome to the Ko-
man s,,y. but OF the unfolded fulness OF his
spiritual life as registered in his episties;
OF the influence he has eXerted upon men
from the Pentecost onward: OF that pecu-
liar effiuence OF help and cheer which ne
ever has exhaled through his individual
need for painful discipline and his equally
triumphant realization of purified ana
ennobled character, grown strong and lux
uriant out of the very soil of its many IN
frmities. Surely the remuneration OF 81
mon Peter was not in vain, either Tor him.