Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-01-26

that day, watching now the Speaker. now
the audience, Peter got his first introduce
ton to the science ard the art of public
discourse for religious ends. When, by
and by, he became himself preacher, we
may be sure that his discorrscs reflect the
lords manner and copy His method.
The sermon finished, followed miracle:
itself a symbol Of the aim and end Of
preaching. Launch out into the deep and
let down the nets for draught," was the
percmptory word Of Jesus to Peter, when
His discourse was done. Then followed
Simon's characteristic exclamation Peter
esque to the utternost): "Overseer, we
have toiled all night and have saken moth.
ing; nevertheless at Thy word I will let
down the net" As if he should have said:
Thou, Lord, art the enc to command. I
to obey. ! have not seen too much of Thy
power and presence to refuse. But have
my own idea Of the rselessness Of such
proceeding under the conditions. Expe-
r1ence is worth something, especially in
fishing" Over went the net, at last, and
IN came the fish as it was hauled. So
many were the captives that both Peters
boat and Johns, suddenly summoned to
help: were flL,d almost to the sinking
point.
r. The effect upon Simon Peter was instan-
| taneous and overpowering. As in a flash
| of thought he saw, as he never had seen:
| felt, as he never had known, the differ
ence between his Lord and himself Over
| against the Masters divine power his own
| helplessness and ignorance stood forth as a
| black blot on white surface. He who
| had but just now assumed that air and
professional superiority, slight though it.
| was; who had hesitated to trust implicitly
I and to follow without question or protest
the wisdom and the precept of his Master
how was he fit for discipleship? In the
| momentary anguish Of his spirit. awed by
the vision first of his Lord. then of HIM
self, he proposed to renounce his peculiar
and personal relation to Jesus Christ. II
| am not worthy that Thou shouldst stay in
my boat or I in Thy fellowship" exclaims
Peter even as he clasps his Lords knees;
ego forth from me. G Lord, for I am a
| sinful man.
tion that Christ will not let any disciple
of His make, though his infrmities be
many and his self-will assertively strong.
| He knows that when, in some time of su.
preme illumination, His disciple sees him.
self in silhouette against the brightness of
his Masters glory and power the sense Of
righteous self-deprecsation will be overpow-
erlngly strong. But never yet did Jesus,
never will He answef accedingiy the de-
spairing, desperate cry cf a soul thus
searched and scorched by the sense of the
contrast between himself and his Lord.
For He is come not to call the selfapprov-
ing in their vain confidence, but sinners
| IN tne1r pen1Cence ana numlIty 20 Il DGCteF
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 firmness
of his rocl1like constancy and the fixity Of
his nascent faith. No man need expect
Christ to leave him because he knows him.
self sinfal. The 1ncment when he vs. most
painfully and abasingIy. conscious of his
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 us. When think, such is
our sense of unworthiness. that He and
we must part company, then He is most
resolved never to leave nor to tsrsake lis.
"Fear not" rings out His word of cheer.
'This is the beginning of richer life and
wider service Henceforth thou shalt catch
men" For the knowledge of self and the
dstrust of self it arouses, and the knowl-
edge of Christ, with the confidence. in
Christ it awakens - these are the first
shoots Of spiritual growth and the first
foundation stones in the edifce of a dis.
ciple's usefulness Spiritual sensitiveness
is the condition Of ministerial effective.
ness. Tt 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 brought
: to land, did Jesus ask of Peter and his
partner that surrender of themselves to
: service. which involved the separating Of
themselves from every other interest and
! occupation to exclusive and continuous
} companionship with Christ. and TO con
slant work for others. under His direc
ton Then and there, as one OF four, die
. Simon Peter make that supreme renuncla
J ton, which, because it was made at his
own command. and was the manifestation
) Of faith and the proof Of love. the Lore
accepted, and forever after blessed: 'Thel
forsook all and followed Him" 1t was ;
sacrifice of conservation which only those
: VINO have done the like are fit or compe
tent to Judge. If we are ready to put our
> selves in Peters place, to face the indeter
inmate future as he faced it, that day: t.
think of the kind OF interest in his bl.si
; ness man OF such energy must have mad
| and the enthusiasm FOR his occupation a
fisherman which evidently, to the last. h
; felt: If we are observed to note the Ia Zen
l evidences in the gospel story that the busl
/, ness hitherto had forrisned and pros
r rared, so that Peter and his associate
dwelt in comfort, bordering on the edge
at least. of competence, estimated by tn
! standards of that land and age-then W
| shall know what venture of faith and eS
2 preston Of confidence in his Lord Pete
made when he left all for Christ, giving u
t the chance Of future gains and bindln
: himself to the sacrifcial use of presen
Z possessions for the common good. II