The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-09
Second Quarter. Lesson XII.
Matthew 16:l3-2S. June 10. 1866.
Peters Great Confession.

In His last year, Jesus turned from the
multitude and concentrated HIS energies
upon His. disciples. Ills ministry to the
throrlg had proven failure. HIS pearls
Of word and deed had fallen before
british people To perpetuate His
church after His departure. He turns
tles-as the foundation-stones that are
TO bear aloft the superstructure. with
this In view. He led them to Decapolis
and Tyre and Sidon and Caesarea- Phiiippi.
localities where He was comparatively
unknown. In such places His course OF
private instruction would be least inter-
rupteu by public demands.
Philips Caesarea was In what has aptiy
been called 1.-THE Switzerland Of Pales-
tine" There was the cvcr-startling con-
trast between arctic whire and tropic en-
erald, AS they walked amid tho oleandors
and beside the gushing fountain, source
Of the Jordan, they could lift their eyes
TO snow-clad Hermon and Lebanon. 1t
was n schoolroon worthy at once OF
teacher and taught. $3.50
1t was here that Jesus propounded that
UNNECESSARILY important question. Nv no nc,
DO men say that l, the Son Of Man; nm!
might produce that dark background OF
an inadequate and erroneous public oplh-
Ion on which the fair confession OF the
apostles might stand out In pristine con-
trnSt.
What a medley of opinions Some join
ed guilty Antipas In the suspicion that
He was the Baptist come to life again.
others, that He was the tiory old reformer
Of Carmel; others. the weeping prophe =;
nature. where F1e had hidden the golden
ark of the temple. Not soul Of the.
people rose to the height OF recognlzin,g
Him rs the Messiah Jesus g co. "a cxac tS
cbagrined by it. 80 He did expects
more more Of Of the chosen ones who had been
His intimate companions for Two yea aas
t but VIVA, what do % You r say9' Then that
glorious sanctuary Of nature rang Win
the simplest, suplinest GREGG 10 81 a.i
cried, "Thou are the Christ, tho Son OF
tho Living Cod" In that word, Peter
burst the shell Of an hereditary ana UNI,
~ az ti true Messanic faith. and scared
above tic temporal Ideas OF throne: army =,
and conquest. ~ inc sonna o.
of 10Y. It repaid Him for all the toll,
humiliation and sacrifice OF His ministry:
But while joyously setting, the seal OF
approval on Peters creed re also aVo W.
re from s' the flesh and blood 1t originated
not In himself. nor In some human
teacher. eg was reyoq sMt What Sh us IS
ihe menming not Of this crucial affirmation?
7 do not toin with those who say that
1csIs address Peter only ns tho sp2kes-
man Of tho apostles. and that Whnt re
said 10 Peter applied equally to oil nor
Nth those who say that Peters conres-
s,nn not PETERS self, was tho rock on
rrhich Jesus built His Church. These are
current Protestant n t pshtietW some.
t lima attributed to Romanism for their
defence,
would rather take tho language 1ust
90 n stands. and admit That Jesus pu!lI
Wis church upon tho man Peter, but ne
Is such q man as Jesus descrlbes-Ia 1'l "a!
viii a revelation; q revelation tnat on
Mt originate In himself or IN q lelloW,
INF one that came from God; reveln-
Hon received with faith and acknoWl-
edged with Joy IT Is the man as =
confessor that forms the basis OF me
church, The confession apart, pc y
never so orthodox, ls dead thing, p t,
the confession on the lips and IN shs
character is the liyest thing IN the word n
Well says tho apostle, mo man
can say that Jesus Is the CHRIST eHcspe
God be with him. OF course. any nsae
could say tho words by rote ana parrn-
like. hut no one can say them as they
Cod, with right emotions. with faith and
love and loyalty. until no has become a
now creature by the rcgenera ton OF the
iJoiy Ghost, In point Of time. Peter was |
The FIRST to make confession In this man |
ncr. Tie was laid, therefore, to use an
oft repeated figure OF tho New Tesla
-, ~. n az. tl,o 0rst living stone upnr tha