The Cairo bulletin., 1907-12-02


lswift to speak, slow TO hear lie wa,
willing 10 build towers without count
ms tho cost. Ready was he ever Il
20 on warfare on his own charges
| One would naturally wonder why
Peter was so full OF inconsist ,ncics
why he manifested SO many weak
nssses.' having been made leader cl
J tho twelve
| Doubtless, Peter misconstued the
meaning OF the mission Of lcsrs. He
certainly. with all the friends and
! enemies Of Jesus, believed that 1t was
the intention OF the Lord to deliver
Israel from Roman bondage; this was
the mission Of the Messiah world.
Il deiverance rather than spiritual
d"liverance, saving from slavery
Of the flesh rather than being saved
from sin. The throne OF David, OF
Solomon, VIZ 10 be re.estabished. In
this sense Peter also trusted that it
was He who should redeem Israel."
To redeem" Israel then, was to
break the hands of tespotism and
give again the otd.time heritage,
glorious freedom. What a kingdom
would be theirs. with the Son of God
en- the throne.
When Jesus resolutely turned his
face towards Jerusalem to drink
from the cup of sdifering and Of
death, Peter with many other dis
eiples and apostles was undeniably
shocked, tlisgusted dismayed. Why
die, when "all power in heaven and
in earth belonged to the Master? He
did not realize that Christ had come
to enact the sacrifice OF which the
naschal lamb hal been but shadow.
a figure. He could not yet understand
Ch.ist's High Priesthood. Peters
weakness lay in not understanding
Gods plan" in not being conversant
with the deeper meaning OF the
Teachers words. He lacked in intel
ligent conviction He was guided
largely by IMPULSE and the truths tbat
he felt were not ballasted soIidly with
knowledge. How important to be
carefully instructed in the truth s
How necessary to have clear ideas OF
Gods way OF salvation. How inds-
pensable fer safety and strength. es.
pecially ia Cur dangerous age. to have
piety hrilt ON principle, principle on
and conviction on clear
conceptions OF Gods truth, The most
glowing spnrts Of enthusiasm. the
most feryid feelings OF love, cannot
dispense with the necessity of in
struction. We still need the cate
chism"
To return to Peter and his fall
Having followed Jesus to the High
Priests palace. he was accosted by
woman porter, one who kept the gate.
aud charged with being follower of
Jegrs. He made a simple denial to
this charge. The second time, how
ever, he was more closley questioned
and more positively charged with
being follower of the prisoner"
Now came the time for desperate de-
NAL on Peteer's part And again he
lenied with an oath do not know
he man. Some little time after this
he was more directly than ever ac-
rused by kinsman of Malchus.
Others standing by Joined in the
charges, telling him his very dialect
betrayed him. Now the climax of de-
aial Then began he to curse and to
swear, saving ! know not the man"
What fall for an apostle. the spokes
nan, the leader. Fallen. fallen "A
lew hours after that clear prediction
meant to prevent his denial: Before |
ne cock crow twice thou shalt deny
ne thrice An those tender words. |
But have prayed for thee. And
hat confident boastlng, Though all |
hall be offended. vet will not L. 4
I'm ready to 60 with thee to prison |
md to DEATH"