Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-10-26


selling the fish. AS strong fisherman
he had battled with many storms while
setting his nets after his boat had
been nearly submerged by the heaving
pillows. Now. when the hrsors of the
crucifixlon were still surging through
his mind and heart. the old habits OF
youth were again asserting themselves.
"Rack to the fisherman's tasks" was
the call of his heart. So may we train
our children for Christ in the nursery
that when the storms Of persecution
and the tornadoes Of trouble batter
against them and threaten to sub
merge them they may find divine
solace and gospel comfort In the les
sons we have taught them In the qule-
Il. # the nursery and in the inspired
truths they have learned at the family
altar.
But there is another weighty lesson
TO be learned from the scene OF my
text. The easiest way to overcome the
tilal waves of trouble Is by harnesslng
ourselves up to work. Inactivity ana
inertia are sympathizing attendants,
who are on'y too willing to sit by the
bedside cf hcartrending grief and
weep with us when we weep and talk
over with us the sickening tragedies
of the past But their chief mission Is
not to heal the wounds of life or 10
stoD the hemorrhages OF bleeding
hearts. They only take the bandages
off the pain racking wounds and start
the bleeding afresh. The best way 10
fght grief is to go forth In manly,
Christian. way and lift our cross ana
silently carry our burden along and
not stop TO make complete Inventory
of our misfortunes. Peter knew this
truth. as every brave man ought 10
know 1t.
Back to Daily Duties.
Cannot YOU hear him say to the 9th
or disciples: Men, what is the use OF
our sitting here and nursing our grief !
By dwelling on the scenes of the past
can we lessen one iota any OF our
sorrows? Would Jesus want us to sit
around idle like this? We cannot bring
him back to us Like David with MS
dead boy. we can go to him, but lie
cannot come to us. Have we no daily
duties to perform? Have we no nun
gry mouths TO fill? Are not our wives
and children dependent upon US Tor
food? If Jesus does not want me to
follow him and preach, at least ne
wants me to be an honest man and
provide a home for my family. used
to earn their living by a fsherman'S
net. | can earn them bread by selling
fish again. go a-Gshing. Then the
other disciples said, I'VE 10 go with
thee" Yes. the sad fact Is that many
people do not fight the sorrows OF life
by the activities of life. Like JOB OF
old. they nurse their grief by tearing
their garments and by weeping and
complaining in sackcloth and ashes.
Here. for instance. is wife and
mother who has been blessed with as
noble n family as God ever gave to Q
home. From the morning when the
sweet throated songstress called love
sang amid the bowers OF the orange
blossoms the sunshine of JOY has al
ways been flooding her life. Her life
like a hummlng bird, has winged ltS
way from flower to flower. The sting
ing nettles and the hard, stony path
ways were for others. Only the rest
ful. tender symphonies of happy life
| sounded their music in her heart. Bu
one day the shadow of the broad wing
ed messenger of death passed over bel
head. Now. as before, there are sever
| places at her family table, but one ol
the baby chairs is vacant. Does tina
mother always arise in the morning
with q sweet smile upon her lips anC
take ND her duties of life cheerfully
Does she help her husband bear hi
grief? With noble Christian resig
nation. does she thank God that sh'
has still four babies left? Does sh'
live to make them happy? Or doe
she sit down and nurse her grief
| Are her cheeks being continual.
| splashed by the fountains Of her tears
Does she put away all her brlgh
clothes and advertise her sorrow b.
repulsive Grape? Does she go fort
with brave heart to bind up tn
bleeding wounds Of her neighbors
Does she continually expect her neigh
bors to come and talk to her upol
only one subject, the loss of her bah.
girl? My friend, God sent you a sol
row to prepare you for helping other
bear their trials. The easiest way t
overcome grief is by brayely lifting u
your cross and going forth to comfor
others. Peter fishing for food for hi
children on the sea of Galilee Is
far more commendable sight than Pc
ter with tear stained cheeks, nursin
his grief upon the pebbed beach Of tn
sea Of Tiberias.
Troubles Never Come Sngy.
But there is another fact which I'm
presses me about Peters fishing expe
dition. and that is that troubles do nc
live hermit's life. They do not perc
as a baldheaCGd eagle upon the crag
and the cliffs in solitary glory. The
love companionship Like some fisl
they travel IN schools Like the cattle
they pasture together in herds. Peter
troubles were cumulative. They carl
in companies. Like the snowfake'
they persisted in piling themselves u
into a great impossible drift. Lik
the mighty onrushing rivers. the
gathered up the waters Of many brook
and creeks and fountains. In the frs
place. Peter had an awful remors
gnawing at his heart for his denial Q
Jesus Christ. Do you not suppose o
thought of that apostasy day In an
day out? After your father died. Oil
there not for weeks and months an
years linger in your mind some act q
disobedience or some dutiful act tina
YOU neglected to do? Tell me, do 20
| +Ioro xrarQ some DeODl