Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-10-09
~ rnE FAULTS or OTHERS.

]
swer
by the faults on errors of others.
wise men correct their own sh0rtcom-
! ings while fouls seek 90 Justify their
own misdoeds by citing dolinQuencics
ON the part of those who are their SUI
peri0rs Notwithstanding the faults
wrongly on rightly attributed 60 them
The case OF Peter "chiefest Of the
apostles" has been center for this
kind Of disputation in the conscience
Of mankind. ever since the day of Pc
tcr's denial Of his Lord and savior
But this case really affords little
ground FOR eNcusing a persons own
wrong doing Peter was. indeed, very
weak al the precise moment when he
! felt himself 90 be very strong only
the night before, when an the Twelve
we're staggering under the blow of
| their predicted scattering the Lord
| seems TO have turned to Peter indi-
| vidually and as more carefully trans
! lated. said: Simon, simon Satan
has obtained you for the purpose Of
sitting like as wheat But have made
suppncat.ou FOR thee that thy latin
fai not"
Such opportunity. IL seems. had been
given to Satan; for this night exhib-
tied "the power OF darkness'-the time
az which Christ had to meet alone the
whole force OF the assault OF hell and
slngly to conquer IL for mans sake.
Peter. whose love was as ardent as
his character was impetuous. burst
| forth with the exclamation that though
the whole world should desert Jesus.
/ yet would not h. and that he would
| lay down his life for his Masters sake
The power given to Satan to "sift"
Peter. was not for the purpose OF de-
stroying but Of perfecting, the apostle.
Il seems that Satan has not even the.
power to "sift" without leave OF
| God; and sitting, as we know. removes
the chaff from the wheat. And even
az the fan OF -imon was but the out
come Of the natural elements in him.
so ii must lead too the revealing and
the removal OF these human elements
Of weakness. 20 the end. that. after Pc
ter was converted. he could the better
strengthen his brethren.
With vehemence did Peter protest
against the possibility Of failure on his
part As usual. the things which we
least suspect may lead to our downfall.
Others now Joined Peter IN these as
severations Of falthfulness. and present
b. he and one other produced swords
10 indicate their readiness 10 fight for
| Him.
In the chill Of the dreary morning
that followed. Peter had followed 20 the
inner court OF the High Priests palace,
while John. who went on inside with
the guard, afterwards returned and Sc
cured Peters admission John hurried
10 be near Christ. while Peter. without,
advanced into the middle Of the court,
where. on this cold night OF spring, a
FIRE had been lighted.
on such a morning after a wakeful
and trying night, when the chill that
precedes the dawn had affected his
body and the awful events that he had
witnessed had struck a chill TO his very
soul. the apostle stood mcditatlng Why
was he hereg He could do nothing
What good could his confession OF
Christ do? None; possibly much harm.
Such thoughts must have perplcxed his
soul for he was very restless. yet he
must seem worry quiet First. he sat
down among the servants, then ne
stood up. his restiessncss attracted the
attention Of the maid, who charged
him. though in a Questioning tone. with
being ono of the disciples OF the Man
who stood incrimiuated On the room just
above before the High Priest
a. am events. he must have reasoned
that 10 was none OF their business He
need not ncdmuate himself or pcr-
maps Christ by a needless confession.
THAT" remarks Edershelm in his
learned and admirable work on Jesus
the Messiah Wos au Peter NOW rec
membored and thought nothing about
amy denial O. christ And &c. as they
were sim chatting together porhaps
naudying words, Peter Withdrew"
Presently. as De- walked down the
porch. mot thinking Of anything else
now than how chilly II folt and how
ugrt Doe had been in not being trapped
hy that woman and while his
foot-fal sounded along the marble
paved porch "a cOek crew AS ne
crossed the inner court 90 minple again
with the group around tho Gre where
hc had formerly found safety, he was
FIRST arcosted by one man. and then
they all around the nre turned upon
mm-and each and all had the same
thing 20 say the same charge. that he
Nas also ono of the disciples of Jesus
of Nazareth. But Peters resolve was
token. no vac quito sure n was ught.
90 each separately and 10 ail together
he gave the same donlaL more huef
now. Tor he was collected aud more de-
tcrmlucd hut more emphatic even
with an oath And once morr be- sl-
lrnced suspicion for time About
su hour had passed SINCE Peters SECOND
denial had. ro 70 speak. been Interrupt
cd Dos the arrival of inc sauhedrists.
Tho ,nsulis and blows indicted on the
sufferer had diverted attention from
Pctor' Sow IL turned once more upon
him whom conscience nad made nerve
ouFlF salruioua and whose speech now
betrayed hmm. To one and an Peter
| returned only "a more vehement doulsl