Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-11-30

Is That With b4r.lllg love and zeal Tor
God and for righteousness. we should
also have observation-disclosures tho
spirit of sound mind Christ's fol-
lowers are exhorted To be wise as
scrpcnts and harmless as doves"
Their wisdom Is not 10 he merely the
selfish kind. which would look out for
its own interests. but OF The generous
kind which looks out for the interests
of all. and particularly FOR the inter
ests OF the Lords cause and for any
share therein which he may entrust
TO US. ota
In the course lof his instructions,
Jesus had said TO bis disciples. in ad-
vance Of the trying hour OF his be-
trayal-"An Sc shall be offended be-
cause of ne this night for II is writ
ten Gin THE Prophets, | viii smite the
shepherd and the sheep OF the flock
shall be scattered abroad. But after
am, risen again VIII 40 before you
into Galilee. "-Matt. .j:jl. -.
Then spoke the impu.aiVe Peter,
Though ailishall be onended because
of thee. Yet will never be offended"
(N. 33) Alas, how li.tle old this cour-
ageous man understand the nature OF
the trials ana dlGi> Guides Immediately
before him. or rcal,.c She weak points
OF his own mn aiGNe n.,tGre. Yet if
We are greved with his denial OF the
Master, we must rejoice To note his
faith aud loyc ana zeal, as manifested
In his acknowledgement OF Jesus MS the
Messiah and his Later declaration that
nothing should ever shake his loyalty.
However, l. is the gpe.lully loyal and
ardent that the Adversary seeks most
persistcntly 10 cn,rap. Thus Jesus. on
this very occasion, explained TO st.
Peter, Satan hath desired TO have
thee that he might sift thee" duke
22:31); that he might separate you
from your loyalty 20 Christ and dis
courage YOU FROM disciplcship, over
whelming you with fear ana with your
own weaknesses. The Muster added,
'But ! have prayed for thee that thy
faith fail not" We may wcll under
stand that the same loving Master still
assists all Of his tiuc, warm-hearted
followers, whatever their weaknesses
of hercdity. We may well understand,
too, that he H. able TO develop all such
into strong characters II they abide IN
his love. continuing IN their zeal.
"Beforo tho Cock Grow"
The Master dlscerncd the danger Of
his loving Int impetuous follower, and
uttered n warning word. that before
cock-crowing he would deny his Mas
ter. How improbable this seemed TO
81. Peter How h. courageously de.
clared, Though should die with thee,
yet will not deny thee" And so said
all Of the eleven Their hearts were
good. And the Lord looketh upon the
heart
our study now passes 20 verse
%. The Master had been arrested.
The scattered disciples had fed. st.
John because OF mn acquaintance with
the high priests family, penetrated
further into the palace than st. Peter,
who stood In the courtyard. a maid
or the palace recognized st. Peter as
one of Jesus disciples and so declared
publicly. Fearful that he might share
the fate of The Master, st. Peter denied
his Identity, declaring that he knew
nothing about the matter. a little
later another declared the same.
Peter emphasized his denial with an
oath, declaring that he knew not Jesus.
Later the word spread throughout the
courtyard and many took II up, declar-
ing that they believed what the maid