The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-01

AXE heed lest he fail.- Cor. I'VE
OF thee, yet will never be offended
(v. 33) Alas. how little did this cour-
ageous man understand the nature Of
the trials and difficulties Immediately
before him, or realize the weak points
OF his own impulsive nature. Yet II
we are grieved with his denial OF the
Master. we must rejoice 10 note his
faith and love and zeal, as manifested
in his acknowledgment OF Jesus as
the Messiah and his later declaration
that nothing should ever shake his
loyalty.
However, Il IL the specially loyal
and ardent that the Adversary seeks
most persistently TO entrap. ThLs
Jesus, OH this very occasion, explain
ed TO st. Peter, Satan hath desired
to have thee that he might sift thee
Uuke 22:31: that he might separ-
ate you from your loyalty 10 Christ
and discourage you from discipleship,
overwhelming you with fear and WITH
your own weaknesses. The Master
added, But ! have prayed Tor thce
that thy faith fail not" We may
we'll understand that the same loving
Master still assists all OF His true,
warm. hearted followers, whatever
their weaknesses of heredity. We
may well understand, too, that lie
is able to develop all such into
strong characters, il they abide in
His love, continuing in their zeal.
Before the Cock Crow"
The Master discerned the danger
of His loving but impetuous follow
er, and uttered a warning word, that
before cock-crowing He would deny
His Master. How improbable this
seemed to st. Peter How he cour-
ageously declared, Though ! sheaie
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 TO verse 90.
The Master had been arrsstod. The
scattered disciples had fed. st. Joh:t
because of an acquaintance with the
high priests family, penetrated fuy.h-
or into the palace than ST FocSf,
who stood in the courtyard. A mai!
of the palace recognized st. Peter
az one Of Jesus disciples and 80 DC
clared publicly. Fearful that he
might share the fate OF the Master,
st. Peter denied his identity, declar-
ing that he knew nothing about the
matter. A little later another declar-
ed the same.
Peter emphasized his denial with
an oath, declaring that he knew not
Jesus. Later the word spread through
out the courtyard and many took II
up, declaring that they believed what
the maid said and that st. Peter had
tho Galilean dialect, anyway. TO en-
phasize the denial st. Peter began
to curse, and to swear that he knew
not the man. Directly after, cock
growing began. Then st. Peter re-
membered the words OF his Master,
Before cock-crowing thou shalt deny
Me thrice"
Alas! he had been too sure OF his
own stability, too confident OF his
loyalty. He was entrapped by the
Adversary along the very line OF his
. boasting. Another account says that
Jesus turned and looked at Peter!
That look was sufficient. Ii spoke
volumes to st. Peters loyal heart
II was not a look Of disdain, nor one
OF anger, we may be sure. II was q
look OF loving sympathy. II melted
st. Peters heart. He went out and
wept bitterly. The followers OF the
Master today, beset by weaknesses
and frailties and temptations Of tho
Adversary, have the lesson OF st.
Peters experience as warming to
be confident In the Lord and to look
to Him for assistance, rather than
to be self-confdent. And those who
fail today have st. Peters experience
as lesson Of the Lords sympathy
and pity. They, too, should weep bit
terly for transgressions and repent
and profit by their experience.