Evening journal., 1910-12-03
SURROUNDINGS is WEAKNESS.
Matthew 26; sI-s5, 69-75-Deeembe 4.
"Let him that Thinketh he stand
eth take heed lest he fall.v
Cor. 10. 10


human nature, its strength and its
weaknesses. He was the first OF the
twelve Apostles to acknowledge the
Master as the Messiah the Sent of
God: he was the first Of the twelve
TO deny him. He was the only one Of
the twelve who drew his sword in the
Masters defense and the only one who.
later, swore that he never knew him
BY Divine arrangement. to him were
given the keys with which TO open the
door to the High Calling-to the King
dom. AT Pentecost he used one Of
the keys of power and boldly pro-
claimed to the Jews the opening of the
way TO glory, honor and Immortality
A little later, at the appointed time,
he opened the door to the same High
Calling for the Gentiles when, by his
preaching, Cornelius, the first Gentle
acceptable to God, was received and
begotten Of the holy Spirit this fact
giving evidence that the middle-wall
of partition, previously separating
Jew and Gentle, had been broken
down. Yet. after all this knowledge
and special opportunity. this great
man subsequently dissembled to the
extent of ignoring Gods grace to the
Gentiles as being sufficient, discrimi-
mating between Jews and Gentiles and
their equality before the Lord.
But in all these experiences St
Peter displayed the fact that his heart,
at its core. was loyal 10 God, to truth,
to righteousness, and that the weak
nesses. the faults. the blemishes of his
character were Of his flesh and not of
his real heart intention. For his de-
nial of the Master he wept bitterly
And for his failure to recognize the
Gentiles he made full reparation most
humbly.
The same exhibition Of human ma
ture which makes the Apostle Peter
is that which made David.
the Prophet and king of Israel, at
tracU,e. He was not so sanity that
he could not make a mistake. He was
not SO far above the remainder of hui
that they could not realize in
him a fellow-creature. Yet withal he
was not so debased as to make him
abhorent. His weaknesses were fully
Offset by the abundant evidence of his
heart-loyalty to God and to righteous
ness. His very experiences In STUN
bling and recovery have so saturated
his Psalms that they touch a respon-
sive chord In nearly every heart which
is loyal to God and which has had any
degree of experience with sin and
weakness-its own and those Of
How Others Saw St. Peter.
Peter remains even to-day the most
fascinating of that band Of men who
surrounded our Lord in the days OF
his earthly pilgrimage. G. c. Morgan
said of Peter: Now I am convinced
that In Peter we have the greatest hui
man revealed IN the New Testament
] do not say the greatst man in his
achievement OF in one particular ca
pacity Of his being. but the most won
derful revelation Of human nature
This man of intelligence was perpetu.
ally making blunders This man OF
emotions was guilty of such impulse
that he worked harm in the very cause
he desired TO help"
OF St. Peter Southhouse saws.
Peter was an average man. and for
this reason he comes nearer to us than
some of his colleagues do. But aver
age men have their splendid moments
such as wren St Peter tried walk ON
the water, for In this action he tried to
do a thing for which he seemed ia
have no abilities. He set out TO do
something of which he had no ex-
perience."
Or. Davis said about ST. Peter.
Peter was Intellectual He asked
Jesus more questions than any other
OF the Apostles. The capacity for ask
ing questions is a revelation Of the I'm
tellectual IL may also be q revela
ton of ignorance; but the man who
never asks a question is certainly de-
hcient I'm his intellectually . Peter
was a man of heart, sobbing and i'm
petuous. His virtues and his faults
had their common root in his enthu.
siastic disposition. II Is to his praise
that, along with the weed of rash
haste, there grew more strongly into
his life the fair plant Of burning love
and ready reception Of Truth"
take Heed to Yourselves
One Of the great lessons which the
Master taught his followers. an
which all in the School of Christ must
learn, is that. with burning love and
zeal for God and for Righteousness.
we should also have moderation-ex
ercising the spirit Of a sound mind.
Christs followers are exhorted TO be
wise as serpents and harmless av
doves. Their wisdom Is not 10 be
merely the selfish kind, which would
look out for its own interests. but Of
the generous kind which looks out 70 ,
the interests of all, and particularly
for the interests Of the Lords cause
and for any share therein which he
may entrust to us.
In the course of his instructions.
Jesus had said to his disciples. in ad-
vance Of the trying hour Of his be-
trayal-"All ye shall be offended be-
cause Of me this night: for II is writ.
ten Tin the Prophetsl I will smite the
Shepherd and the sheep of the flock
shall be scattered abroad. But after 7
am risen again I will go before YOU
into Galilee. Matt. 1851. 30.
Then spoke the impulslve Peter.
Though all shall be offended because
Of thee, yet Will I never be offended %
(V 33) Alasl how little did this cour-
ageous man understand the nature of
the trials and difficulties Immediately
before him, OF 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, It Is the specially LOYAL
and ardent that the Adversary seeks
most persistently TO entrap. Thus
Jesus, on this very occasion, explained
TO St Peter. Satan hath desired e
have thee that he might sift thee
! II -..--. %. oll LL.L L- .--.-L. -.------- :