The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-17

Tic uSuu- HIS
tions to the women on the morning Of
His resurrection and His later mani
festation to the two as they went to
Emmaus are evidently not counted.
but the manifestation the same even
ing in the upper room, when all the
disciples except Thomas and Judas
were present. is counted the first. And
the manifestation week later. Thorn
as being present. is counted the sec
Ond. ..
The delay in giving this third mani
festation was evidently for the pur.
ties and Of leading them to reach a
conclusion respecting their future
course, which Jesus wished to correct.
So far as we can understand the rec
ord at least two Sundays passed with
out any further manifestation OF Jesus
to His disciples. and then. giving up
hope. they decided to return to the
fishing business and did SO. The jour-
ney to Galilee and the resumption OF
business presumably took another
week.
During all those thirty days the men,
tai attitude Of all the Apostles and the
other disciples can he better imagined
than described. They were perplexed;
they had indeed had evidences Of the
Masters resurrection; they had had
the Scriptures called to their attention
which proved that this was necessary
aud that God had previously SO ar
ranged. They had hoped for further
conferences with Jesus and that He
would have told them definitely what
to do.
ciples were thoroughly disheartened
They had left all to follow Him. to
tell the people that He was the Son
Of God. the lOng-promised Messiah. and
that He would soon set up His King
dom, which would bring blessings, pri-
marily to Israel and. secondarily.
through Israel, to all the families Of
the earth in harmony with the Abra.
hamic Covenant Now apparently all
Of these hopes were dashed, frustrat-
ed How foolish they thought it would
seem for. them to try to convince the
people that a man, crucified as male
factor, as blasphemer, was indeed
the Messiah! How foolish 1t would
seem TO tell Of His resurrection! They
felt that they could do nothing else
than abandon the ministry as a lost
cause: and the resumption Of the fish
ing business was the logical cOnclu-
sion.
They ToiIed All the Night.
Their first night was discOuraging
one-they caught nothing. 1T looked
indeed as though God was Furnishing
them for the course they had taken in
becoming disciples of .Iesus-that ev-
erything was going wrong. But not so.
they were merely being taught needed
lessons.
In the morning they beheld stran-
ger on the shore who beckoned and
shouted to know if they had any fish
for sale. They replied. No, they had
made no catch. The stranger suggest
ed casting the net on the other side of
the boat. And although the suggestion
seemed foolish one. having been so
unsuccessful. yet they did so. and i'm
mediately the net was filled with fish
es! Ii did not require long for them to
learn the lesson. They knew instinc-
lively that the unknown stranger upon
the shore was none other than their
Master They remembered very SIM
ilar experience mt the time they were
first called to leave their nets and to
become fishers of men.
All interest had just conferred in the
fishing business, but now boats and
estimation Of these fishermen. Here
was their risen Lord. for whose third
appearance they had been waiting now
nearly three weeks. Fearing that the
Master would disappear, even before
he could get TO him. st. Peter plunged
surprise the stranger already had fish
and had them cooked. and all were in
vited to join I'm the breakfast on the
shore of Galilee.
The stranger had not the clothing by
which they had known their Lord. mel
ther did He have the marks Of the nails
in His hands and feet. that they might
thus identify Him. This was a differ
ent manifestation. They knew Him
az did those with whom He walked ia
Emmaus. who recognized Him In the
blessing Of the bread. and not by His
features or clothing or wounds. They
recognized that none other than He
could have performed such miracle
They did not ask who He was; they
felt a restraint; AZ We read. None Of
them burst ask who He was" but al
knew that He was the Lord.
"Lovest Thou Me More?"
The stranger addressed st. Peter
particularly saying. Lowest thou Me
more than these"-these boats anC
nets. ETC.. pertaining to the fishing
business? ST. Peter answered. Lord
Thou knowest that l affectionately
love Thee" He used word ex
pressing fondness Of love. Jesus re
piled, Feed My lambs"