The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-05-15

features or cIOtnlng or WOUNDS. Iuey
recognized that none other than He
could have performed such miracle,
They did not ask who He was; they
felt restraint; as we read. None of
them burst ask who He was" but all
knew that He was the Lord.
Lowest Thou Me Morew
The stranger addressed st. Peter
particularly saying. Lowest thou Me
more than these"-these boats and
nets. etc, pertaining to the fishing
business? st. Peter answered, Lord,
Thou knowest that I affectionately
love Thee" He used word ex-
pressing fondness of love, Jesus re-
piled, Feed My lambs
Then came the question a second
time. "Smon. son of Jonas, lowest
thou Me-" A great pressure was felt
by st. Peter Why did the Master so
particularly question his love? Why
should He put this question more to
him than to the others? Was it be-
cause he had been the first of the
disciples to suggest the resumption of
the fishing business? Was he to blame
for this? But he answered, Lord,
Thou knowest that / affectionately
love Thee" Jesus this time replied.
Tend My sheep" For the third time
Jesus said to st. Peter, "Simon, son Of
Jonas, dost thou affectionately love
MeT' Here Jesus used the same word
that st. Peter had used. as though He
questioned the affection and depth of
st. Peters love. All! the third time
must have sent the memory of st. Peter
Hall, when he denied his Master the
third time, even with cursing And
now Jesus for the third time had ask
ed him respecting his love and wheth-
err it was really love of affection!
st. Peters choking reply was, Lord,
Thou knowest all things, Thou kno,o-
est that l affectionately love Thee?'
The Lords reply was, Feed My
sheep"
In harmony with these words OF the
Master to st. Peter the chief work of
His followers has been to minister to
the needs of the spirit-begotten sheep.
1t is in full harmony with this that ST.
Paul, addressing the Elders Of Ephe-
sus, counseled that they feed the
flock of God which He had purchased
There is point here that perhaps is
too frequently overlooked. II all of
the Lords followers could realize that
the message to ST. Peter is the same
as comes to all OF us, perhaps it would
make change in most Of our preach
ing.
Our Mistaken Methods.
Have not Christians in general over
looked this important lesson, namely
that the chief work of the ministers
and under-shepherds of the Lords flock
during this Age Is to "feed the fochy
Is it not true that comparatively It'll.
feeding is being done? On the contra
ry, the thought usually received by
new converts is, Now you are saved
go, evangelize, and bring others tt
Christ-especially bring money. fol
with plenty of it we can convert the
world. Work for Jesus by solicitina
funds for church expenses, extension
etc, etc.
If the inquirer has thoughts or feel
ings is it not too often the case that his
instructors know not how to answer
them, but merely say. stop thinking
and go to work" Alas, that this is sc
true! The 'lambs' should be fed unit
they become ''sheep." The sheep should
be tended, cared for, guided. instructed
and the sheep should also be fed witt
the stronger meat than that which tht
lambs could appropriate. st. Pau
gives this thought when on one occa
sion he urges his hearers to desire ''tht
sincere milk of the Word that they
may grow thereby"
But few seem to copy the great st
Paul in respect to their methods. Few
seem to realize and apply to themselves
the Masters words to st. Peter
Feed Ny lambs" and IVY sheep" A.
a consequence, the Church of Christ i:
in languishing condition. Many, sin
cere at heart know not what they be
ieve. Many would find ii impossible
TO follow st. Peters admonition. "Bt
ready TO give a reason for the hope tha
is within you. with meel<ness and rev
erence. II Peter Iii, II.
Reasons For the Neglect of the Doc
trines of Christ
There are two reasons which have
led up to the neglect of the doctrines
of Christ'-the teachings of the Bible
These two reasons fully explain why
SO many are telling new believers
Never mind the doctrines of Christ
but so out and convert somebody.
The first of these reasons is the er-
roneous thought which gained ascend
ency during the Dark Ages, namely
that from Pentecost until the second
coming of Jesus is the time allotted by
the Heavenly Father for the worlds
conversion, and that this is the com
mission which He gives to His peo
pie, and if the world be not converted
the responsibility for their eternal toy
ture will fall upon His people.
All Of this is Il mistake Not a word
Of Scripture tells that the Church was
commissioned to convert the world be
fore the second coming of the Lord
Quite TO the contrary, the Scriptures
show that at the Lords second coIn-