The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-10-31

$50 20 sWsyf simon Peter answer.
cd him, Lord, 10 whom shall we qof
Thou hast the words OF eternal life"
ITO whom shall we go?" Peter has
perception enough TO face the alter
native. IL Is easy to go away from
Christ. But TO whom else shall we
got II Is not SO easy to answer that
question.
In the early part Of Jesus ministry
He not only had a wide hearing, but
He commanded a great crowd OF fol-
lowers. There was 10 much in Him
TO attract. His words we're novel,
they appealed TO the conscience, they
aroused the better part OF a mans
nature; they had the ring OF SINGER
ity, which was SO sadly lacking IN
the teachers OF that day. Moreover,
not only His words. but His works.
were marvellous. and their fame was
heralded from one end OF the coun-
try to the other. Never man SO
spake. never man performed such
wonderful works. SO II Is not strange
that lie was able to command SO
great a crowd OF followers.
There was another element that
entered into His early popularity.
As men saw His influence upon the
crowd they began to question. rs not
this lie that shall save Israeli" For
the Jews we're looking for n political
leader. for one who should come.
and free them from the yoke Of Ro-
man dominion. and restore unto them
their kingdom. And so they would
make Jesus their king. But when
Jesus refused to follow their de-
mands, when He showed 10 them that
His leadership must be moral and
spiritual, instead Of material and
political: when He went further In
Els teachings. and upon the truths
which He would drive home TO their
consciences. and made Himself the
Lord OF their consciences, there
came a revulsion In popular feelilg.
You can turn TO this sixth chapter OF
John and read the discourses OF
Jesus written there. You will not I'M
derstand them all. Neither did the
Jews understand. in all probability.
what they heard Jesus say to them.
but they understood enough TO real
Ire that He was not to be their king
in the material world. but that He
would be king over their consciences.
and leader In their spiritual life. They
saw, or they guessed enough OF the
meaning OF His words TO know.
that II meant sacrifice and self-denial
10 follow Him. And so We read that
upon this many OF the disciples
went back, and walked no more with
Him" So they went away. To whomf
Where would they find life. where
would they find safety II they went
away from Jesus? They did not know.
They did not stop to question. They
knew that II meant something OF
hardship 10 follow Jesus, and so they
went away. But when Jesus. with
that longing for human sympathy.
which He felt. but by which lie was
never Influenced OF weakened. asks
Of His disciples. would you also go
away" Peter is strong enough TO
face the ALTERNATIVES: why Lord. TO
whom else shall we go? Thou hast
the words OF eternal life"
That is the great alternative, and
I would have you face II. too. It is
easy for us 10 follow Christ a little
way. And II is even more easy. when
the service becomes little hard.
and His claim becomes more insist.
emit for a complete allegiance. to 20
away from following. But face the
alternative. To whom else will you
TOT Where else will you find guild
ance. and inspiration and strength
for your life7 We must go some
where for faith. for q religion OF
some kind we must all have. Then
10 whom else shall we got
Where will you go for lifef oh.
that Is what We all want That was
what the Jews wanted. and because
they thought that Jesus limited II
and restricted their lives. they went
away. Some to their pleasures. and
others to their riches, and others to
their books. But do you think that
they found II. life. real life-life that
would stand the test OF time! Where
will you GOT To your amusementsf
To your money makingr To your
studies land In them find lief Tell
me, right and good as all these things
are when controlled. and not given
the chief place. do they themselves
bring lief
VIII you face the great alterna-
tive, men and womenf I have not
tried to tell you OF the sufficiency Of
Jesus during this brief evening hour.
You know that. You know His own
fauitless life and brave death. You
know His wonderful teaching. all In
carnate in wonderful life. You
know how He healed. and helped and
strengthened men, and brought them
from evil to good and true and bene-
ncient lives. All this you know. II
10 lust because OF our own weakness,
our selfishness. our fear OF denial and
sacrifice. our foolish temporizing. that
We will not follow Him. that we 90
away. But hear me. Where are you
goingi To whom else will you gof
Thou hast the words Of eternal life.
And we have believed and know that
49,, - tha Holv DnA M God /"