Evening star., 1914-11-14

warm themselves that cold spring
morning indicates that his own per-
sonal comfort was Peters first consid-
Grafton. SO he Joined the company of
those who had arrested his Lord.
Whenever we allow personal comfort to
interfere with our duty as Christians
we will soon be denying the Christ.
The details OF the disavowals of Peter
diner in the gospel narrative, but we
find the three repeated denials in each
record. While the sad scene was going
on In the upper room that was reached
from the square courtyard. a moral
tragedy was being enacted below that
shows how Peter, as well as ourselves.
may fail because we are suddenly
brought under fire. Judas deliberately
sold out to the Lords enemies, but
Peter failed because his courage had
not been trained to stand alone.
We may condemn him because OF his
complete collapse in view of his privi-
leges, profession and the Masters
prophecy, but psychological study of
his failure will show us how natural il
is for men under the circumstances to
fail. few hours before Peter had.
when aroused from his slumbers and
the truth began to dawn upon him.
committed in his rashness an act that
threatened his personal safety IL he
were discovered. When the maid who
had let him in surprised him by tho
statement that he was disciple Of
Jesus of Nazareth, Peter was startled.
frightened and quickly denied his
Lord. One unresisted temptation is apt
to be soon followed by another that re-
suits in greater act of infidelity and
frequently produces the third, until
the grace of God interferes upon ouS
behalf, bringing us to ourselves.
!; y =
Peters Repentance.
When Peter had denied the Lord
thrice, as Jesus had predicted that he
would, he was suddenly brought to see
his folly and sin. 1t takes a personal
experience to destroy ones self-confl-
dence. When Peter saw the look of the
Savior, whose soul must have been
oppressed not only by his denials. but
his returning to the old habits of pro.
family, he went out into the dark,
narrow streets of Jerusalem, retraced
his sips. weeping bitterly because he
realized his sin. The one look that
Jesus gave Peter broke the heart OF
the disciple because he loved his Lord.
We, too. love Him, and. like Peter.
we, too, have denied Him before men.
Whenever we get a glimpse of His love
for us such as Peter saw in his Lords
eyes we. too, will experience that godly
sorrow that worketh repentance.
There ts always hope for the man
who thinks that he will come to see the
the Master. Mrs. Browning tells US its
meaning in her little sonnet on The
Meaning Of the Iook"-how the :nes-
sage of love recalled Peter:
Go and manifest
hate contrition. but no hootless fear:
For when thy final need Is drearfest
Thou shalt not be denied. am here:
Ny voice to God and angels shall attest
Because ] know this man, let him be clear.
The Peter that went out to think res
pented and returned to the Masters
service, never to deny Him again. As
one has said: "It is a touching and
beautiful tradition. due to the sincerity
of his repentance. IL not as a historical
reality, that all his life long the re-
membrance of this night never left
him, and that morning by morning he
rose at the hour when the look of his
Master had entered his soul to pray
once more for pardon" Peter went out
into the darkness to meet the morning
dawn of mercy and to leave behind the
record of warning that says to us one
and all: Let him that thtnketh h9
standeth take heed lest he fells