The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-14

4UO SSS1nS VAeSSG 1AAAA W OS'
The International Sunday School Les
son for November Is is. Jesus ano
Peter" Mark 14:27-31. SO. "a, 66-'2.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
"There il SO much bad in the best OF US
And SO much good in the worst OF US
that we all have a friendly feeling foi
soaring, stumbling. salnt-ano-sin 81
Peter. Stained-glass saints somenow
do not interest US. except In cnurcn
windows. but Peter is so much like the
rest of us that we are glad to sit down
with him and learn what he has 10
tell US, from his ups and downs. 1ol
our own life.
III a vote were taken for the most
popular apostle" some one has salo'
peter would get a majority. he
flames with contradictions, and yet we
seem to understand him best of all. He
visits very often in a little house called
Myself which stands hard by the
dusty highway Of life. Without MS
enthusiasm, his candor, his blunders
and new starts, the gospel stories
would nave been poorer"
The Raw Materials of Saint.
Quarried from the same coarse clay
as the rest of us, Peter seemed an I'M
likely candidate for saintship ana the
apostle. A rough out-of-doors fellow,
q man with the bark on" Peter mao
been to school to the hurly-burly OF
the Galilean water front. He cOuio
take care of himself in fight or in
storm. Whatever new was afloat, Peter
was for it., with dash and daring A
mans man was he; and the sturdy
Nazarene's heart leaped with gladness
when this bold fellow declared himself
ready to adventure discipleship.
No clustered recluse was Peter. His
temper was execrable, as his judgment
was impulsive. He was man OF &C
ticn, rather than of elaboration. He
spoke first and repented afterward.
But those hot impulses were the i'm
pulses of a true man. And his swift in
sight often saw further than the colder
analysis of his mates. Be it never Tor
gotten that it was Peter who first OF
the Twelve acclaimed Jesus. Thou art
the Christ. the Son of the living God.
Somehow, the Lord does not go to
the conventional schools of greatness
for his notab les. He calls the Martin
Luthers, the Joan Of Arcs, the Wesleys.
the Moodys, the Billy Sundays. who are
strangely like the common run OF us, 10
do his rarest work. Just as we are,
everyday folk. God wants us for his
service. He would not have us without
our individuality; he would purify and
sanctify and intensity that. I heard
-
and what some Of them did to the
English language would have given
I.indley Murray Mysteries; but their
message purctured the Indifference OF
the crowd as polished phrases never
could have done.
The Repudiated Program.
Ardent friend of the Master that he
was, Peter yet refused to accept his
Lords program. Too much Peter was
vuh oil him vyhoroin again we
confess ourselves in affinity with the
fisherman whose name is now borne
by the largest single church building
in the world. The hard "practicaf'
sense of Peter revolted from the cross
and the Passion. Never yet was a
worldlywise man willing to build a
scheme Of salvation with a cross in it.
When. at the Last Supper, Peter in
dignantly denied that he would ever
fOrsake his Lord-I1e would die first
of flesh! Within an hour or so Peter
was sound asleep at his sentinel post
in the Garden of Cethsemane; and ere
day broke he was cursing like the old
Capernaum Peter. ard thereby proving
that he was no friend of Jesus
In the interval between these two
derelictions he had drawn his sword
and cut off Malchus' ear, doing his
Master no service thereby. All. Peter!
Peter! There was too much Of the
cSO III LLdL luSty spirit OI yours. GU
had yet to learn TO let God have his
own way with You.
The Fire That Warmed Not.
OF course it is easy to catalogue
Peters faults: when the only profit
able exercise is to substitute our own
name for his. It was a mistake for
Peter to lurk outside the hall where
enemies of Jesus. He warmed himself
at the wrong fire: but the blaze built
by the soldier could not drive the
chill from his heart. Jesus in bonds
was less miserable than Peter stand
ing by the fire of mis- enemies.
If old Peter could come back to the
friends Of Christ today with an ad-
monition 1t would surely be, "Stand
with your own crowd. Cultivate the
fellowship Of the saints. Don't try to
walk on the broad way with the crowd
who are not friends to your Master.
It Is hard to stand true amid enemies.
Keep away from the fires that are
lighted by those who would cruelty
the Lord. Disloyaity to Christ follows
desertion Of Chr:st's company"
For Peter, tainted by a servant
maid. denied that ne so much as knew
Jesus. Imagine it! the brave Peter
striking his flag at the taunt of q
servant girl! All the worst side of the
old fisherman burst forth in cursing
as. to save his own liberty, he repudi-
ated the Best that had ever come tc
him.
The Look That Stabbed.
Then Jesus. from a distance, looked
at Peter. Not word; only a look. Ir
it was remembrance and'reproach and
tender compassion. No bitterness OF
unforgiveness, bus only melting love
and sorrow. But it hurt Peter worse
than a bludgeon. 1t broke the flood
gates of memory. and the impulsiv<
penitent rushed out and wept bitterly
His repentance was as deep as his sin
He had denied his Master he had beer
false to his best Friend: and by tina
one look he had seen the wound hi
had caused in that Gentlest Of al
spirits.
Oh, for another chance! If only h,
could live this nigh. over again. Tn,
shirt which mus. havo roasosr1<l n.4.,