Evening star., 1919-10-11
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
FISHERS OF MEN.
Mark, 1.14-20.
Golden text-Jesus said unto
them. Come We after Me, and I
will make you to become fishers
of men.-Mark, Iii.
BY REV. HUGH #. STEVENSON.

BY REV. HUGH II. STEVENSON.
In last weeks lesson John the Bap-
tist was at the zenith of his power:
story of his imprisonment Then he
was in command; now the Christ has
really become the leader Just how
much time has elapsed between the
two cannot be told with exactness, but
it is presumed to have been a matter
of several months at least. During a
part of this time Peter and John and
the others had undoubtedly been in
more or less close contact with their
new master and guide. Again. it is
to be supposed that they had returned
to the ordinary tasks and cares of
business and bread winning. But
what must have been the thoughts
that pulsated through their brains as
they went about the catching of fish
or the other ordinary daily occupa-
tions. They had been in touch with
a new force and the old world was a
new place. They were receiving new
inspirations. new ideals and new as
pirations from this Man Of Nazareth.
the scribes and Pharisees.
At this time the Christ was making
his headquarters in the city of Caper-
naum, in Galilee. This section was a
great trade center, with an indus
trious population, estimated variously
from 100000 to 100000. This is GER
tain, however: it was the logical place
for preaching the new gospel. 1t was
far enough away from Jerusalem to
be free from hide-bound religious ira
ditions, and the contact with outside
peoples tended to make the people
more tolerant in their views. 1t was
in many ways the most hopeful field
in all Palestine for securing a foot
hold and reception for the proclama-
ton Of the new kingdom Of God.
Jesus was beginning to attract the
to Him. From the gospel
of Luke we find that eager crowds
came out to the seashore to listen TO
this new prophet. They were eager
to hear for the fame Of His miracles
and power had spread through the
country. After he had finished speak
ing to the crowd. Jesus spoke to
Simon and the others and commanded
that they take their boats out from
the shore and let down their nets.
Though they had toiled all night ana
caught nothing, they were quick to
obey, with the result so well known to
every Bible student. This always IN
teresting episode Is placed by Luke
between verses 16 and IT in the les
son passage assigned in the gospel of
Mark.
Peter and John and the sons Of Ze-
bedee, James and John, were not ex-
pecting the call that came to them.
AS they walked to the beach their
minds were probably centered upon
the weather, the condition of their
boats, the prospects for a good catch,
or perhaps the conditions of the hsh
market. Gods calls to service ara often
Moses in the desert Stun
bIed across the burning bush. Samuel
awoke from his sleep to hear the
voice speaking to him. PAU neard
the call while on the dusty highway.
We may expect to hear our call while
in the tabernacle or the house of wor-
ship, but it is more likely to be in the
hour of work or while at play that
the still. small voice is heard.
The scriptural account of the call
ing forth of these four to a higher
calling Is briefly told in four snort
but suggestive verses. 1t was change
that was to deeply affect their whole
course Of life and action. Yet this was
not the first call. The first, studied a
week ago, was the call Of their needs.
their desires. a call to belief In Jesus
as the Messiah. AS has been seen,
afterward they went back to their
usual occupations. The second was
more serious. 1t was call to gel aen-
mite service, to leave behind the daily
tasks, homes, and to give themselves
to the cause of the
Master, 1t should be noted that be-
fore the work could be done there
was to be a period of training ana
81.
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to overlook it's far-reaching signif-
cance. The triumph of Christs enc
miles would have been complete on
His crucifixion day but for the 1act
that He had looked ahead and pre-
pared these four fishermen. and
few others, to carry on" and to per per
petuate His ideas and teachings. The
calling Of these men reveals the cru
cial thing concerning the Christ. In
this act He was drawing attention to
what Is of highest Importance. the
of fishing was all right,
yet Peter and John were asked to
abandon it Immediately for something
what the Master was ever doing
pointing mankind to something bet
ter. Every legitimate occupation is
and Jesus would never
have condemned the securing of food
nor would He ever have condemned
honest toll and labor. He knew what
it was to work at the trade OF Jo-
seph as a carpenter and He was al
ways close to the masses. But there
is one thing of supreme Importance,
and with it Jesus was identified. 1t
may be variously designated as the
will of God. the spiritual life. or as
He termed it, Seek we first the king
dom of God and His righteousness"
And it was impossible for the king
dom to be brought about without the
help and aid of men.
It is worth while pausing to con-
slider just what kind of people were
chosen for this important and stra-
tegic service. They were not learned
in the education and knowledge OF
their day. They were not religious or
literary leaders. They were plain,
everyday men, fishsrmen. They were
not unusually intellectual. brilliant
or talented. They had had no spe-
cial training and education for their
work until they were associated with
the Lord and learned of Him. AS Is
suggested in 1.-THE Apostles of Every
day Men," If the early church had
been composed of lofty characters.
men who would have never f1inched
nor doubted nor be impelled by any
thing but the highest of motives. the
story of the gospels would have been
weakened. The successful use of
these simple folk is an earnest of
what God can do with consecrated
men and women who will put first
things first.
1t was this interest in the soul, in
the spiritual spheres that has given
Christ His unique place in the thought
of the world He healed the bodily