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(!4J

-147)

ZION'S

WATCH

TOWER

ALLEGHENY,

bN'JI

thankllll!

our

h,'a

('ld,\

Fath('r

and

you

over

and

over

al!alll

(nor

eon"IJer

vaIn

repetitIOn)

for

those

help

ful.

SO]H'ltous

word~

rejoiced

believe

that

the

Lord

dlredmg

yflllI

mmd

the

upuUllding

the

"lIttle

1],)('k,"

and

\\C'

are

gptting

pReh

issue

the

TOWER

just

hat

ca('h

mdl\

Idual

('it,,(,

requln'~,

rearl

with

plea<;ure

and

profit

oft"n

thIN'

hyJ'Yln"

"ZIOn's

Glad

Song~."

'Ye

are

still

hl]\

II''.!

f-pvere

triah;

Im"mess

way,

and

also

ae(ount

thl-

truth.

hut

have

plueked

from

the

onhards

God's

precious

proml"e~,

hope,

love

and

pahence

and.

result.

thank

God.

are

"till

prps"ing

towanl

the

mark

love,

the

perfection

character

which

most

pleasing

our

Lord.

prayer

for

all

the

saints

that

nothing

shall

hindpr

separate

from

the

love

God,

but

that

may

(omp

ofT

than

conquerors

through

him

who

hath

loved

us,

\Vith

much

love

from

Brother

Raymond,

myself

and

the

hrrthn'n

hplp,

IplIlaill,

vom"

1Il

thp

Oil,'

FaIth,

MR<;

RAY:-,wND,-New

York.

----------

"'=--cc=_cc=_-~=

===_============__=

LLEGJIENY,

A.,

MAY

1901

"LOVEST

THOU

THAN

THESE?"

,TOIlX

:1;'-~~.-:JL\y

\~,"

1"'\\

(11,'1('

til

11111

LOt

,r~

fifth

Tll,lnIf,,~t.llion

hilll~plf

,lil"l

hl~

II'~II!'I"('tJOII-~OJll('

woul,l

sav

tlw

~eventh,

not

"11111111I.g,

II-

\\('

,III

lhat

0111

Lore!'s

manife~tat]()n

1Iarv

wa"

111\'

~,IIII('

r..[,')1('d

III

'1Ldth,'W

III

aprpalance

"thp

\\"IIIlII."

:llId

th"t

hi~

~IIO\\in!!

hllll~plf

Peter

wa<;

'he

,ilk

Ellllliall-,

.\11

tlll"p

malllfp~tatlOn~.

wheth,.-r

,olillt

111"11

f"111

"1'

-I

O('CIII'I

PII

within

the

fir~t

eight

da~'s

,lil"1

0111

1.old'<

11'

11II1,,'tll>lI--0I1

th,'

t\\"

fll~t-tl,,\-

~11I1

,:,,\'-

all,1

\I'IP

111

lI"al

,Tel'll",l]('m

\\'hat

\\P

dp"igllate

lh,'

tlfth

a]'!'('II.IIJ('

\\a"

III

allotllpr

part

the

country

alto·

':"t

11"1-111

(;:JiJlee-:lIId

W:h

proh,ddy

lea"t

two

week"

Ldl

;.\0

af'('Ollllt

Ui\'I'lI

th"

dOlng~

the

a]Jo"tle~

lh"

illt,'111I1

hut

\\"

('1111

~urJllI"('

tlll'lll.

They

probably

waite(l

III

("'I,,·,'tatlllll

:It

,lpl'll<,al!'Jll

over

the

third

and

po<;<;ibly

ovpr

th,'

fOlllth

~lIl1d:tY

afh'r

thp

rp~llIT('ptlOn,

and

\,ere

disap·

1'''llItI'd

that

0111'

Loul

mad"

fllrtlI!']

manife<;tation.

They

h"l1

"ilJ('llI

!WI

,'d,

p('llla

p~.

till'

Ill(',,~agp

which

p5u<;

had

sent

h,1

\1.ln,

that

li"

\I'lidd

1I]('pt

th"m

Galilee.

JLI\IIl!!

1111

llll~llll'~'

further

,Tel

IpJII

and

thell'

1\fas

1")

alill

J,'adpr

h,l\

lIlg

thll"

di<;appeared,

"changed,"

that

alt),11

th,',\

1",IIl'\('d

lillil

Ite

longpr

dead

was

invi<;ible

t),f'lIl

('\("'I't

!J(~

\\IIIJ1d

apppar

for

few

moments

talk·

III!!

lhl'III,

Iw(1

again

(li~appear

in(lefinitply,

they

were

lo~~

\lltat

do.

and

d"eid"r!

rdllrn

their

home

COUll·

tl,\

011

tIll'

~('a

(hhlee.

~Iore

than

this,

active

men

ihp

I'IIOIP

hfp,

tlJ('.\-

1l1llot

doing.

Several

them

had

1"'1'11

Ji~li"lnll'n,

and

,Je~lh

hall

ealled

thpm

from

their

nets

"II~IIl'J"

llI('n,"

:In,[

tltev

hall

left

all

him:

!tIlt

110\\

tllI'\

("mId

ilO

10nge1'

'follo\\'

him,

Everything

wa~

(),:lllg,'d

\I]J('ll

),1'

\\11"

1'),:lng('(1.

far

they

could

see.

They

('olJ1d

not

('all\'

"II

th('

\lolk

longer,

fnr

what

could

theY

1'11',1,'),"

!I(m

,'ouI,1

tlip,\'

tpil

othpr~

thl'ir

hope~

King

110

11.Id

1""'11

('llIl'I1i"d,

am!

hOIll

th"v.

altho

was

risen.

,ollid

Ilil

101l!!"r

~,.,.

1](11

pOlllt

out

~ther~9

They

had

not

11"'11

tlll'll

11('\\

r'01lllll1"~lon:

nor

were

thpy

rIuite

ready

i"l

not

"Ill

pli'lI1g

that

IInder

tlte"e

cirpumstancps

Sl'ven

tlll'lll

fth

lI11('

eon"('llt,

un(lpr

thp

lead

Peter.

determmed

til

Il"'lIgIW,'

the

fi"IIIJlg

lJU"ine~s

This

wa,

the

one

bu~i·

PI'"

III

111<'11

th(,."

Iw(!

p~perience,

alld

that

only

thrpe

years

fo](',

Th,'\'

fi,h,\1

\dOI

nl't~,

allll

thp

habIt

seems

have

),(

"11

tIll'

ti~hing

night

Tltis

was

the

vcry

occasion

,JI'~lh

\\,1"

\\aJtlllg

fOl

Ill'

whhp,!

the

(Iiseiples

reach

the

"dl<

IlIit,\

lIf

tltlllkillg

:Illd

rl':holllllg

(In

the

mattpr

his

]('~III'l",'tl<lll

:lll,1

\\klt

tlll'\

shoull!

no\\'

110,

ordpl

that

they

mi!.!ltt

I,,·

I'I

"pal

I'd

IpC!';n'

ddillltl'!y

and

profitably

the

in·

-tlll<tlllll-

1",

h,ld

gl\('

!'l'~pectlJlg

theIr

future

course.

The

)('11Illl1I1,'I\

l"II,]"lll,\

tlllll

flOIll

I'leaehlllg

the

fishing

I:II-II"'~'

\\lIl1l,1

\1('

~lIl'1'

('01111'.

:In,!

con<;icleled

expe·

,]11'111

tlllit

,liOlll']

"01111'

while

hI'

\\:I~

with

them,

that

they

IIlwht

I",

I,rofitl'd

the

utmo"t

rpHp"pt

it.

Kow

tha't

11l',\

had

""III

I..i

!-I'd

III

tlIP

fbhing

hu"ine~"

the

time

had

"lillI'

f"r

0111'

L'lId

d"1I101lf-trate

tllPm

two

things:

(I)

'1'11,11

h,'

liac!

nJl'~]()1I

for

thl'm

perform

connection

with

tll"

fi~hlll!.!

tor

nl<'ll

hll'h

tlt(·,\

had

Ilot

~'et

accomplished,

and

III<

III-

,!Patli

,1l1d

1,"lIl1'petIon

\\mll(1

not

interfere

with.

),u1

1,11111'1

~tlllllll.lt('

alld

lIIakp

]'('allv

elrpctive,

(2)

would

('llal.]"

lillll

tll

c!"IIIl1lhtlat"

ill

IlIl;St

pr:lphcal

manner

that

till'

dll

II'"

1,,1\\('1'

1.\

hll,h

hI'

ha,1

hith('lto

proYi(le(1

for

theIr

II'"

('--II

I'"

;llId

111111

tlllll'~

fpd

lllultltlHll's,

was

stilI

his,

,IJld

l\lIli1d

\1('

('Iliitillllaliv

p'(']'('I~PII

tli('lr

intprest

thpv

\\,".1,]

'"l1t

III

Ill'

01",\

'hllll

I-

llltl'n'~tllig

fll~

note

thus

that

hile

our

LOld

\\'a~

111\

I~I!']"

til

t!1I'

di'('lple~

tlll'~'

wpre

vhll>le

III

and

all

tlll'lr

pLIII",

arrang('ITH'nt"

:111(1

doing~

11'1'1'1'

fllll,\'

known

tll

lillll,

awl

\\a"

!'l'ady

take

advantage

('very

ell'cum

t'JTlf'P

all(!

make

all

things

work

together

for

thl'lr

good.

Tli

11-,

\',\

III

r:\(

UIOlh

powpr

l',('r('i~e,'.

some

manner

un·

known

us,

hindered

fish

from

going

into

their

n('ts

that

night.

They,

not

knowll1g

the

situation,

were

douht

greatly

disappointpd,

grieved,

vexed,

thcir

poor

succ('~',

and

perhaps

elas<;"rl

part

failure

and

tribulation

whiph

had

some

respppts

followed

them

ever

since

theY

had

espoused

the

cau~e

Je~us.

And

ther"

ifl

leflson

her'(,

for

each

and

all

the

Lord'<;

Iwople

torla~':

'Ye

know

not

\\-llat

for

our

higllP,t

wp)fare.

Soml'tilJl('S

tho<;p

thing~

hiph

\\.e

crave

amI

dp~ir('

graflp,

eon~idering

them

good,

mIght

really

bl'

0111'

di~allvantage,

me~sed

are

thl'.'

who

are

able

faIth

piercl'

the

gloom

every

tnal

and

,lIfficulty

and

perplexit~',

and

realize

that

"The

1.01',1

knoweth

them

that

are

his,"

and

that

p'llI~ing

all

thing"

\\ork

together

for

their

good,

wa~

\nth

tlIP

apo"tl(',

1i!'lr

di~apPoJntml'nt

Ill"'111ll1'

1'l1,lllllpl

1d('''I'c!

IIhtl

1<,"

the

dawn

tlH'

JlIol'lllng

PHIS

appe:lI

p,l

them

m,ln,

standing

the

"pa;;hOle,

called

ont

thl'm

mquue

they

had

any

fish,

tho

would

pureha~p

Tltp~

replied

that

they

had

toilecl

all

night

and

caught

notltlllg

The

stranger

then

sllggestell

that

they

east

thp

nl't

tIll'

other

side

the

shiIJ,

urI

humbled

\\PI'I'

they

h,\'

thplr

di<;appointment

that

thpy

(lid

not

stop

argw'

the

qw'~t1oll

declare

that

thp~'

olcl

penl'neptl

~hernll'n.

and

that

they

did

not

know

ha(1

nn~'

p,ppripnee

what.'\!'T

they

merely

enneluile(l

that

they

lw(1

bel'n

liftmg

an(]

ca-t

ing

the

net

all

mght

they

might

just

wpll

agalll,

and

thus

demon~trate

the

stranger

that

thl'l'p

were

fi-lt

III

that

vicinity.

But

behold!

immecliately

the

net

filII"!

\~ith

grl'at

fish,

that

these

seven

strong

men

(Peter,

Thoma".

,Tames,

John,

Nathanael,

alld

t"o

others

who~e

naml'S

an'

not

given)

were

unable

draw

and

were

obliged

drag

ashore.

Immediately

the

dikripll's

gra~ped

the

thought

that

tltr

stranger

the

shore

was

Jesus,

and

none

them

mOH

quickly

than

loving

,John.

The

devoted

and

impulsive

Peter

whose

heart

still

burned

remembered

the

Lord's

word~.

and

pm'hap"

ren1<'mhered

also

his

own

weaknesses

ronnection

with

our

Lord's

last

night

earth-lIfe,

could

not

wait

for

the

boat

take

him

the

shore,

but

swam,-ap

parently

fearing

lest

the

Master

should

disappear

again

hl'

fore

\Voulcl

have

another

opportunity

~pe

anll

conVl'n·p

with

him.

\Vhen

the

disciple~

got

shorp

\Vlth

their

fnll

fish

thl'v

found,

not

JesU'l,

but

fire

and

fish

thereon

already

e~oketl.

Here

th~y

had

the

lesson

that

under

thf'

Lord's'

care

and

supervi"iOli

they

pould

either

supces~ful

unsucpessful

the

fish

business,

and

that

had

the

power.

not

only

give

them

fish

the

ordinary

\vay,

but

pro

vide

pooke(1

fish

mirapulous

power

better

sen

I'd

hi,

purpose

do.

They

breakfasted

with

,Je<;us,

for

they

knew

him-not

anv

marks

nails,

but

the

miraple

which

had

per·

fO~U1ed.

\Ve

read

rath!'r

pe'culiarly,

"None

them

durst

ask

him,

knowing

was

the

Lord;"

they

were

sure

that

was

that

they

could

not

think

even

seeming

question

the

faet.

inquiry.

The

eonvprsation

while

they

breakfasted

not

reporrled,

the

Evangl'list

coming

directly

the

port:lIlt

ol'ds

our

1.01'11

addressed

Peter,

the

senior

and

!p:Hler

thi<;

new

fi~h-busincss

partnership.

addressell

1'1'1('1',

not

hI'

hall

hepn

apcustomed,

his

new

name,

Peter,

hut

hi~

01(1

namp.

Rimon,

possibly

a<;'

intimation

Petpr

that

Iwd

not

manifpstpd

the

last

few

dav

the

rock·lIkl'

qualitlP<;

implIed

hi~

surname

and

was

n~w

inclined

lea

the

work

for

the

Church

for

secular

businpss.

And

the

IIltJlllry

was

mo<;t

pointerl,

"Lovest

thou

than

these

-boats,

nets,

fishing

tackle,

etc,?

You

started

out

di'3eiple,

and

now

ask

the

question,

which

place

your

heart-wIth

the

servipe

the

kingdom,

the

fish

IHhInpS'3

Peter's

answer

was

prompt,

"Lord,

thou

knowest

[2806]

(143-147) ZION’S been thanking our heavenly Father and you over and over again (nor do I consider it a vain repetition) for those helpful. solicitous word. I am so rejoiced to believe that the Lord is directing your mind to the upbuilding of the “little flock,’ and we are getting in each issue of the Tower just what each mdivulual cese requires. T read with pleasure and profit often these hymns in “Zion’s Glad Sengs.” We are still having severe trials in a business way, and also on account of the truth, but we have plucked from the Vor XXIL_ WATCH TOWER ~ ALLEGHENY, PA. MAY 1, 1901 “LOVEST THOU ME MORE THAN THESE?” ALLEGHENY, Pa orchards God’s precious promises, hope, love and patience and. as a result, thank God. are still pressing on toward the mark of love, the perfection of character which is most pleasing to our Lord. My prayer for all the saints is that nothing shall hinder or separate us from the love of God, but that we may come off more than conquerors through him who hath loved us. With much love from Brother Raymond, myself and the brethren here, T vemain, vous in the one Faith. Mrs G. B. Raymonp,—New York. No 9 Joun 21:15-22.—May 5. We vow come to our Lord's fifth manifestation of him-elf after His 1esurreetion-——some would sav the seventh, not counting. as we do that om Lord's manifestation to Mary was the same referred te m Matthew as his appearance to “the women.’ and that his showing himself to Peter was in the walk to Emmaus. All of these manifestations, whether we count them four or six, oceurted within the first eight days arter om Lord's re urrection—on the two first-day. or Sundave and were in or near Jerusalem What we designate the tifth appeirance was m another part of the country altocether—in Galilee—and was probably at least two weeks later No account is given of the doings of the apostles in the interim) but we can surmise them. They probably waited in e\pectation at Jerusalem over the third and possibly over the fommth Sunday after the resurrection, and were disappeinted that our Lord made no further manifestation. They then remembered, perhaps, the message which Jesus had sent by Mary. that he would ineet them in Galilee. Tiaving no business further at Jerusalem, and their Master and leader having thus disappeared, “changed,” so that altho they beheved lnm to he no longer dead he was invisible to them except as he would appear for a few moments talkine to them, and again disappear indefinitely, they were at a toss what to da, and decided to return to their home countis on the Sea of Galilee. More than this, as aetive men in the prime of hfe, ther must be doing. Several of them had heen fishermen, and Jesus had called them from their nets to be “hshers of men” and they had left all to follow him; but now thes could no longer follow him. Everything was changed when he was changed, so far as they could sce. They could not catry on the work longer, for what could they preach Plow could thes tell others of their hopes in a King who had been crucified, and whom they, altho he was risen, could no longer see nor pomt out to others? They had not set recaived ther new commission: nor were they quite ready for at Tt is not surprising that under these circumstances seven of them with one consent, under the lead of Peter. determined to reengave in the fishing business This was the one busiress in Which they had experience, and that only three years lefore, They fished with nets, and the habit seems to have hoon to do the fishing at night This was the very occasion Fesus was waiting for lle wished the disciples to reach the extromitys of thinking and reasoning on the matter of his resurrection and what they should now do, in order that they might be prepared to receive definitely and protitably the in~tructions he had to give respecting their future course. The reactionersy tendency to turn from preaching to the fishing business would be sure to come. and he considered it expedient that it should come while he was with them, that they nicht be profited to the utmost in respect to it. Now that thes had reembarked an the fishing business the time had come for our Jord to demonstrate to them two things: (1) That he had a massion for them to perform in connection with the fishing for men which they had not yet accomplished, and which his death and resurrection would not interfere with. hut rather stiunulate and iake really effective. (2) It would enable him to demonstrate in a most practical manner that the divine power by wineh he had hitherto provided for their necessities and had at times fed multitudes, was still his. and would he continually exereised in their interest if they would continue to obey him {t as interesting for us to note thus that while our Lord was invisible toe the disciples they were visible to him, and all of ther plans. arrangements and doings were fully known to him. and he was ready to take advantage of every circumstance and to make all things work together for their good. Thus, bs amiraculous power exercised in some manner un known to us, he hindered fish from going into their nets that night. They, not knowmg the true situation, were no douht greatly disappointed, grieved, vexed, at their poor success, and perhaps classed it as a part of failure and tribulation which had in some respects followed them ever since they had espoused the cause of Jesus. And there is a lesson here for each and all of the Lord’s people today: We know not what is for our highest welfare. Sometimes those things which we crave and desire to grasp, considering them to be good, might really be to our disadvantage. Blessed are they who are able by faith to pierce the gloom of every tmal and difficulty and perplexity, and to realize that “The Lord knoweth them that are his,” and that he is causing all things to work together for their good. So it was with the apostles their disappountment became a channel of blessed instruction In the dawn of the morning Jesus appeared to them as a man, standing on the seashore. He called out to them to mnquire if they had any fish, as tho he would purchase = They replied that they had toiled all night and caught nothing The stranger then suggested that they cast the net on the other side of the ship, and so humbled were they by their disappointment that they did not stop to argue the question and to declare that they were old experienced fishermen, and that they did not know if he had any experience whatever they merely concluded that as they had been lifting and casting the net all night they might just as well do it again, and thus demonstrate to the stranger that there were no fish in that vicinity. But behold! immediately the net filled with great fish, so that these seven strony men (Peter, Thomas. James, John, Nathanael, and two others whose names are not given) were unable to draw it and were obliged to drag it ashore. Immediately the disciples grasped the thought that the stranger on the shore was Jesus, and none of them more quickly than loving John. The devoted and impulsive Peter whose heart still burned as he remembered the Lord’s words, and perhaps as he remembered also his own weaknesses in connection with our Lord’s last night of earth-life, could not wait for the boat to take him to the shore, but swam,—apparently fearing lest the Master should disappear again before he would have another opportunity to see and converse with him. When the disciples got to shore with their net full of fish they found, not only Jesus, but a fire and fish thereon already cooked. Here they had the lesson that under the Lord’s care and supervision they could either be successful or unsuccessful in the fish business, and that he had the power. not only to give them fish in the ordinary way, but to provide cooked fish by miraculous power if it better served his purpose so to do. They breakfasted with Jesus, for they knew him—not by any marks of nails, but by the miracle which he had performed. We read rather peculiarly, “None of them durst ask him, knowing it was the Lord;” they were so sure that it was he that they could not think of even seeming to question the fact by inquiry. The conversation while they breakfasted is not recorded, the Evangelist coming directly to the important words by our Lord addressed to Peter, the senior and leader of this new fish-business partnership. He addressed Peter, not as he had been accustomed, by his new name, Peter, but by his old name, Simon, possibly as an intimation to Peter that be had not manifested in the last few day the rock-hke qualities impled in his surname and was now inclined to leave the work for the Church for secular business. And the inquiry was most pointed, “Lovest thou me more than these””’ —boats, nets, fishing tackle, ete.? You started out to be my disciple, and now I ask the question, In which place is your heart—with me in the service of the kingdom, or in the fish business? Peter’s answer was prompt, “Lord, thou knowest [2806]