II.

FINDING AND BRINGING.

JOHN i., 38-42.

REAT things, alike in nature and in history, have come

out of very small beginnings. In the Mariposa grove, the traveler looks on trees three hundred feet in height, yet each of these sprung from a seed no bigger than a grain of wheat; and the noble river, which at its union with the sea is broad enough and deep enough to float the navy of a nation on its waters, is at its source a tiny rivulet over which a child might stride. Similarly, the germs of some of those movements which have been mightiest for good or evil among men, have been wrapped up in some apparently trivial thing. What, for example, in the view of most men of that day, could have been more unimportant than the interview which two fishermen from the Lake of Galilee had with one who for years had been known as a carpenter at Nazareth? Yet in that conference we have the earthly origin of the Christian Church. Here is the seed of that tree which has filled the nations with its branches, and which is destined yet to bless the world with its beneficent fruits. Nor need we wonder at the proportions to which it has attained, for one of these three was the "Word" who " was God," and "became flesh," that he might deliver men from the curse and power of sin.

The other two were John, the son of Zebedee, and Andrew, the son of Jonas, who belonged to the city of Bethsaida, which was situated on the northern shore of the Galilean lake, near the entrance of the river Jordan into its waters.

There they had been brought up along with James,

the brother of John, and Simon, the brother of Andrew, like other Jewish boys, receiving no better education than that which was common among the great body of the people. As they grew up, they gave themselves to the work of fishing, which was indeed, as its name (literally, the house of fish) implies, the great industry of the place. It is probable, too, that by their industry and economy they had built up a very considerable business; for Zebedee had hired servants, and James and John were partners with Simon, and presumably also with Andrew.* Hence, though they were by no means wealthy, in the modern sense of that word, they were yet in comfortable circumstances, and had, by the diligence and frugality of their lives, raised themselves somewhat above the precarious and proverbial uncertainty of the fisherman's lot.

As we saw in our last lecture, Andrew and John followed with deep interest the stranger whom John the Baptist had pointed out to them as "the Lamb of God." Their master's words had created longings in their hearts which he himself could not satisfy. He was constantly calling on them to make ready for the appearance of another who was greater than himself; and it seemed to them, from the description he had given them, that this was he. So they went after him, until, his attention being directed to them by their evident purpose to follow him, he turned and said to them, "What seek ye?" They replied, "Rabbi, where dwellest thou?" and as he cordially answered, "Come and see," they went with him, and remained beside him until the following morning.

We have no record of the conversation of that night. Doubtless John remembered it well; for even in the narrative which he has given there are minute details, such as the mention of the hour, which indicate that the whole par

*Mark i., 20; Luke v., 10.

ticulars of the interview were present to his recollection; but, under the guidance of the inspiring Spirit, he has withheld the account of what Jesus said to them, and has told us only the result. Was it because, in Christ's dealings with individual souls, there are always passages that never can be fully unfolded to others? Was it that in this incidental way the Author of the sacred Scriptures would discourage the attempt, so often made in these days without discrimination, to tell all the confidences that pass between the seeking sinner and his Saviour? We can not tell; but just as Paul has given us no description of what occurred between him and the Master during those three days of darkness in Damascus, so John here has said no syllable of all that Jesus spake to him and Andrew on that ever-memorable night.

But in the words of Andrew to his brother we have the decided expression of the conviction at which they had both arrived. They had "found the Messiah." Now their longing was satisfied. Now their search was ended. Now the discord of their hearts was hushed to peace, and joy unuttererable and divine had filled their souls. This, of course, they could not keep to themselves; for joy is ever diffusive in its nature. So Andrew's first care was to "find his own brother Simon ;" and when he introduced him to Jesus, the Lord met him with these words, wherein cordiality and prophecy were combined, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonas thou shalt be called Cephas."

There can be little doubt that the Evangelist, in recording this statement, designs to give us the impression that Jesus knew by divine insight the character of Peter, even as, at the close of the chapter in which this history is recorded, he gives us the same idea in regard to the Saviour's words to Nathanael; and the substitution of Cephas for the commoner name of Simon, not only betokened what Jesus would yet make of the son of Jonas, but also indicated that he clearly

understood wherein the weakness of Simon's character lay. There was, therefore, in his words a meaning which would go right to the heart of Simon, and reveal to him, as by a lightning-flash, the great want of his nature. Physically strong, he was yet not strong enough spiritually to control himself; and so, by this change of name, the Saviour indicated to him that, from his attachment to himself, he would partake of those spiritual influences by which he would be enabled, in spite of the vacillations of his impulsive disposition, to hold with persevering grasp the faith which he now embraced.* Every true believer is a stone to be built into the living Temple, which is in process of erection through the ages, for "an habitation of God through the Spirit ;" but Simon, naturally unstable, was, by the grace of God, to become so conspicuous for his steadfastness, that he would be at length the stone nearest to, and resting on, the foundation whereon the Church is built.

Such was the first interview between the Master and him who was to be the Apostle of the Circumcision. And taken with its surroundings in this beautiful history, it is fraught with most valuable lessons for our modern life. We shall pick up only the more prominent and suggestive.

He

Notice, then, in the first place, the attitude of the Saviour to the inquirer. When Jesus turned and saw Andrew and John following him, he said, "What seek ye?" And again, when they asked him, "Where dwellest thou?" he replied, "Come and see." The Lord had nothing to conceal. was willing to receive every one who came to him, and ready to submit his claims and his salvation to the investigation of the sincere examiner. And he is so still. True, he is now upon the throne of the universe, head over his Church, and head over all things to his Church, but he is

* See Fairbairn's "Imperial Bible Dictionary," article PETER.

still as tender and loving toward seeking souls as he was that day to John and Andrew by the banks of the Jordan. Exaltation has changed many men's hearts, and turned many men's heads; so that full often the chief butler in the day of his prosperity forgets the Joseph to whom, in the season of his adversity, he had been deeply indebted. But what Jesus was on earth to inquiring sinners, that is he still in heaven. Still does he say, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Still does he invite the timid seeker to come and see" the rich provision which he has made for every soul's necessity. Still does he call upon the needy everywhere, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him."

Nay, we may widen the application of this principle, and say that we have here the attitude of the Gospel toward all. It has nothing to fear from the fullest investigation. It submits all its claims to the test of experiment. It says, "Come and see." This is what Philip said to the prejudiced Nathanael; this is what the woman of Samaria said to the men of her city, who knew not whether she had not become insane; this is what the Christian of to-day says to the men of learning, who are continually speaking of difficulties in the way of their believing in Jesus: I know nothing of your scientific discoveries; your perplexities about the supernatural; your hesitancies concerning the authenticity of these sacred books; but I do know that Jesus Christ has given peace to my conscience, happiness to my heart, purity to my life, and the elasticity of inspiration to my whole being. Come and see if he will not do the same for you as he has done for me. Come; for it may be that there is a learning above your lore, and a science above your earthly philosophy. The test is in the trial. You are always talking of experiments; why refuse to make this one?