his nets by the Lake of Galilee, that his writings should ever
form a part of the Scriptures--God's Book, which he had learned from
his childhood to love and reverence!

Yet with God all things are possible.

Not only did the Apostle Peter write a part of the Bible, but that
short book known as the 'First Epistle of Peter,' is one of the most
frequently mentioned by all the earliest Christian writers--those
authors and teachers who had seen the Apostles, and had heard from
their lips the story of the Saviour's life on earth. Thus it is that
Peter's contribution to our Bible has become one of the strongest
witnesses to the truth of the words written down in the Gospels. There
is no possibility of a mistake; the man who wrote this Epistle could
have been none other than the Apostle Peter who had been with the Lord
from the beginning of His public work.

And it is very beautiful to trace throughout Peter's writings the
echoes of the great facts which he had seen, and which to the end of
his days formed the background of all his thoughts.

Christ had given him his name 'Peter' or 'Cephas,' that is, a rock or
stone, and so he wrote of his Master as the great Corner-stone of God's
spiritual house, in which each one of Christ's people are living
stones, (1 Peter ii. 5-7.)

The Saviour had once told Peter that he must forgive his brother
although he was wronged by him on seventy-times seven occasions, and in
Peter's Epistle we read, '_Above all things have fervent charity among
yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins_.' (1 Peter
iv. 8.) 'Charity' should have been translated 'love.'

Then the Lord had warned Peter that Satan had desired to have him, and
he--remembering that solemn fact in his own life--tried to put his
readers on their guard against the great enemy, '_because your
adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he
may devour._' (1 Peter v. 8.)

Most touching of all are the words he wrote: '_For what glory is it,
if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?
But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this
is acceptable with God ... because Christ also suffered for us, leaving
us an example._' (1 Peter ii. 20, 21.) The man who had seen the Lord
Jesus Christ suffer patiently could never forget.

'_Feed the flock of God which is among you.... And when the Chief
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory._