John, and to see him lead
her away to his own home. It was a supreme expression of
friendship,--choosing John from among all his friends for the sacred
duty of sheltering this blessedest of women.

The story of this beautiful friendship of Jesus and John shows us what
is possible in its own measure to every Christian discipleship. It is
not possible for every Christian to be a St. John, but close friendship
with Jesus is the privilege of every true believer; and all who enter
into such a friendship will be transformed into the likeness of their
Friend.

CHAPTER VII.

JESUS AND PETER.

"As the mighty poets take
Grief and pain to build their song,
Even so for every soul,
Whatsoe'er its lot may be,--
Building, as the heavens roll,
Something large and strong and free,--
Things that hurt and things that mar
Shape the man for perfect praise,
Shock and strain and ruin are
Friendlier than the smiling days."

Our first glimpse of Simon in the New Testament is as he was being
introduced to Jesus. It was beside the Jordan. His brother had
brought him; and that moment a friendship began which not only was of
infinite and eternal importance to Simon himself, but which has left
incalculable blessing in the world.

Jesus looked at him intently, with deep, penetrating gaze. He saw into
his very soul. He read his character; not only what he was then, but
the possibilities of his life,--what he would become under the power of
grace. He then gave him a new name. "When Jesus beheld him, he said.
Thou art Simon: ... thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by
interpretation, a stone."

In a gallery in Europe there hang, side by side, Rembrandt's first
picture, a simple sketch, imperfect and faulty, and his great
masterpiece, which all men admire. So in the two names, Simon and
Peter, we have, first the rude fisherman who came to Jesus that day,
the man as he was before Jesus began his work on him; and second, the
man as he became during the years when the friendship of Jesus had
warmed his heart and enriched his life; when the teaching of Jesus had
given him wisdom and kindled holy aspirations in his soul; and when the
experiences of struggle and failure, of penitence and forgiveness, of
sorrow and joy, had wrought their transformations in him.

"Thou art Simon." That was his name then. "Thou shalt be called
Cephas." That was what he should become. It was common in the East to