Lord exclaimed, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona." Faith is higher than knowledge, and love is stronger than both. St. Peter fell after confessing Christ's Divinity, fearing death. But "love is stronger than death;" faith only thought it was. the affections. Christianity appeals to It has touched but the vestibule of our inner being, even though the light of faith irradiate it, unless the heart be won. "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" was a question which appealed to the central life of the soul, and upon the answer to which all depends. It may at first sight seem a little strange to transplant a saying of the Great Forty Days, and place it at the entrance of Holy Week. But a perusal of the following pages will justify the author's choice. It is useful, too, as suggesting the advantage of looking at the Cross not only in the historic order, but back through the light of Pentecost and the revelations of the Risen Life. We may venture to quote an apostolic authority for this transposition. St. Paul teaches us to pray-"That I may know Him, and the power of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of His Sufferings." Thus the author may well take the question to St. Peter not only for a motto, but for the standpoint from which to gaze with profit on the Mysteries of the Passion. "My son, give Me thine heart," is the one great demand of the Cross. It is the way of God to question man in order to test him, and to evolve for his own good and for the benefit of others the expression of his thoughts, his affections, and his needs. The question sets the hearer thinking, turns his thought in upon himself to sift his motives; and the uttered response reacts upon the utterer. The confession of sin quickens compunction. The relation of a bereavement calls up fresh tears. From Him whose Lips were full of grace, the question, "Lovest thou Me?" must have had a ripening effect on the apostle's affections, like a sunbeam on a flower; whilst the disclosure of that love might resemble the fragrance which fills the air around it. The reiterated declaration of St. Peter's humble and fervent love for his Master will have to the end of time an edifying and delightful influence. St. Peter's was a love personal, a love pre-eminent, a love penitential, and a love persevering-all expressed through this triple questioning. The author in this little book, in an earnest and simple manner, endeavours to bring the reader face to face with this question of Christ's, "Lovest thou Me?" in its bearing on Social Life, Home Life, the Spiritual Life; on times of Joy and Sorrow, and in its practical application in "the love of the brethren." This work may be used by those who have but little time for devotional reading. It will be found helpful as suggesting thoughts for self-examination. It contains, too, sensible instruction on the relative importance of duties, especially for young persons. Under this head the remarks on Home Duties, Temperance, and Enthusiasm may be particularized. May the writer's enforcement of this cardinal question lead to "great searchings of heart," and to the increase of that love which is the sum of all virtues ! St. Peter's reply to our Lord's question was, perhaps, the culminating point of genuine affection. St. Bernard tells us that God must be loved with a triple love-sweetly, wisely, and bravely. St. Peter loved sweetly by the banks of Jordan; wisely at Cæsarea Philippi, when he acknowledged Christ's Godhead; but bravely at the Lake of Gennesaret, when he not only expressed his tender love for Christ, but witnessed to its reality by his ready acceptance of a martyr's death for His sake. We trust this little volume may lead many to see the importance of a greater exercise of the affections, as in Holy |