go, he would have been let go; but because Jesus knew that he
would not come back, therefore He said, 'You must deny your natural
affection, because it is coming between you and Me.'

So, dear brethren, when we find that earthly duties, pursuits,
occupations of any kind, affections, pure and beautiful as in themselves
they may be, are hindering our following the Master, then, if they are
things of which we can denude ourselves, though it be at a distinct
sacrifice, we are bound to do so; or else we are not loving the Master
more than all besides.

Let me remind you in closing of the variation in this story which the
evangelist Luke gives us. He interprets Christ's commandment, 'Follow
Me,' and expands it into 'preach the Gospel,' which was involved in it.
There are many of you who are busily engaged in legitimate occupations,
and devoting yourselves in various degrees to various forms of
beneficence touching the secular condition of the people around us. May
I hint to such, 'Let the dead bury their dead; preach thou the gospel?'
A Christian man's first business is to witness for Jesus Christ, and no
amount of diligence in legitimate occupations or in work for the good
of others will absolve him from the charge of having turned duties
upside down, if he says, 'I cannot witness for Jesus Christ, for I am so
busy about these other things.' This command has a special application
to us ministers. There are hosts of admirable things that we are tempted
to engage in nowadays, with the enlarged opportunities that we have of
influencing men, socially, politically, intellectually, and it wants
rigid concentration for us to keep out of the paths which might hinder
our usefulness, or, at all events, dissipate our strength. Let us hear
that ringing voice ringing always in our ears, 'Preach thou the gospel
of the kingdom.'

THE PEACE-BRINGER IN THE NATURAL WORLD

'And when He was entered into a ship, His disciples followed Him.
24. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch
that the ship was covered with the waves; but He was asleep. 25.
And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save
us: we perish. 26. And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye
of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea,
and there was a great calm. 27. But the men marvelled, saying, What
manner of man la this, that even the winds and the sea obey
him!'