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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 3 It was Peter who told the rest of the Apostles that it was necessary to select a successor to the traitor, Judas. And he quoted the prophecy of David in ref erence to the choice. “When the Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, came down from the Cenacle, it was Peter who first spoke to the multitude the name and Messiaship of Jesus, and as a result of his preaching we are told that three thousand persons were converted. Peter and John went up to the Temple to pray, and at the door of the Temple which was called the Beau tiful Gate, there sat a lame beggar looking at them for alms and stretching out his hands. Peter an swered him: “Silver and gold I have none, but what I have I give unto thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise and walk.” And the lame man was instantly cured. Ananias and his wife Saphira fell dead at the feet of Peter because they lied about the price they had received from the sale of lands. Wherever Peter went they brought their sick so that at least his shadow might fall upon them, and those on whom his shadow fell were healed. (Acts V.) St. Paul tells us that after his conversion to Chris tianity, he went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and spent a fortnight with him. (Galatians I.) In the second chapter of the same epistle St. Paul says that God gave to Peter the Apostolate to the Jew ish people. In the ninth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we are told that Peter while at Joppa raised to life Tabitha. And at the same place God vouchsafed a wonderful vision to him by which he was taught that God is no respecter of races or persons and gives His grace to all. In the twelfth chapter of the Acts we are told that Herod, after killing James, cast Peter into prison; and “prayer was made without ceasing by the Church unto God for him.” And God sent an Angel to the prison who released Peter and set him free. y When a dispute arose among some with regard to circumcision Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem to have it definitely settled. And Peter rose in the assembly and at his word the dispute was settled. (Acts XV.) And now let us see what is the obvious meaning of all these quotations from the inspired Word of God. Remember the point which I set out to prove was: On Peter were conferred by God certain privileges and honors, which were not given to the others. Thus proving a certain primacy or pre-eminence was his. I will take up these texts in the order I have ob served in quoting them: I. Every time that a list of the Apostles is given by the Evangelists the name of Peter is always men tioned first. These men wrote under the inspiration of the Floly Spirit. It is foolish to say that this order in naming the Apostles is merely a coincidence and means nothing. There are no such things as acci dental and chance phrases in the Word of God. Peter’s name is mentioned first because there was a recognition of his superiority. II. Why did our Lord at first sight of Simon tell him that his name should be called Peter, which means a rock? Possibly we will get an idea if we look at what the Evangelist tells us when recording the words of Christ of the wise and prudent man who built his house not on the shifting sands, but estab lished it on the rock; so that neither winds nor sea could destroy it. (Luke VI.-48.) When we are told of the crowd pressing on the Master as He stood on the seashore, it is said there were two boats there, but the Lord taught the multitude from Peter’s boat. Was this merely a coincidence? Or was it not be cause Christ intended that from His leaving the world until the end of time men would always hear His voice from Peter s boat? If, as we will see further on, Christ made Peter the foundation and the Teacher of His Church, His meaning here is very clear. Why was Peter told to launch out yet farther and let down his net? Why did the miraculous draught of fishes come? Why did Christ tell him that he would hence forth “catch men”? The answer is plain. Christ was to make Peter the teacher of all. All men were to be gathered in his net, for he was to draw them all to Christ. III. It is well to notice here that Peter, as usual, spoke for all the Apostles, though he was not par ticularly addressed by the Master; but. here as else where he answered for all. Christ speaks of His Church, which He was to build. What He thought of that Church may be seen in St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians: “Christ loved the Church and delivered Himself up for it; that He might sanctify it, by the laver of water in the word of life; that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blem ish.” (Ephes. V.) Of this Church which Christ so loved and for which He died, He made Peter the foundation. And He gave him the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is well known that to “give up the keys” was the symbol of surrender of authority. He promised that what ever Peter bound on earth should be bound in Heaven and what he loosed on earth should be loosed in Heaven. Is there any sane and unprejudiced man who can fail to admit that here is a very plain con ferring on Peter by Christ of wonderful powers and privileges? It is to be noticed here that when Peter made this confession of faith in the Divinity of Christ, our Lord expressly stated that the revelation of Flis Divinity had been made to Peter by God Himself, which seems to me a special mark of favor and a very distinguished favor to Peter. IV. At the raising to life of the daughter of Jairus, Jesus permitted only three of His disciples to accompany Him, and as usual the Holy Spirit in nam ing them says: Peter and James and John. Does anyone suppose this was done by chance? When the Jews found—as our Protestant friends yet do our