A Son of Thunder. Think over that name, and think over it carefully,
remembering that it was our Lord himself who gave St. John the name;
and that it therefore has, surely, some deep meaning.
Do not fancy that it means merely a loud and noisy person. I have
known too many, carelessly looking only at the outsides and shows of
things, and not at their inside and reality, fancy that that was what
it meant. I have known them fancy that they themselves were sons of
thunder when they raved and shouted, and used violent language, in
preaching, or in public speaking. And I have heard foolish people
honour such men the more, and think them the more in earnest, the
more noise they made, and say of him; 'He is a true Boanerges--a Son
of Thunder, like St. John.'
Like St. John? The only sermon of St. John's which we have on record
is that which they say he used to preach over and over again when he
was carried as an old man into his church at Ephesus. And that was
no more than these few words over and over again, Sunday after
Sunday, 'Little children, love one another.'
That was the way in which St. John, the Son of Thunder, spoke when
age and long obedience to the Spirit of God had taught him how to use
his strength wisely and well.
Like St. John? Is there anywhere, in St.
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