Preface
The Author accomplishes in the subsequent pages a long cherished purpose of writing a companion volume to “The Footsteps of St Paul.”
The Great Apostle of the Gentiles will always occupy his own pre-eminent pedestal in the Church as the grandest ideal of the Christian Teacher, whom Chrysostom, in one of his golden epithets, truly calls “the Heart of the World.” But second only in interest to him is his 4 Brother of the Circumcision: 1 in some respects indeed more interesting, as the personal follower and friend of his Divine Lord; whereas the other was, “as one born out of due time.” While the life of St Paul, moreover, is more diversified in what may be called dramatic incident, yet, as Dean Alford observes, “there is no one of the leading characters in the Gospel History who makes so deep an impression (as St Peter) on the heart and affections.”
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While the Writer trusts he is warranted in what follows, to lay some humble yet substantial claim to independent research, — perhaps flattering himself too, that circumstances have given him exceptional advantages in treating the theme, he has not scrupled to glean, as in the companion volume alluded to, any available help from other works to which he has had access; — “things new and old,” bearing alike on the Apostle’s life and on the Apostolic age. Moreover, instead of borrowing at secondhand the thoughts and suggestions of others, and incorporating them *ith his own, he has in most instances deemed it better, by extracts longer and shorter, to let these authors speak for themselves in their own graphic way. This from no unworthy expedient of abbreviating labour; for he can truthfully aver that on no book he has written has he bestowed more time and pains, but simply from the desire of making the Volume as full and instructive as he could. The obligation thus referred to, extends not only to writers on contemporary history, but to the works of observant travellers who have indirectly by * reflected lights ’ aided the endeavour to present a faithful portraiture. It will thus be seen that he has considered it well not to limit himself strictly to the biography of St Peter, but so to broaden his canvas, as to include the Apostle’s “times and surroundings:” — in other
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words, whatever in political event, or local association or human companionship, tended, along with higher influences and impulses, to mould his character.
A liberty of a more personal kind scarcely requires apology. In one or two of the earlier chapters, the Writer has ventured to transfer, but always either in an abridged or expanded form, descriptive extracts from some of his own former Volumes, especially in connection with events associated with the Sea of Galilee. These might indeed have been entirely recast, but it is with an Author as with an Artist, the freshness and vigour of a first sketch is often lost by reproduction.
While he does not hesitate to avow that he has had considerably in view the Sunday- reading of thoughtful youth, he has also desired to furnish what would not be unacceptable to those of maturer years and riper attainments. It is almost unnecessary to say, that there is no attempt made at ‘practical lessons ’ or ’ reflections.’ These would be foreign to the design and intention of the Volume.
In conclusion, he trusts that a personal familiarity with many, indeed most of the scenes intimately connected with the ‘footsteps of St Peter,’ may serve to impart additional interest and fidelity to what he has written. A few of the illustrations which head ;the chapters were hastily sketched on the spot, and may help to vivify the localities described. The design on the title-page — forming the central portion of Raphael’s comparatively little known but great painting of 4 St Peter in prison, in the Stanze of the Vatican, is from a photograph of the original picture obtained in a recent visit to Italy.