Call of the four Fishers

Four Fishermen called.

(The Gospel History, Section 29)

And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And they straightway left the nets and followed him.

And going on from thence a little further, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who also were in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And straightway he called them. And they straightway left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.

Call of the four Fishers

(The Saviour of the World, Vol II Book I Poem IV)

Where then were the disciples all these days,
The five who followed from Jerusalem?
Might they not enter Sychar for the Jews,
Or, had two kept with Him, the three, gone home?
Of heart, what searchings had they in the days
They waited for a sign, a word from Him!
The people glorified Him in their ears;
And they—as men of great one graced with speech
Half doubt they dreamt the honour put on them,
Are sure they may not trespass on his grace,—
Thus diffident the three hung back from Christ,
Their souls afire with great desire for Him,
Their searching thoughts busy about His words:
Had they done right to leave him? Were they wrong?
Had He desired their constant company
Or should they weary Him by following?
Again, their fishing and those family claims,—
Peter’s, wife and her mother; his father, John’s—
Might these in truth be lightly put aside?
We all know doubt at parting of the ways;
We would go right, but whether is the right?
We wait a sign, and, comes. So, Jesus came
To Simon Peter and his brother Andrew:
Passing along by Sea of Galilee,
He saw the brothers cast a net therein,
For they were fishers: and the Lord—to whom
The things of nature and the ways of men
As parables and mimic pictures shew
Of that true world of the spirit where is God,—
Saith unto them, “Come ye and follow me;
“Ye shall be fishers still; henceforth shall ye
“Draw men, not fishes, in a mighty net.”
Straightway they left the nets and followed Him,
Their doubts at rest, their way made plain thenceforth,
Their hearts elate at mandate of their Lord!

A little further saw he other two,
Brothers and fishers also like to these;
Zebedee and his two sons James and John
Sat peaceful in their boat, mending their nets.
He called the brothers; straightway they gat up,
Leaving their father with his hired servants,
And followed Him, the Master of their choice;—
Not John alone, but James, by zeal of him
Fired with love of the Lord. Had he not heard
Of all that Jesus began to do and teach
In Jerusalem and by Bethabara,
And how the Baptist named Him, “Lamb of God”?

St. Mark i. 16-20;
St. Matthew iv. 18-22