The Glorious Company of the Apostles

Being Studies in the Characters of the Twelve

The Sermons contained in this volume were originally delivered on consecutive Sabbath mornings in the regular course of my ministry at Richmond Hill. They are essentially spoken sermons, and they have been printed exactly as they were spoken. I have derived help from various quarters in the preparation of these “Studies,” especially from Dr. Alexander Whyte’s Bible Characters, and Dr. A. B. Bruce’s beautiful book, The Training of the Twelve. My thanks are due to the Rev. A.J. Pearse, M.A., of Trowbridge, for valued counsel and help, and to my friend, Mr. E. Carr, who has added to previous kindnesses by undertaking all the work connected with the passing of this volume through the press.

I have long had it in mind to preach a series of sermons upon those twelve men whom Christ honoured by calling out of the whole multitude of His disciples to be His chosen friends, the twelve men who are known throughout the Christian Church as “the glorious company of the Apostles.” I have desired to do this for at least two reasons. Firstly, because by studying the characters of the men whom Christ selected to be His intimates and chief associates, we are certain to learn something about the character and aims of our Lord Himself. And, secondly, because the Apostles are well worth knowing for their own sakes. “Great men taken up in any way,” says Carlyle, “are profitable company. We cannot look, however imperfectly, upon a great man without gaining something by him.” Now when we company with the Apostles of Jesus Christ, we company not simply with great men, but we company with the greatest of men. Yes, I will make bold to say that amongst those born of women there are none greater than the holy and blessed twelve. When we are in the society of the Apostles we are in the best society, and it is simply impossible for us to make friends of Peter and James and John and Andrew and the rest without gaining something by them, without catching from them something of that zeal and devotion and sacrificial love which have graven their names on the foundations of the New Jerusalem, and have set them on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Before, however, I proceed to deal with the individuals who compose the “glorious company,” there are certain preliminary questions that need to be briefly discussed, and there are certain general remarks applying to the Apostolate as a whole that require to be made.