The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-28
CROWDS ARE GROWING
INTEREST IN The CHAPMAN MEET
INGs INCREASING.
Hundreds Compelled to stand to Hear
the Noted Evangelist Discuss
the Word of God.

eve must be born again." from the third
chapter of the gospel of st. John, was the
theme of the sermon by DIR. Chapman at
the Seventh Presbyterian Church last night
The discourse was interspersed with stories
of actual experience which went 10 tne
hearts Of his auditors and afforded a point
ed and practical illustration Of every
point made by him in his exhortation 20
men and women to believe and be saved
AS has been the case at all Of these meet
ings the house was packed early In the
evening. Chairs were brought in and placed
in the aisles till they were flled: otHers
were then placed around the altar rail- TIL
all the available space there was taken up
then the rear of the house was filled Win
extra chairs, yet with all this provision
for the accommodation Of visitors a large
number Of persons were compelled to stano
in the vestibuIe during the progress OF the
meeting.
At the opening of the services DR.. Chap
man read a few verses from the third cnap-
ter of st. John and Mr.. Bilhorn sang "The
Best Friend to Have Is Jesus" 1t was
carried as a solo, the congregation joining
in the chorus of the third and fourth
stanzas. When the singing stopped n a
solemn hush fell upon the crowded house,
and DR.. Chapman, stepping to the front,
began his discourse in a slow, impressive
tone Of voice; low but perfectly distinct
throughout the house. His manner and ex-
preston was one to compel a calm consid-
Grafton of the words that fell from his
lips, and his earnestness such as to force
conviction. His ~eloquence lay in his fervor.
He said the doctrine Of regeneration was a
familiar one, but was of the utmost i'm
%portance. 1t was new life, new desires. new
ambitions and new features. There is no
question so important" he said. "as the
one, Have you been born AGAIN." He
said it was not a question as to whether
you belong to a church. but, have you been
born again? He said when Jesus Christ
was on earth he filed a bill Of exceptions
and enumerated them as follows: Except
We repent we shall perish; except We are
converted We shall not enter the kingdom
of heaven; except We are born again we
shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. The
character and position OF Nicodemus,, 10
whom. the words of the text were spoken
by Christ, was then mentioned as showing
that the text was general and universal IN
it's application, and not restricted to the
wicked and sinners alone. 1t included men
of high position and honor, and men or
morality as we'll as men of vice.
he r saia, anor SUPPORTING 0t the church, nor
baptism, nor ability to pray; 1t IS a mys-
terry. 1t can't be described nor put into
which we know but cannot explain. Mic
odemus wondered how this thing could be,
but Christ was speaking of things spiritual,
it according to things temporal. The things
Of this world. E: 2. Brown, Of your own
city, has said that God is a revelation and
not an explanation. He is omnipresent
omniscient and omnipotent. You will never
know God until you lay hold of JESUS as a
understand the meaning of the words OF
Christ when He said he that had seen Him
had seen God also"
DIR. Chapman then related an incident
that happened to the evangelist Moody
when a person submitted to him a list of
questions to be answered, agreeing to be-
come a Christian if they were answered.
Mr.. Moody's reply was for the man to an
swer them himself, first earnestly seeking
assistance from God in the task. The doc
trine of regeneration is as inexplicable as
hundreds of other things that we know as
facts, but is a fact. nevertheless.
The first step toward salvation must be
faith. Faith must be present in the first
instance. After the first step is taken by
faith, the second and third can be taken by
prettiiy Illustrated this point by a refer
ence to the, glow worm that lights each
you are ever lost, he said, It will be be-
cause you refused to lay hold by faith TO
Jesus Christ. 1t is often said that the doc
trine of original sin has been exploded, and
of to-day must suffer for the sin of Adam.
You are not going to be lost because OF
you stubbornly refuse to lay hold on Jesus
Christ in faith. If you are ever lost 1t will
be because you have not believed on the
only begotten Son of God. DR.. Chapman
said emotion was not a necessary adjunct
of the conversion of a man. but that any
man who would take any single verse OF
Gods word, and let it sink deeply into hts
heart, and consider it calmly but earnestly
would repent, and the spirit of God would
cause it to spring up within him. HI
closed with a feeling exhortation to steI
boldly out upon Gods promise and try
Him. He asked his hearers to try the wore
of Coo and see if 1t was eficacious. While
the cards of inquiry were being distributed
it was. noticed that there were many
moisted eyes in the audience, and severa
hahdkerchiefs were covering the faces OF
men and women. DR.. Chapman left the
pulpit and went down into the audience
and talked earnestly with his hearers
Ever and anon he would rise from a stoop
ing posture to direct the singing or call fol
a few moments silent prayer by the con.
gregation.