The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-01
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN INSTRUCTIVE AND ELOQUENT DIS
COURSE ENTITLED NOW PETER"

NEW YORK CITY.-Ihe following reooa
bic and helpful sermon is by the Rev. DR.
j. Wilbur Chapman. the best known evan
gelist in the country and one OF the most
IL entitled Now, Peter" and was
preached from the text: Now Peter 81,
without in the palace" Mat: xvi: 90.
This is the master stroke OF the great
artist in painting the picture OF this child
hearted, wayward, generous. loving man
whom we know as Peter. It is one Of thu
shadows in the picture, but the shadows
help US to appreciate the more the light
It is a single sentence. and yet in it we
find the secret Of souls downfall, the
cause of the heartache of the Son of God
and note Of warning for Gods people
everywhere.
Peter was in a dangerous position. FIRST
Of all, because he sat in the presence of
the enemy. In the first Psalm the warning
is gives that we should not walk in the
counsel OF the ungodly, nor stand in the
way Of sinners, nor sit in the seat OF the
scornrul," and this last is the most hurtful
position Of all. Poor Peter was sitting
down. He also is to be pitied because he
sat without" There ia a circle within
which every child Of God must keep If he
would have both peace and power. IL in
imagination We take a compass in our
hand and sc: one point at the place where
we would have the centre and with the
other point describe the circle, we have the
picture of the Christian life. The centre of
the circle is Christ, and the circle itself is
described by prayer and Bible study and
fellowship with the saints. To keep within
this circle is to keep in touch with Christ.
To sit without is to be in danger, and poor
Peter had stepped outside.
With all my heart love to study Peter.
The sermon which has been greatly blessed
to the people throughout the country is the
one which bears the title, "And Peter"
This one is sent forth that it may be a
companion Of it, and carry the name Of
"Now Peter"
The first service that I can find that
Peter ever rendered unto Christ Is record
ed in Luke. fifth chapter, and the third
verse: And He entered into one of the
ships. which was Simon's, and prayed him
that he would thrust out little from the
land. And He sat down and taught the
people out OF the ship" ! like him for his
service. have an idea that just the way
he pushed the boat out as the Master was
there was something in him that would yet
70 far toward moving the world. L. it not
true that much of the great work that we
find about US to-day begins in just 20 hum
bic fashion as did the work Of Peter?
like to study him in his writings. Some
parts of the Bible ought always to be read
in the sunlight. The beautiful story OF
Ruth, and the letter to the Philippians are
examples OF this. Others are for the dark.
ness. Peters epistles would thus head the
list. 1t 10 when we stand ON the seashore
at night that we see the phosphorescenee
OF the waves. II is when we stand in the
darkness and read Peters precious words.
that we catch the best vision Of the light
which comes down from heaven and rests
upon men.
I like to study him in his preaching. for
It is just the kind that everybody ought to
be able to do. You may say that It was
simply string Of texts, that mighty ser.
mon Of his at Pensecost, but if you should
say this was all that he said we could re-
ply, as We have said in another place. it 10
all that Peter said that the Holy Spirit
thought worth recording.
I like him for his sincerity. You can
read him at a glance. He could not be a
hypocrite. When once he tried no one
would believe him; he generally thought
aloud. While men sometimes admired
him, frequently laughed at him, generally
censured him. they always loved him.
I like nm for his promptness. He WAS
the first to enter the tomb that he might
see where the Lord lay.
liked him for his courage. He was not
afraid to stand in the very midst OF the
enemies of Christ.
I like him for his intensity. 1t is true
he made mistakes. but the pendulum swung
as far toward uprishtness as it did toward
failure.
Nv text is to he read in connection with
bis denial. and thus we begin the more to
appreciate the story. Christ had given
him warning when He said, Simon. Satan
wheat" and again when He said. This
night you shall be ashamed Of Me" and
"befor. the cock crow thou shalt deny Me
thrice" He warns Us. too.
The oak that goes down in the midst OF
the storm does so because through the
long years its heart has been eaten away
by the worm. The soul Of the child Of God
is never overthrown suddenly. and il it
goes down it is because it has steadily lost
ground in matters that were too triiing
to cause alarm. II you should fail to-n,or:
row you will doubtless find the cause il
you look hack on the history OF to-day
The neglected Bible OF to-day, the neglect.
ed prayer OF to-day, the neglected fellow
snip Oh to-oay' meahs the oen'a' VI sonIo'
row.
Il is not to be forgotten that there were
three denials. When Jesus was taken
into tn. presence OF those who were to con-
denim Him Peter followed and wanted to
90 in. too. 1t is said in Johns Gospel that
another disciple. who was known unto the
high priest. had gone in with Jesus, and
this. OF course, must have been John; they
doubtless knew him at the door and he
passed through without question. When
he saw that Peter was not in he went to
the door and secured his admission.
can just imagine how Peter must have
walked up and down the court, now sitting
now standing. now trembling for his safe
ty. for in those days AZ to-day, "conscience
makes towards Of Us all.
The first denial was at the wicket eatc
To the little girl that admitted him to the
court he said:
81 know Him not"
He might have taken warning and gone
back lf he had but remembered the words
Of Christ, for he was just at the edge ol
the circle; one side meant peace and thr
other side despair.
I doubt not that some one who reada
these words has just passed through the
wicket gare, turning away from life o!
blessedness, and possibly has denied bis
Master for the first time. From the heart
OF the infinite Christ a cry goes out to such
an one:
Turn ye, turn ye. for Why Will We die: ,"
The second denial was at the fire. when
he aat with his enemies, and when he said
NTH an oath:
Il tell you, know Him not"
Alas many Of us have gone through the
wicket of denial. and dare to-day sitting
with His enemies. hardly knowing how we
reached the position. To all such the cry
of God comes. Come out from among
them and be ye separate" The world ha,
alway, been the enemy Of the Son Of God
and b. who allows himself to be in touch
with it in the least will deny his Master