The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-27
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
A SUNDAY DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
PAsToR.svANcEuSI.
Subject: Rabboni-The Death OF Christ .
Help tn All. For by It Ho Takes Awsy
From Us All tho stIns and From the
Crave It's Victory.

New YORK Crry. - The following in
pressive sermon has been prepared for
the press by the popular pastor-evangel'
ist. the Rev. DR.. j. Wilbur Chapman.
The subject OF the discourse i, "Rabboni.'
and it was preached from the text. Jesus
saith unto her. Mary! She turned herself
aad saith unto Him, Rabhoni! which is to
scy. Master" John 20: 10.
The burial OF Christ lies between His
o: the resting points in His history. and
the grave to Him as to US all was the gate
of lie. He passed through it into His
glorious resurrection. If the crucit;xion
be represented as one mountain and the
ascension as another then the burial OF
Christ is like valley. and since it Is true
that in every valley mentioned in the
Scriptures there is we'll OF water or a
spring, 80 strange as it may seem in this
valley which seems to be filed only with
shadows ono stoops to drink at the well OF
comfort. for the death of Christ is the
very greatest possible comfort and help to
US, for in His death He takes away from
Us all the sting and from the grave its VIC:
tory, for the tomb OF the Christian in ali
the years this side Of the burial Of Christ
has been tenanted with angels. but we
have not so mwch to do with His burial
as with His resurrection. John gives no
narrative OF the resurrection itself, but
rather an account of the manner in which
he himself was convinced that the resur-
much an argument, although on the basis
of it the strongest arguments have tccn
presented: it is rather a beautiful testi.
mony and thrilling story: When Mary
brought the startling intelligence that the
tomb was empty Peter and John made
for the spot at the top Of their speed.
John outruns Peter. but naturally rever-
ence keeps him from entering the tomb:
He looks in, however, to convince himself
that the body has not been removed by
the enemies of Christ, for the linen
clothes in which He had been wrapped
were carefully taken off and left behind.
When Peter comes up they two enter the
tomb together. and their inferences are
reached after they have carefully studied
the surroundings. This simple narrative
will be to many minds more convincing
than a great argument. 1t is tod clearly
by an eye witness of all the events. We
see Mary breath.e.sly giving out the
startling news. and we watch the hasty
springing up of the two men and their
the gates to the garden. We behold John
standing painting at the rock.hewn sep.
uicher and we catch vision OF Peter
toi,ing In behind but not hesitating a mo.
ment We see him entering and gazing at
this and that. till the articles in the
tomb have told their story and the two
men leave the senulcher together awed
and convinced. and the eve witness who
thus beautifully relates what he knew Of
that wonderful morning adds. "He saw
and believed"
Mary came after .nat as quickly as she
could, hut exhausted with her rapid car.
rying Of the news to Peter and John was
not able to keen pace with them rs they
ran to the tomb, and before she arrived
they were gone. She may have missed
them in the streets as she came out Of
the city. At any rate. finding the tomb
still empty. and no one present to ex-
plain the reason OF it. she stands there
heart.broien and pours out her distress
in tears. The grave being empty the
whole earth is empty TO her; the dead
Christ was more to her than living
world. She can nut stand and lay her
head upon the stone and let her tears
flow as from a broken heart. So absorb
ing is her grief that the vision Of angels
does not astonish her; she had but the
one THOUGHT, They have taken away my
Lord" She supposed. too. that all about
her must know her loss and understand
what she is seeking, so that when she
sees the gardener as she supposes she
cries out. "If thou have borne Him
hence" She does not even mention His
name, for she cannot imagine that any
one il thinking OF arv other than He who
fills her whole mind and heart. John
%: ll.l3l. "But Mary stood without at
the sepulcher weeping. and as she wept
she stopped down and looked into the SEN
ulcher. and seeth two angels in white sit
ting. the one at the head and the other
at the feet, where the body Of Jesus had
lain. And they say unto her. Woman.
why weepest thou? She saith unto them.
Because they have taken away my Lord.
and know not where they have laid
Him" As Mary answers the angels she
beard a step behind her and the door OF
the tomb is darkened By a shadow. and
on turning discerns dimiy through her
tears figure which naturally enough she
supposea to be the gardener because he
was the likeiiest psrsoa to be going about
the Garden at that early hour. John ~:
li-l6). "And when she had thus said she
turned herself back and saw Jesus stand.
ing and knew not that it was Jesus,
Jesus saith into her, Woman. why weep
sappc sing Him To be the gardener, saith
unto Him. Sir, il Thou have borne Him
hence. tell me where Thou hast laid Him.
and 7 will take Him away Jesus saith
unto her. Mary. Sas turned herself and
saith unto Him, Eabsoni. which is to
say, Master"
We must surely B.. impressed with the
thought that those who love Christ most
diligently and perseveringly are those
who receive the most privileges from
Christ's hand. It Is worthy OF note that
Mary Magda!ene would not leave the sep
ulcher when Peter and John went away
to their homes. Love to her Master
would not let her leave the Place where
He had lain. Where He was now she
could not tell; what had become Of Him
she did not know. but love made her lin
ger. love made her honor the last place
where His precious body had been seen
bv mor.a! eyes. and her love reaped q
rich reward. She was the first to see her
Lord after He rose from the dead; the
first to hear His voice and the first to
hold conversation with Hin. All ba!iev.
ers have not the same degree OF faith or
hope or knowledge or courage or wisdom
but It is certainly true that those who
loNc NH.st Inost IeINeHt.y anu grave W
Him most closely will always enjoy the
most communion with Him.
First-Notice the instruction given to
Is in this story concerning love IN its d:i
fe.cnt phases and elements. In Peter it
is su5iectiun. in John it is objection. The
:epiy OF Peter to the Lord was Il love
Thee" while Johns constant description
OF himself was, The disciple whom Jesus
loved" May we not learn. therefore, Of
the apprehension Of Jesus love for lis in
stead of being occupied with ont poor. fit
fI. fickering life, for He is that which
will give greatest ioy to the soul. The
eyhortat;on of the Scriptures is Keep
Yourself in The love OF God" II Mary we
discover these elements properly com
h,ncd. Tracing her history we find that
Isa,.. hid dsi,v. red her .irnr, an awful