The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-05-16
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
A SUNDAY DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
PASToR.svsNcellsr.
Subject; The Bow in the Cloud-A Gospel
Message fIlied with Sweetness and
Help-In This World at Best We Get
Only the Half OF Things.

I
known evangelist in the country. He was
second only 10 DR. Talmage, but since the
deata OF that famous preacher DR. Chap
man has the undlsputed possession of the
Pulpit as the preacher 10 influence the
plain people. His services as an evangel-
ist are in constant demand. HIS sermons
have stirred the hearts OF men and women
70 a degree unapproached by any latter.
day divine. j. Wilbur Chapman was born
In Richmond, Ind, June Il, 1859. He was
educated at Oberin College and Lake For
est University. and graduated for the min
istry from the Lane Theological Semin-
airy, Cincinnati, Ohio, IN 1882 His ser
influence Is not SO much due 10 exciting
the emotions as 10 winning the hearts and
convincing the minds OF those who hear
him. DR.. Chapman Is now IN charge OF
the Fourth Presbyterian Church, New
York City.l
New YORK CIrY.-The following sermon
is one prepared for publication by the
Rev. j. WilbuA Chapman. Americas best
known evangelist, who is now preaching TO
overtowing congregations In this city. IL
Is entitled The Bow in the Cloud and is
founded on the text, Genesis 9: lS, Il do
set My bow in the cloud, and II shall be
Tor token OF a covenant between Me and
the earth
1t may seem at first thought as II this
were a queer text to choose from which TO
give gospel message, and yet all the
works of God are so wonderful that one
has but 10 get the key 10 unlock the door
leading into them 20 find them filed with
sweetness and with help. The rainbow Is
no exception 10 this rule. IL is hardly
possible for one to look upon the bow that
spans the clouds after a storm without an
exclamation of delight
One would think that ~ Nvould crow mo
! notonous, for we have seen II so many
times, but quite the opposite is true sun
sets differ; they are as unlike as two things
could possibly be. Indeed, It must be true
that one is never like the other But rain.
bows are always the same. And yet IN
spite OF this we are charmed as we look,
and inspired as we study.
The first mention OF bow is in the
text. 1t is not said that this is the first
time the rainbow has appeared, for from
the very nature of the case II has always
been in existence since the worlds began
TO be, but this is said to be the first use
OF It. The last mention of a rainbow is
Revelation 4: 3: And lie that sat was to
look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone
and there was rainbow round about the
throne, in sight like unto an emerald"
You notice that the expression used is
round about the throne and here for the
first time we find rainbow in complete
circle
We have only seen the half of it here,
which is surely an illustration of the fact
that in this world at best we only get the
half of things. We only get the half OF
truth Take the great doctrine of the
Atonement; who is able 20 understand ity
But it is very helpful to know that we are
not obliged to understand 1t, but only 10
receive It. God is satisfied with IL, and
He fully comprehends 1t, and when we
ttytth IN gla hal ha
other half OF the bow, and our hearts shall
rejoice. We only see the half of life here.
At its best It is a mystery. Over and over
! again, when we wanted TO 20 TO the right
we were compelled TO turn TO the left, and
a thousand times because OF our perplexi-
ties and trials, we have cried aloud:
How can these things be-"
But we must learn the lesson that we
must trust Him where we cannot under
| stand Him The. day will come, when
seated at His feet we shall see the other
| half of the bow of. our life, and we shall
know indeed that all. things have worked
together for good
tion tells us that IL n TO be like an emer-
aid. This rs certainly very strange tor
one has meyer .beheld green RAINBOW
| here. Six other colors must be added 10 IL
to make it COMPLETE. irha e01or however,
lis not without-its suggestivencss. Green
is the color that always rests the cyu. II
is for this reason that the hillsides, 1.-The
| beneath our feet, are so restfhl on Sum.
mer day. Is not this a hint that heaven
| is a place of rest as well as beauty
There are three primal colors in the
rainbow, red, yellow and blue. If you
| drop the red and put the yellow and hue
together you have green as result. Red
| is the color of suffering Surely IL as a
q, he Iat
| passes through the gates of pearl he leaves
suffering behind him. There is 10 be no
red mark in heaven. Christ finished His
sufferings upon Calvary, and never a pang
shall meet Him again. We finish our suf-
ferings, too, when we say goodbye 20 this
weary road we have travelled, and the gate
Of heaven that shuts US in shuts suffering
out
1.-THE CLOUD.
We know what the cloud was for Noah
(for this text which | have quoted has 90
do with him), and a cloud IN Noah's day
was not unlike the cloud OF yesterday;
but in the thought Of the sermon the cloud
is sin.
1t would make one heartsick 10 read the
history OF sin. First IN the world, begin
ming with Adam, going to Noah, reaching
the bowling mob about the cross on Cal.
vary, coming down 20 the present day,
when the whole world seems 10 be touched
with its power, the most terrible thing in
the world Is sin. Second in the home,
blighting and blasting that which il a
ty-e of heaven, and wrecking that which
God meant 20 be o safe vessel 10 carry US
through the turmotls and strife ever round
about us. Third. IN our own heart, giving
Us wrong conceptions OF God, and drag.
ging us toward hell even against our will.
The blackest thing IN all the world "a sin.
The cloud does two thlngs: ~ IL OBJ.
scures the sun. The cloud Of sin does the
same thing No one ever yet has had a
true vision OF Jesus Christ with the least
particle OF sin IN his heart or life. Blessed
are the pure IN heart, for they shall sec
Cod"
a poor fellow converted in one Of the
missions in Chicago, who was thought be
fore his conversion 10 be hardly worth the
saving vas 50 wonderfully Transformed
that a committee waited upon him 20 Ind
the secret OF his changed life He answered
their question ia just one sentence:
II have seen Jesus.
This vision ever changes the life and
transforms character.
(2) The cloud cOmpels us 20 see things
in a false light. God made the works OF
His hands 20 be seen in the sunlight. We
must not Judge them under the cloud. And
with the cloud Of sin across a mans mind
he can have no real conception OF the
Bible: ne must certainly be- prejudiced
against the church Scatter the darkness
that hovers over your mind, and the Bible
will become % you the very thought Of
God while the church viii compel your ad-
mIratIOn.
U.-ACROSS THE CLOUD COD CAST
HIS BOW.
To see a bow three things are necessary.
First, there must be a cloud; we certainly
have that IN the world's sin. Second, the
sun must be shining, we have this cOldi-