The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-07-11
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
A SUNDAY DISCOURSE BY The NOTED
PasToR.svkNcsLsr
Subject The Wagons Are Coming-rhe
story of Jseob-A Lesson For the feo-
pie OF To- pay-If We give Ourselves TO
God Unstinted BLESSING VIII he Ours.

pie Of fro-pay-If We Give Ourselves TO
God Unstinted blessing VIII he Ours.
Nrw YoRK Cry The Rev. !. Wilbur
Chapman, the popular pastor OF the Fourth
Presbyterian Church. who Is remarkably
successful as an evangelist, has prepared
an interesting sermon upon the subject OF
The Wagons Are Coming, IL Is
preached from the text, And when ne
saw the wagons which Joseph had sent TO
carry him the spirit OF Jacob their iather
revived" Geneiss ~: -.
There is a fascination about the land oi
Egypt which cannot be described IN words
There are some particular features OF tins
ancient land which impress YOU. First OF All
there Is a peculiar haze over the country
which is unlike anything 10 be seen IN any
other part Of the world. The sunsets are
indescrbable. but the most striking thing
about Egypt Is the ruins, on every side oi
you are these ruins telling of the splendors
OF past DAYS. You pass up and down ave
nues that are lined with sphinx and with
obel'sk. the exquisite carvings of which re-
veal the fact that there were giants IN
the days when these works oi art were
made In the oiden times the worlds
pomp and wealth seemed 70 nave heen
poured az the very feet OF this capital OF
Egypt. and here in all the days OF its sn,en'
dor and power stood Joseph, next 20 Pha-
raoh ia power There are some places vls-
tied by the traveller to-day which speak d.
rectly OF Joseph and his times. as. for eN'
ample. the ancient ohelisk az Hehoapohs,
where Joseph got his bride. and the most
ancient sphinx standing near the PYRAMIDS
beyond Cairo looking ont TODAY over the
waste OF the desert as IL has been dong
for centuries. and II It's lips could move y
might saw truly. Before Abraham was
am" The story of the early life Of
Joseph need not be told. for we are per
fectly familiar with i. We listened 20
the recounting OF II I'm our childhood :
days and il was one OF the fascinating sto
ries told US by our Christian mothers, The
account Of his coat of many colors. the
bowirg shcaves IN the harvest field. the
anger Of his brother, and the grief of his
old father are facts too well known 20
need telling here except that u Is wei FOR
US 20 know that he Is, 10 say the least. an
almost perfect illustration of our saviour
or as some one has said. Our Joseph for
tho names Of joseph and Jesus are urartl-
cally the same. Joseph was loved by his
father. hated bv his brethren. and was cx-
alted 20 the place Of power In tho then
known greatest kingdom in the word. Our
Saviour was the beloved Son OF His Faith
er. was hated bv those whom He came 20
save, sold for thirty pieces Of silver. cast
into the pit is 10 become the Saviour OF
His brethren and is exalted today AZ the
power All this is striking. 10 say the least,
and makes the text TO be OF added interest.
].
The story of Jacob. We cannot appre.
ciate this text without we have the story OF
this remarkable Old Testament character.
He was a typical jew, II we understand
him as we may understand Israel a people
found in every country and belonging TO
none. Some one has said that Abraham
was hero, but Jacob plain man dwelling
in tents Abraham is above US. but Jacob
is one of ourselves and the difference be
tween Abraham and Jacob in the Old Tes.
lament is the difference between Paul and
Peter in the New Testament the one tow
ering above US like some mighty mountain
peak and the other our brother and com
panion in temptation and failure There
are several points in the history OF Jacob
which we would do well TO have in mind.
First, Bethel. IL was o bleak barren
place in the heart OF Palestine. the traveller
sees on every side OF him great rocks and
nothing but rocks. and long years ago
when Jacob was fleeing away from his
brother Esau the swift Eastern night comes
down upon him. and there was nothing for
him 10 do but 20 lie down. make a pillow
Of stones for his head and try TO sleep.
(a) The Ladder. Did this not teach in
the davs Of Jacob what we have learned
eince the time of Christ that earth is not
the binding star but is bound 10 heaven
not smply by ladder in mans dream
but by Him OF whom the ladder 10 an illus
tration and who said. "No man cometh
unto the Father but bv Me"
(b) The Angels. When we see them hs-
cending IL is An illustration OF our PRAYERS
rising 20 God. and when we behold them
swers coming down. IL is certainly a com
fort for us all 20 know that we are pc truly
united TO God as in the night OF Jacobs
dream he felt himself 10 be
(c) The Voice Of God. He said 10 the
sleeping man, II viii be with thee, ] viii
keep thee, will not leave thee" and this
dream was an inspiration for many long
dreary day
Second, Jabbok. Jacob IL on his way
back home when suddenly he hears that
Eau Is ahead Of him and he is afraid. He
sends his uroperty over the stream and
then his children and fnsllv bis beloved
Rachel. and he himself is left alone.
Around him the stiffness Of the midnight
hour, beside him the murmur OF the brook
over the stones. above him the depths Of
heaven. and while he was left alone the
thought Of his past failure comes % him
and he Us depressed. when suddenly he
finds himself in the grasp OF the angel. and
he struggles TO free himself Let IL be
noted that he is not wrestling with the an.
gel. but the angel with him and is this
not God seeking 20 take from Jacobs life
that which has hipdered the development
Of Gods life in him. There are three
thincs 20 be remembered here.
(a) The change Of his name. His name
was Jacob, which means "a supplanter and
cheat" and the angel gave him the name
of Israel, which means "a prince" because
he had prevailed.
% Power with God and with men. hut
let IL be remembered that u u power with
God first So many Of us are seeking for
power 90 move men; II we could but learn
that we can move men by the wav Of the
throne Of God IL would be lesson Of un-
speakable value.
fc) The vision Of God Ever afterward
as Jacob remembered .iabbok he said. II
have seen God face to face and this was
the secret IN part Of the transformation Of
his character
Third Bethel II will be noticed that
Jacob 10 al Bethel again He has had
dreary experience OF failure. and in the
35th chapter ~ Genesis God tells him %
90 back 20 Bethel In itself Bethel 10 not
much, II Is just a long range of barren
hills. but 90 Jacob IL was a memorable
spot for there he bad seen God IL 10 an
easy thing 20 understand how he might
have been homesick for Bethel for we
long 20 see the old home 90 filed with "a.
cred memories and the old land where we
were born. the old church where first we
came 20 Christ, and 90 God said 10 Jacob,
Put away your idols" and he buried
them near % the oak and hurried on 60
Bethel j. this not a lesson for some Of ne
in -. H.. a