The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-08-20
DIR. CHAPMANS SERMON
A SUNDAY DISCOURSE By THE NOTED
PAsToR.EvANcELsL.

Subject: He Paid His Fare-The Bible 10
But History OF Every Human Life
In IL We Find . Perfect Revelation Of
Oursolyes-sIns Are Bossht Dear.
New York CrrY.-The following sehol-
arly and readable sermon has been pre-
pared for the press by the popular pastor
evangelist, the Rev. DR.. j: Wilbur Chap-
man. The subject Of the discourse IS he
Paid His Fare" and it was preached from
the text, $50 he paid his fare. Jonah
la
Whatever else men may say about the
Bible at least this ID true that 1t contains
the history of every human life, and when
we see Jonah fleeing away from JoPpa
seeking to get to Tarshish instead OF Nine
veh, we have q vision of our own past ex-
perience, when God commanded and We
disobeyed. and we believe the Bible not be-
cause Il is an old book, for there are other
old books, but we believe it because It
speaks to our deepest and truest hearts
experience. It is perfect revelation 20 us
of ourselves. The Mediterranean Sea u IN
teresting.
First, because Of its sunsets, and Sec
ondly because IL is tideless, but also for
the reason that it is visited by frequent
storms which are beyond description.
Eight hundred and sixty.two years before
Christ the passengers boat piled upon the
Mediterranean Sea from port to port. One
of these was pushed out from Joppa when
an excited passenger hurried on board,
looked into the faces of all he met as ii he
feared detection. paid his fare and went
down into the bottom OF the boat that ne
might get away from the sight OF men. a
they leave the port, but we have not 50
much to do with the storra a. with the ex.
cited passenger. The boat had crossed and
recrossed the sea many times in safety,
but this 10 to be an exception, Tor the
wind howls and the waves beat against
the bark, but as say we are not to study
the storm but the frightened man IN the
vessel. The word of the Lord came to
him to say, Jonah, 90 70 Nineveh, and
instead Of obeying he set sail for Tarshish.
1t was an expensive trip, and brought him
neither pleasure or escape: is like the jour
neys that the most Of us have made. The
text must appeal to every one; you never
committed q SIN, you never have INDUCED
in appetite. You certainly never have OBJ
tanned q success and never have met with
a defeat. but you have been obliged to pay
a fare. There are but two lines to travel in
this world: one is the line Of duty per
formed and the other the hne OF duty dis
regarded.
There may be different modes Of travel,
but two great divisions; those who have
known their duty and followed it. and on
the other hand those who have shirked re-
sponsibility; the one company 10 bound to
the Nineveh Of duty done, the other for
Ta-shisb of duty shirked, but in every case
we pay fare.
this world always. II is the price OF exer-
tion, OF earnest, continual effort, OF severe
discipline.
workmen in the same shop. One Of them
used his noon hour to teach little dog to
play tricks, and the other occupied his
time in perfecting an invention which has
astonished the world and made him Q mil
ionaire many times over.
/.
There are some things that impress our
minds as We study tie text and read TINS
story.
First, il is vain to try to defraud God.
Men some times think they are succeeding,
and they laugh at the puritanical ideas OF
the Christian, but you may sin month after
month and apparently prosper, and at last
when you least expect it you will be dis
covered. A man cleaning out well on one
of the farms in our State came across
ske!eton the other day. He reported to
the authorities, and murderer guilty OF
sin twenty-five years ago was apprehended
and sent to his punishment. Jonah found
that that was true; that God could not be
inocked. The storm was against him, the
sailors against him, God Himself sought
him out. BE not deceived, God Is not
Knocked; Whatsoever man soweth that
shall he also reap"
c.xo.l a.. snon a. on contrary IN
God everything is against US. God said,
Go to Sineveh." and Jonah started Tor
Tarshish, and the sea roars. and the winds
blow, and the ship rocks, and NO man ever
gets to Tarshish in comfort when God
commands him to 90 to Nineveh. The mo-
ment you turn away from Him there Is
conflict, and you cannot hide from God
either BY day or by night. There is one
text which ought to be written IN letters
Of fire for a.! men to read, Thou God
seest me-"
II We could only make men understand
the eternal cost OF sin many a mai, would
forsake sin. The word of God has stated
the cost IS an infinite price. There Is dan.
ger. however Of being deceived because SIN
hatters and fascipates. At the time OF the
Inquisition there was a punishment known
az the Virgins Kiss. The one to suffer
was pushed forward and made to kiss the
lips Of the Virgin and instantly the arms
OF iron were about him and hidden dag
gers pressed their way to every part OF his
body How like this is TO our experiences
in sin, and in this world sin does not pay,
for conscience disturbs us and the remorse
crushes us. while in the world I'd come
there is weeping ard wai!ing and gnashing
II -f,t fn he h.
out God here but who can describe being
without God there. 1t is true that no sue
cess was ever achieved without paying a
price, but it is here where the deNil comes
in to say, You can escape all this drudg.
ery and take q cross cut to success" There
in an innate desire in the human heart TO
get the most for the least effort, and he
takes advantage oi this
Let me give you an illustration OF
young man Of thirty years OF age who has
q work to do and 4 great end to attain.
but he must have a long ministry of agony
and suffering and conflict. The devil
meets HIM 10 cay. "All these things will ]
give you II you will fall down and worship
me" and he might in an instant have bad
worldly power. but he had the courage to
say, Get thee behind me. Satan" With
the temptations that come to all OF us at
times, we want success: he promises it; We
seek happiness: he deceives us when he
saws that he can give it US; we are after
peace and he would lead us to ,hinl: that
he can bestow il upon us. but let il I've re-
m,mbered that there is law which always
holds. that no man has real success in this
world withou, paying the price for it. and
If we yield in the least to Satan in the mat.
ter of an impure thought. an nnhoiy occu'
patton. q sinful alliance. instead OF Paying
failure. MAY il please the court. said
Young msn who was asked how he came to
sin. Il had \ gccd mother and 4 good
f.ih.r hut bad cnmnnny has been nv