The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-28
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
SUNDAY DISCOURSE eY THE NOTED
PASToR.svANcEusT.

Rubject: The Bow In the Cloud-A Gospel
Message Filled With Sweetness and
Hslp-In This World st Best We Get
Only the Half Of Things.
THE Rev. J. Wilbr- Chapman, D. D. is
now the most distinguished and best
known evangelist in the country. He was
second only to DR.. Talmage, but since the
4eath of that famous preacher DR.. Chap
man has the undisputed possession of the
Pulpit as the preacher to influence the
plain people. His services as an cvangel.
ist are in constant demand. His sermons
have stirred the hearts Of men and women
to q degree unapproached by any latter
day divine. j. Wilbur Chapman was born
in Richmond, Ind, June II, 1859. he was
educated at Oberiin College and Lake For.
est University, and graduated for the min
istry from the Lane Theological Semin.
ary, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1882. His ser
mons are simple and direct, 50 that their
influence is not so much due to exciting
the emotions as to 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 CrrY.-The following sermon
i one prepared for publication BY the
overfowing congregations in this city. 1t
is entitled THE Bow in the Cloud" and is
founded on the text, Genesis 8: Is, II do
set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be
for token Of covenant between Me and
the earth"
It may seem at first thought rs if this
were a queer text to choose from which to
give o gospel message, and yet all the
works OF God are so wonderful that one
has but to get the key to unlock the door
leading into them to find them filled with
sweetness and with help. The rain bow is
no exception to this rule. 1t - hardly
possible for one to look upon the bow that
spans the clouds after storm without an
exclamation Of delight.
One would think that it would grow mo-
notonous, for we have seen it 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 os this we are charmed as We look,
and inspired a. we study.
The first mention Of bow is in the
text. It is not said that this is the first
time the rainbow has appeared, for from
the very nature Of the case it 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 rainbow Is
Revelation 1: 3: And He that sat was to
look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone;
and there was a rainbow round about the
throne, in sight like unto an emerald"
"round about the throne" and here for the
6rst time VIE f;nd a rainbow in a 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 to understand It!
Blu. it is very helpful to know that we are
not obliged to understand it, but only to
receive It. God is satisfied with it, and
He fully comprehends it, and when we
stand with Him in glory we shall see the
other half Of the bow, and our hearts shall
rejoice. We only see the half OF life here.
At its best it is mystery. Over and over
again, when we wanted to 60 to the night
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 shal!
know indeed that all things have worked
together for good.
The last mention Of the bow in Reve!a.
ton tells US that it is to be like an emer.
aid. This is certainly very strange, for
one has never beheld green rainbow
here. Six other eolors must be added to 1t
to make it complete. The color, however,
il the color that always rests the eye. II
Is for this reason that the hillsides, the
waving branches OF the tree, and the grass
beneath our feet, are 90 restful. on . sum-
mer day. Is not this hint that heaven
is a place of rest as well as beauty?
There are three primal eolors in the
rainbow, red, yellow and blue. II you
drop the red and put the yellow and blue
together you have green as q result: Red
is the color Of suffering. Surely. 1t Is
hint as to the thought that when one
passes through the gates OF pearl he leaves
suffering behind him. There is to be no
red mark in heaven. Christ finished His
sufferings upon Calvary, and never pang
shall meet Him again. We finish our sui
ferings, too, when we say goodbye to this
weary road we have Travelled, and the gate
Of heaven that shuts US in shuts suffering
1.-THE CLOUD.
We know what the cloud was for Noah
flor this text which have quoted has 70
do with him). and a cloud in Noah's Gay
was not unlike the cloud Of yesterday /;
but in the thought Of the sermon the cloud
is sin.
It would make one heartsick to 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 to the present day,
when the whole world seems to be touched
with its power, the most terrible thing IN
the world is sin. Second, in the home
blighting and blasting that which is a
ty.,c of heaven, and wrecking that which
God meant to be . safe vessel to carry US
through the turmoAls and strife ever round
about US. Third, IN our own heart, giving
US wrong conceptions OF God, and drag.
cing us toward hell, even against our will.
The blackest thing in all the world Is sin.
The .loud does two things: (D 1t OBJ
scures the sun. The cloud OF sin does the
same thing. No one ever yet has had
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 see
God"
A poor fellow converted in one Of the
missions in Chicago, who was thought be.
fore his conversion to be hardly worth the
saving, vas so wonderfully transformed
that a committee waited upon him to md
the secret Of his changed life. He answered
their question in just one sentence:
II have seen Jesus. -. :,
This vision ever changes the life and
transforms character.
(2) The cloud ccmpels US to see thing:
in false light. God made the works OF
His hands to be seen in the sunlight. We
must not Judge them under the cloud. And
with the cloud of sin across a mans mind