Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-08-09
"HE PAID HIS FARE"
Sunday Discourse By DR.. Chapman, the
Noted Pastor.Evangelist.
The Bible Is But History OF Every Human
ute-Sins are Bought Dear

man. The subject OF the discourse Is He
Paid HIS Fare. and it was preached from
the text, so he paid his fare Jonah
]: 8
Whatever else men may say about the
Bible at least this Is true that il contains
the history OF every human life. and when
we see Jonah fleeing away from .Joppa
seeking TO get 10 Tarshi>h instead OF Nine
web. we nave vision or our own past eX-
perence. when God commanded and we
disobeved. and We believe the Bible not be-
cause 1t Is an cd book. for there are other
old books, but we believe IL because 1t
speaks to our deepest and truest hearts
experience. II is a perfect revelation to us
of ourselves. The Mediterranean Sea is in
terestlng.
First. because of its sunsets. and sec
ondly because II 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 il he
feared detection. paid his fare and went
down into the bottom OF the boat that he
might get away from the sight OF men. \
terrific storm overtalles them as soon as
they leave the port but we have not so
much to do with the storm as with the eX-
recrossed the sea many times in safety,
but this Is 20 be an exception. for 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. go TO Nineveh," and
instead OF obeying he set sail for Tsrshish.
1t was an expensive trip. and brought him
neither pleasure or escape: Is like the jolr-
news that the most OF us have made. The
text must appeal TO every one; YOU never
committed SIN. YOU never have INDUCED
in appetite. you certainly never have OBJ
tanned a success and never have met with
J defeat but YOU nave been obliged to pay
a fare. There are but two lines to travel in
this word; one is the line of duty per-
formed and the other the line 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 shrked re-
sponslbllity: the one company is bound TO
the Nineveh OF duty done. the other for
Tarshish OF duty shirked, but in every case
we nay a fare.
Men must pay price for attainmen.s in
this world always. 1t is the price OF exer-
ton. OF earnest, continual effort, OF severe
discipline.
Two men in Philadelphia years ago were
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 mi.
Eonaire many times over.
/.
There are some things that impress our
minds rs we study the text and read this
story.
First. it is vain to try to defraud God
Men some times think they are succeeding.
and they lamrh af fha n,aal sIaas ~
the Christian. but you may sin month after
month and apparently prosper, and at last
when YOU least expect II you will be dis
covered. A man cleaning out we'll or one
OF the farms in our State came across a
skeleton the other day. He reported to
the authorities. and a 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
Knocked. The storm was against him. the
sailors against him, God Himself sought
him out. BE not deceived, God is not
mocked; whatsoever man soweth that
shall he also reap
Seco-d, as soon as we go contrary 70
God everything is against us. God said.
Go TO Nineveh.' and Jonah started for
Tarshish. and the sea roars, and the winds
blow, and the ship rocks. aud no man ever
gets to Tarshish in comfort when God
commands him to go to Nineveh. The mo-
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 all men to read, Thou God
seest me-"
II we could only make men understand
the eternal cost OF sin many a man would
forsake sin. The word of God has stated
plainly, The wages ot sin is death" and
the cost IL an infinite price. There Is dan
ger. however. of being deceived because sin
fatters and fascinates. At the time OF the
Inquisition there was punishment known
as 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 remurse
brushes Us. while in the world to come
there is weeping and wailing and gnashing
OF teeth. 1t is an awful thing to be with
out God here, but who can describe being
without God there II is true that no sue
cess was ever achieved without paying
price. but it is here where the devil comes
IN to say, n Oh can escape all this drudg-
cry and take cross cut to success" There
Is an innate desire in the human heart to
get the most for the least effort. and he
takes advantage of this.
Let me give YOU an illustration o. a
young man OF thirty years of age who has
work to do and a great end to attain.
bat he must have long ministry of agony
and suffering and conflict The devil
meets HIM to say. "All these things Will
give you ii you will fall down and worship
me- and he might in an instant have had
worldly power. but he had the courage 10
say, Get thee behind me. Satan" With
the temptations that come to all OF lis at
me We apt ba
seek happiness; he deceives us when he
says that he can give ii us; we are after
peace and he would lead Us to think that
mcmbered that there is a law which always
holds. that no man has real success in this
world without paying the price COR it. and
If we yield III the least to Satan in tine mat
ter Of an impure thought. an unholy occu-
patton sinful alliance, instead OF payir.
the price for success we are paving it for
failure. MAY it please the court" said
young man who was asked how he came TO
sin. Il had good mother and good
father, but bad company has been nv
ruin. No man can ever be a Christian IL
he holds on to one sinful alliance, or keeps
step with one sinful companion
Let it be remembered, therefore that you
will be obliged to pay first for every sin
INDUCED. Look back over your past life.
the youth you have wasted. the opportuni-
ties you have lost. the strength that has
gone, you will have to pay for.
How many times we have heard men
Z i could 1x- h.,..f Il. i.