The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-07-03
The STORY OF ISAAC.
DR., CHAPMANS SUNDAY SERMON
Going Back to OLD Custcals-'No Man
Is as Bad as His Worst Principles
Would Indicate.

as a fact that the sermons OF the heV;
DIR, J. Wilbur Chairman are heard ana
read by more people than are tn"se OF
any American pulpit orator. HIS style
seems to have made deep impression on
that norton OF the public which likes 10
read it's discourse in the weekly. paper
For these admirers DR.. Chapman has nre
nared the following sermon. entitleG ne
yiving Old Customs II is nreached IRON
the text Genesis 26: IS. And Isaac oigSe9
AGAIN the wells OF water when tne! ndu
digeed in the days OF Abraham his ia'"
err
There are three names in the New Iesfa-
wont inseparab,v bourd together. we
rarely think OF one without having lmme
diately suggested to us the names OF tne
other two, These three are Peter. James
AVID John. They were specially CHOSEN Oh
Christ for consDlcuous service. ana wele
fbe particular objects Of HIS divine aftec
t;on. There are three names IN the o!a
Testament quite as lntimateIy asSocia'e":
and one can scarcely speak the name m
ONE of the three without finding himSen
running at once IN speech TO the o'uei
two Abraham, Isaac ARD 'acon ioln vi.
0I5 Testament trio. I do not know how
f,mi,;ar Won are with the story OF Isaac.
r have found myself that | knew very nt-
+la about him. ] was quite familiar Win
tbe account OF the intended sacrifice on
NJ Mor;ah and the fascinating story OF
his meeting with Iebpkah. hut concerning
ntbar incidents Of his life knew very ht-
tle Az A matter OF fact Isaac Goes not
show off to advantage between AoTaham
ON the one side Of him and JACOB on the
other. Abraham because o: what ne was
the father OF the faithful. and Jacoo De-
rause Of what he became. for by the power
~ Cod be was changed from Jacob. the
..heat to Israel the prince. having power
with God and with men. and one cannon
beln but feel as he reads rhe whole story
nf Jsaoc's life that il would have heen bet
fer for him had he died uDor the, altar.
he made sn'endid start IN life. but 81.
did Noah and Lot. and SO have many OF
YOU. but that is not enough. at the pe'
pinn;po of his career Isaac goes away De-
vnnd the others whose names l have men
TONED. We are so taken up with ADra'
ham and his WILLINGNESS to offer hls son
that somehow we have FORGOTTEN Isaacs
willingness to he offered. He really mace
a snlend;d start. and YVES a most estlmable
Young man. If we look at single verse
IN his career we say what an excellent
man and if we look at others we find our.
aelves exriaiminc, Glow mean he Is, and
vet so it is with our own lives. Men must
not be Judged by one paragraph IN our ex-
perience. .. :,
not to be read through as II 1t were one
sentence: it must he broken M INTO verses
and they are strangely pnnctuated. we
cAnnot take one verse oUt of mans lie
and sav that is the man. for one verse
would make him too good. while another
would make him quite too bad. am very
mre that vou are not quite so good rs some
acts of your life would !c1d men to beheve.
am eopaliy sure that 10 nan is quite so
had as some parts OF his liie story would
lead us to think him. 1t IS great enconr-
acement to know that the reading OF the
story Of our lives is a matter OF divine elo-
cution. Some men read the most interest
ing book. and make 1t praSy. while others
who know how to read read the most un-
interesting production. and behold, II IS
thrilling. 1t is said that Edwin Booth
could saw the Lords Prayer N such way
as to bring the tears to you7 eyes. What
a ioy it is to know that Our story is to be
read by one who read the scroll in the syn.
acocue. and read it in scch way that
men contested whether Re was reading the
AID scroll or not. AS He reads our lives,
humble though they nav have been, they
will expand into nob'e e,oquence. We
are perfectly safe with H:s Interpretation
of our acts. -.
There are certain texts akin to this, as:
for example. Whose fan is in his hand.
It Is good thing that the fan is not IN our
own hands. for we would be unjust, and
equally good that it is rot in our enemies
hands. for thew would he ofttimes cruel.
hut with the fan in His hand there will
come to us not one touch OF discipline out
what we need. - -
There is another text. The Lord know.
eth thev that are His" The people of the
world misunderstood U.s. they miSinterpret
our best actions. but He knows.
There is still another He knoweth our
frames and He reuembere,h that we are
dust" That mistake OF yours yesterday
which the world condemned He perfectly
understood. because He knew Your weak
ness. What a Joy it is 10 know that we
are in His hands.
- The subject Of wells is interesting. In
Oriental times well OF water was for
tune. When a king dug we'll he became
as famous as if he had built pyramid.
Great battles were fought to gain posses
sion of wells and mighty conquests waged
for their defense Castles and towers were
erected to secure their possession. Abra-
ham dug at least four wells; how many
more I do not know. but these four We're
filled in by the PhilistineS. and it Is with
their reoneniug that we have to do in, the
text. ! like to speak OF wells because there
ia music in the very soand of the word:
In Isaiah. the twelfth chanter. second
and third verses. we read, Behold. God
is nv salvation: will t:ps:, and not be
afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my
strength and nv song; he also is become
nv salvation. Therefore with Joy shall We
draw water out of the wells of salvation"
This is rot only IN Old Testament figure,
but a New. for Jesus said. Put whosoever
dr,nketh of the water thai I shall give
him shall never thirst; tut the water that
I shall give him shall be in him well OF
water springinc un into everlasting life
John 4: IA. Therefore the gospel is well,
nnA rnn hnrn ne,.nr had 4 drink OF snrinC |