The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-09-19
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN INSTRUCTIVE ANosLoGUsNr DIS.
COURSE ENTITLED NOW PETER"
The Rev. Dr. y. Wilbur Chapman. An
Aiysis OF . Cnild- "a earted, wsywsrd,
Generous, Biblical Character - The
Three DeniAls.

gelist in the country and one OF the most
popular pulpit orators OF New York IL
Is entitled Now. Peter" and was
preached from the text, Now Peter sat
without IN the palace" Matt XVI: 69.
This Is the master stroke OF the great
artist IN painting the picture OF this child
hearted, wayward. generous, loving man
whom we know as Peter. IL i one of the
shadows IN the picture, but the shadows
help Us 20 appreciate the more the light.
IL Is single sentence, and Yet n II we
ma the secret OF souls downfall, the
cause Of the heartache of the Son oi God,
and a note OF warning tor God people
everywhere.
Peter was in a dangerous position. First
OF all, because he sat Ia the presence of
the enemy. In the trst Psalm the warning
Is give. that We should not walk IN the
counsel OF the ungodly, nor stand IN the
way of sinners. nor SIT IN the seat OF the
scornful,' and TINS last l. the most hurthIl
position Of all Poor Peter was sitting
down. He also Is 20 be pitied because he
sat without. There i a circle within
which every child OF God must keep II he
would have both peace and power. IL IN
IMAGINATION We take a compass IN our
hand and set one point az the place where
We would have the centre and with the
other point describe the circle, We have the
picture of the Christian HE The centre of
the circle is Christ. and the circle itself Is
described by prayer and Bible study and
fellowship with the saints. TO keep within
this circle is 20 keep IN touch with Christ.
10 SIT without is to be IN danger, and poor
Peter had stepped outside.
With all my heart | love 10 study Peter
The sermon which has been greatly blessed
TO the people throughout the country Is the
one which bears the title And Peter ."
This one is sent forth that 1t may be a
%, .,t sl
Now Peter"
The first service that | can find that
Peter ever rendered unto Christ is record
ed IN Luke, fifth chapter, and the third
verse: And He entered into one of the
ships, which was Smon's, and prayed him
that he would thrust out little from the
land. And lie sat down and taught the
service. | have an idea that Just the way
he pushed the boat out as the Master was
standing in it made Jesus understand that
there was something IN HIM that would yet
go far toward moving the world. Il il not
true that much OF the great work that we
find about us to-day begins IN Just So hum.
bic a fashion az did the work of Peter
] like TO study him m his writings Some
parts of the Bible ought always to be read
in the sunlight. The beautiful story OF
Ruth, and the letter to the Philippians are
examples OF this. Others are for the dark.
ness. Peters cplstle, would thus head the
list. IL is when we stand on the seashore
at night that we see the phosphoreScence
of the waves. II Is when we stand IN the
darkness and read Peters precious words
that we catch the best vision of the light
which comes down from heaven and rests
upon men
like to study hun in his preaching, for
il Is Just the kind thlt everybody ought 20
be able to do. You may say that II was
simply a string of texts. that mighty SER
mon of his at Pentecost. but If YOU should
say this was all that he said we could re-
ply. as we have SAID IA another place, 1t is
all that Peter said that the Holy Spirit
thought worth recording
/ like him for hi, sincerity You can
read him at glance He could not be n
hypocrite. When once he tried no one
would believe him, he generally thought
aloud. While men sometimes admired
him, frequently laughed at him, generally
censured him. thev always loved him.
| like nm for his promptness. He was
the frat 10 enter the tomb that he might
see where the Lord lay.
| liked him for his courage. He was not
afraid TO stand in the very midst of the
enemies of Christ
! like him Tor his intensity IL il true
he made mistakes. but The pendulum swung
as far toward uprightneNs as 1t did toward
failure.
Nv text is 20 he read in connection with
his denial. and thus We begin the more 90
appreciate the story Christ had given
him warning when He said. Simon, Satan
hath desired thee that he may sft thee as
wheat and again when He said This
night you shall De ashamed OF Me- and
"befors the cock crow thou shalt deny Me
thrice" He warns VI, too
The oak that goes down in the midst OF
thc storm does so because through the
long years It's heart has been eaten away
by the worm. The soul OF the child OF God
IL never orerthrown suddenly, and If 1t
goes down II Is because II has steadily lost
ground in matters that were too trihing
TO cause alarm. ii Won should fail to-mor.
row you will doubtless ind the cause II
you look back on the history OF to-day.
The neglected Bible Of to-day the neglect.
ed prayer OF to-day. the neglected fellow
ship OF to-day, means the denial of toInor-
row.
It is not 10 be forgotten that there were
three denIals When Jesus was taken
into th- presence Of those who were 10 con
denim Him Peter followed and wanted 10
60 IN, too IL is said m Johns Gospel that
another disciple who vas known unto the
high priest, had gone n with Jesus, and
thus. OF course. must have been John, they
doubtless knew him az the door and he
he saw thai peter v,s not IN he went a.
the door and eecyrsJ bis sdmission
car iust imagine b,y, peter ,nus, b.,r
ga,ked nm and Jown The CONT now .,tt,ng
ro,,. standing nos. ,rer,bf,,., for he go
- co., ia the Ia. ~ tn.J'y "corsc;o,,c,
,n,Les cov,,rd. ~ - iii -
The g., Jan,,l u,,s A. tho ,,.,cl.e. o.,,o
To the little girl that admitted him TO the
81 L,o.s liz, NJ,
II .l L'. ~ -.