The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-08-01
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
AsuNoAY DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
pAsToR.svANcEusT.
Subject; The Nesrness OF Cod Alphabet
of Divine Love - Not Enough OF God
in Nature TO satisfy Our souls - Need
ofthe Lords "Nsarness."

people who demand a striking discourse tor
their weekly reading The distinguished
pastor-eyange,ist has PREF AIRED the follow,
ing sermon for the press. IL eno,Iea
from the text, Thou art near, u LORD
Psalm ll9: Isl.
This text is taken from one OF the long
es. Psalms in the Bible. but II is remarka-
be not only on account OF its length, but
because OF It's teaching. Like the celestial
city il lieth four square; the heiehth ana
the depth and the length and the breadth
OF il are the same. There is but one theme
in all the Psalm snd that Is the word OF
God. and reminds one Of nothing so much
as a diamond which as you hold II as the
light touches 4 from every side II sends
out 10 al heholders the evidences OF It's
beauty and of IT, worth, and tins llsth
Psalm is the makeup OF the word OF God'
for every verse except two, namely, the
l22d and the l32d refer IN some way 70
Gods word. and II IL mentioned either un'
der the figure Of law, or testimonies, or
word OF preeepts.
The writer Of this Psalm must have been
inspired with the word Of God as he knew
il. have heard Of an old Christian who
meditated his way through the Bible three
times. Surely this is the secret OF wholly
happy life. In 1850 az the time OF great
political excitement William Wilberforce
made this note in his diary, Il have walked
this morning from HYDE Park corner re.
peating the 10th Psalm, and having great
comfort" Martin Luther said on com
menting on THE Psalm, David must have
shaken every fruit tree in Gods garden
and gathered fruit therefrom." Like other
portions Of the Scripture this Psalm has
been generally named. IL has been called
the alphabet Of divine love, perhaps be-
cause Of It's division. because II is separ-
ated into groups OF eight verses. and each
group is under letter OF the Hebrew al
phabet until the alphabet is exhausted. lt
is really the Alpha and Omega OF the word
of God. In the New Testament the inesr-
nate word or Saviour rs represented as the
Alpha and Omega. MAY IT not be because
the alphabet hes been exhausted IN display
ing 10 ne HE graces, and also because IN
the Old Testament the alphabet has been
exhausted in speaking of His glorious wordy
II has also been called the paradise OF all
doctrines. and have been amazed TO see
how many are here presented Pardon,
justification, sancthcaton, they are al
here II also has been represented as the
storehouse Of the Holy spIrit, Tor really IN
no part Of the Bible is He more wonder
fully presented. and IL has been spoken OF
as the school Of truth. for really nothing Is
omitted We might lose all the rest OF the
Bible but il we had this we would know
God and might find our way up 20 Him.
Through $50 verses David has been speak
ing Of al these things and has been talk'
ing Of God when suddenly as II he were
impressed with the fact that He OF whom
he had been speaking was near he bursts
out in the cry OF our text, Thou art near,
q Lord" II is n possible thing for one 20
preach so profoundly that he loses sight OF
Him Of whom he speaks; or Sunday
school teacher TO teach her lesson and al.
most 70 be unconscious OF the presence oi
Christ Of whom she has been teaching IL
is a good thing for us all 20 stop again and
again and say, Thou art near, q Lord,
for He is irdeed nearer TO US than any
earthly friend
Kindred texts. There are certain texts
in the Scripture which are akin 10 the one
] have chosen, as, for example, Psalm III:
5, "The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord IS
thy shade upon thy right hand" II the
Lord IS our keeper why need we 60 astray,
for He neither slumbers or sleeps. Psalm
"a. IS. is another text, "The Lord Is nigh
unto them that are OF a broken heart; and
sayeth such as be OF a contritc spirit
am sure ] am speaking for You all when
say there never has been heartache II we
have accepted our discipline es He intend
ed, that He has not been graclousiy near TO
us. Philippians the fourth chapter and the
fifth verse the last clause. is another Illus
Let your moderation be known unto all
men The Lord Is at hand Paul has
been speaking Of peace and the Joy OF
Christian fellowship, when suddenly he
speaks out like David OF old, The Lord -
at hand" and Immediately he begins with
this sentence, "Be careful for nothing" Oi
course we need be careful for nothing II
the Lord Is at hand, Tor lie will bear every
burden with Us and help US 10 overcome
every trial The 23d Psalm is another
beautiful illustration. II has been my
privilege within the past few days 20 SIT by
the death bed of a young man who may
even now be passing out into the eternity,
and when ! told him that the end had
come for him he said, 1T is a long journey
20 make alone. Is II notE' My only answer
was this 23d p IN, yea, though ] walk
! will fear no evil. for Thou art with me-
and he brushed the tears out Of his eyes
and said Then / am not afraid" nor
need we be az any time, for lie is always
with Us. We learn by contrast 20 admire
many things Those who have studied the
paintings Of Sir Noel Patton must have OBJ
served that part OF their peculiar beauty
hes, by a trick OF art, IN Their partial ugli-
ness. There are flowers and birds,
knights and ladies. possamer winged fairies
and children OF seraphic beauty, but IN the
corner Of the canvas, or Just az their feet,
some uucouth and loathsome form--a toad,
a lizard a SHINY suaIl-to lend, by con-
trast with It's repulTvoness, a loyelier
beauty 20 the rest. So IN ancient sculp-
ture the gr fin and the dragon grin among
the angel faces On the cathedral front,
neightening the surrounding beauty Of
their deiormi.y. Many Of the literary SIT
nations OF the New Testament powerfully
exhibit tins species Of contrast The twelve
disclples-one OF them D. q devil. Jesus
upon the cross. pure and regal-on either
side a thiei And here. az cOEspIcuOusy,
in this fifteenth chapter OF Luke, the most
exquisite painting in the Bib.e is touched
of az the foot with the black thunder
cloud oi the elder brother-perfect a. a
mere dramatic situation. And 30 here we
understand better that the Lord 70 by our
! side when we imagine for a moment all he
a away from us in Psalm Us. 9, we
read The Lord is on my side, ] will not
fear, what can man do unto me" This,
OF course. Is for the child OF God, but IN
/ Proverbs l5 q we read, The Lord is far
from the wicked. but he heafeth the pray
or Of the righteous" God pity us II we
stand IN this position. In Psalm Is5. IS.
We read, The Lord - nigh unto al them
that call upon Him, 20 al that call upon
1 contrasting statement for those who are
/ rot yet children q God We have the sol
cmn statement IN Proverbs -. Then
shall they cal upon Ne, but ] viii not an
swer they shall seek Ne early, but they
shall not find Ne"
II.
He y near There are 20 many ways in
which lie ls near 20 Js FIRST: IN creation.
I IL % a great mistake. however, 20 think
that We can find enough of God Iu nature
20 satisfy our souls for We cannot. There
/