The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-06-05
A SUNDAY SERMON
DR.. CHAPMANS REGULAR DISCOURSE
From Bethel to BetheI-A Period of
Thirty Years - Where Is Your
Bethel?


the following eloquent sermon to the
press. It was preached from the text
'Tet US arise and so up to Bethel" Gene
sis 35: 8.
doubt not YOU have frequently seen the
sky when throughout a long day it has
been overcast with clouds, only now and
then the sun would break forth but TOR 4
moment and then the curtain would be
drawn together once more and only. the
clouds were to be seen. To me this Is an
illustration of the life OF Jacob. The sun
breaks through at Bethel. and while this
seems to be a mixing of figures. for the
hour of the vision was in the night. vet the
glory of heaven was upon him brighter
than the shining of the sun. 1t pushes
its wav through at Peniel, once more
appears in his pathetic love for Joseph,
and later in his dignfed appearance in the
presence of Pharaoh. but for the most
part his was life with a cloudy sky, and
vet there are few stories more interesting.
What Peter is to the New Testament
Jacob is to the Old. The Bible would
hardly be complete without the accounts
OF these two remarkable men. When we
read of the Saviour of Peter" we are
comforted, for we find ourselves saving,
"If Jesus can save such . man as Peter,
Transforming him from the fisherman to
writer of Epistles, there is hone for every
one of US" We read about the "God OF
Jacob" and are inspired, for there. are few
of us to-day whose lives are so deceitful,
whose characters are so questionable as
Jacobs, and yet he became Israel the
Prince. Is anything too hard for the
From Bethel to Bethel is a good subject
growing out of such text. Thirty years
of time stretch out between the two eX-
periences, and yet in these thirty wears
Jacob passes through much that is beyond
ordinary interest. as, for example. his ex-
periences with I.aban, when he toiled four
teen wears for his beloved Rachel: the pros
means and foul. his struggling with the
angel at Jabbok's Ford and his tarrving
at Shechem contrary to the command OF
God. for in it all he was never satisfied,
for hold it true that if one has once been
to Bethel nothing else can satisfy. and II
we have ever had vision OF heaven the
earth ever afterward seems dull and unln-
teresting.
After all this varied experience Jacob is
at Bethel once again. 1t is not much IN
itself. just long range of hills running
north and south. the eastern slope de-
scending to the Jordan and the. western
slope stretching away toward the more
thicklv populated part of the country.
Through the valley before us illustrous
travellers in all the history Of the Holy
Land have made their journey, and up the
rough mountain road people have climbed
with great delight There is no house IN
sight and no animals are to be seen eX.
cepting now and then an eagle or a wild
mountain goat. but to Jacob it was g.
cred place. There the first night of his
flight from Esau he saw the ladder which
linked earth to heaven. the ladder which
was thronged with angels performing their
heavenly ministry, and he heard the voice
of God. There are some words we cannot
speak without arousing the tenderest emo
tions and the holiest memories. Mother
is such an one / we'll remember preach
ing to a crowd of rough miners IN the
mountains, holding their interest passabiy
we'll until I spoke this matchless, name,
when all faces were softened and tears
were seen in many eyes. Home is another
such word You doubtless remember the
soldiers at Sebastopol, brave men who
were ready to die, many of whom did die,
bursting into tears as they heard the
band OF musicians playing Home, Sweet
Home" and Bethel was such a word to
Jacob. 1t stirred the best that was in him,
and was the summons OF God bidding his
better nature to arouse itself.
We have all of us had our Bethels. Some
Of us are separated from them by the
dreary lapse of time, and between those
happy days and our present unsatisfactory
experience days, weeks, months and even
years stretch out, we say it to our shame.
For some of US an active business life has
separated us from Bethel, and yet this is
positively unnecessary. "Not slothful in
business, fervent in spirit, serving the
Lord" and if there is anything in your
business that dampens your spiritual ar
dor. or blinds your vision Of Christ, either
your business is wrong or you are wrong
yourself.
With some a foreign residence lies be.
tween us and Bethel. Back in the old
country we were most faithful and devoted
to Christ and constantly serving the
church, but in this free land we have for.
cstten our vows, we have made the fatal
mistake of leaving God out of our calcula-
tions, and somehow seem to forget the
words of the Psalmist, "If take the wings
of the morning and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the earth and the sea Thou art
there" We might have been in fellowship
with God all these days if we would.
Where was your Bethel? Perhaps in
some little church where on certain oc-
casion YOU forgot the minister and the one
sitting by your side and had vision of
glory. or in some home where poverty
abounded, but you were utterly unmindful
Of it. The house was filed with heaven,
and down to every pillow was sent the lad.
der. up and down which angels of God
made their way. Or it may have been in
some other land where you had vision
of God, and while we may not make the
Journey back to these places in the flesh
we can 60 back in thought and meet Him;
Shall we not do so? AS many as God
loves He reminds constantly of neglected
duties sometimes using conscience, some.
times His providences; to-day in the loss of
property He speaks, tomorrow in the de-
parture of health, again in the death of a
friend. 1t would be good thing if we
sLa..lL etor, and Listen To His warning and