The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-05-15
BOW OF PROMISE.
DR., CHAPAAHS SUNDAY S;nMG,>
A Message OF llop: TO Z Lost WI
Gods Promise IN tiie D>w Tr
Spans the Clouds.


plain people. His services as an evangei-
ist are IL constant demand. His sermons
have stirred the hearts OF men and women
to a degree unapproached by any latter
day divine j. Wilbur Chapman was born
in Richmond. Ind, June Il, 1859. lie was
educated at 0ner.in College ard Lake For
est University, and graduated for the mn
istry from ire Lane Theological Semln-
arv. Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1852. His ser
mGrs are simole and direct. so that their
influence is 10: so much due to exciting
the emotions as to winning the hearts and
convincing the minds of those VINO hear
him. Dr.. Chapman is now in charge OF
the Fourth Presbyterian Church, New
York City.l
New YORK CITY.-The following sermon
is one prepared Tor publication b. the
Rev J. Nlbar Chapman, Americas best
known evangelist, who Is now preaching to
ove-nowi9g congregations IN this city. u
is entitled The Dow III the Cloud. and IS
founGcd on the text, Genesis 8: l3, Il do
set Nv bow in the cloud, and it shall be
for . token OF a covenant between Me and
the Garth.
Ii may seem at first thought as ii this
were quce? text TO choose from which TO
give gospel message, and yet all the
WORKS OF God are so wonderful that one
has but to get the key to unlock the door
leaGin; into them to ind them filed with
sweetness and with hep. The rainbow is
no exception to this rue. It Is hardly
possible for one 10 look upon the bow that
spans the clouds after q storm without an
exclamation OF delight.
Ore would think tnat 1t would grow mo-
EosoHous, for we hare seen 1t so many
TINES bat quite the opposite IS true. sun
sets differ: they are as unlike as two things
could possibly be- Indeed, * must lie true
that one is never like the oth2". But rain
bows are always The same. And Yet in
spite OF this VIC axe charmed as we lock,
and inspired as we study.
TIE lirst mention OF a bow is In the
text: 1t IS not said that this IS the iirst
time the rainbow has appeared for from
the very nature OF the case it has always
been in existence since the worlds began
to Ee, bat this is said 10 bc the first Use
of i. The last mention OF a RAINBOW Is
Revelation (: 8: And He that sat was TO
loo. upon Ikea jasper and sardine stone;
ard there was IL rainbow roGnd about the
throne, IN sight like unto an emerald"
You notice that the expression used IS
"roull about the throne and here Tor the
first time we find rainbow IN complete
circle.
We nave only seen the hall of it here,
which is surely an illustration OF the fact
that in this world at best we only get the
half OF things We only get the half OF
truth. Take the great doctrine OF the
Atomement; who is able to understand it:
But it is very helpful to know that we are
not obliged to understand it, but only TO
receive it. God IS satisfied with it, and
Hc July comprehcnds it, and when we
stand with Him in glory we shall see the
other half OF the bow, and our hearts shall
flNah hals NT Ii 70
At its best it is mystery. Over and over
again, waen we wanted to so to the right
we were compelled 70 turn to the left, and
a thousand times because OF our perplcz!-
ties and trials we have cried aloud:
How can these things be-
But we must learn the lesson that we
must trust Him where we canno. under
stand Him. The day will come, when
seated at His feet we shall see the other
half Of .hc bow of our life, and we shall
know indeed that all things have worked
together for good.
The last mention of the bow in Revela.
ton tells Us that it is to be like an emeT-
aid. This is certainly very strange, Tor
one has never beheld green rainbow
here. Six other co!ors must be added to X
TO make it complete. The color, however,
is not without its suggestiveresS. Green
is the color that always rests the eye. 1t
is fcr this reason that the hilisides, the
waving branches OF the tree, and the grass
beneath our feet, are so restfu on a sum-
ner day is rot this a hint that heaven
is place of rest as well as beauty:
There. are three primal co!ors in the
rainbow, red, yellow and blue. II YOU
drop the red and put the yellow and blue
togethe. YOU have green as result. Red
is tle color OF suffering. Surely. it Is Z
hint as TO the thought that when one
passes through the gates Of pearl ne leaves
suffering behind him. There is to be no
red mark in heaven. Christ finished HIS
slGerincs upon Calvary, and never 4 panS
shall meet Him again. We finish our SUI
feriHcS, TOO, when we say goodbye to this
weary road we have travelled. and the gate
O; heaven that shuts lis in shuts suffering
or.
THE CLOUD.
We know what the Cloud was for Noah
(for this text WHICH l have quoted has 10
do with hiIll. ard Cloud in Noah,s day
was not an'ii:e the c,oud OF Yesterday:
bur N the thought OF the sermon the cloud
Is sin.
Il would make ore heaTtsick 70 read the
his.cr;: OF s.n. First, in the wo..d, begin
niaS with Adam. going to Noah, reaching
tire how,inl mob about the cross on Ca
vary. coming down to the present day,
when the who!c world seems - be touched
with is ncw22. the most terrible thing lr
tic world Is sin. Second. in the home.
biisnti2g and blasting that which is a
~ CT hcGvcn. and wreckinS that which
Ga ,2eanr - be safe vessel to carry Il.
Through the tuimoils and strife ever round
about u.s. Third. III our own heart, giving
US wrong conceptions OF God. and draS-
ging US toward hell. even against. our will.
The blackcst thing in all the world is sin.
Tie c,oud does two things: C 1t OBJ
scures the sun The cloud OF sin does the