The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-16
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
A SUNDAY. DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
PASToR.svANcEllsT.
Subject: RevivinR Old customs-Lsss"ns
From the Life or Isaac-Better Had He
Died Upon the Altar-No Nah So Bad
m Some Parts OF His Career.

From the Life or Isanc-Better Had He
Died Upon the Altar-No Nah So Bad
n Some Parts OF His Career.
NEW YORK CiTr.-It may now be stated
as a fact that the sermons oil the Kew;
DR.. J. Wilbur CHAPMAN are heard and
read by more people than are those OF
any American pulpit orator. His style
seems to have made a deep impression on
that portion Of the public which likes to
read its discourse in the weekly paper.
For these admirers DR.. Chapman has pre-
pared the following sermon, entitled Ne
viying Old Customs" 1t is preached IRON
the text Genesis %: Is. "And 1saac digeed
again the wells OF water which they had
dirged in the days Of Abraham, his faith
er."
There are three names in the New Testa.
ment inseparably bound together. we
rarely think of one without having imme'
diately suggested to US the names OF the
other two. These three are Peter, James
and John. They were specially chosen OF
Christ for conspicuous service; and were
the particular objects of His divine aftec:
ton. There are three names in the Old
Testament quite as intimately associated:
and one can scarcely speak the name OF
one of the three without finding himself
running at once in speech to the other
two. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob form the
Old Testament trio ] do not know how
familiar you are with the story OF Isaac.
I have found myself that I knew very NJ
tie about him. ] was quite familiar with
the account Of the intended sacrifice on
Mt. Moriah, and the fascinating story OF
his meeting with Rebckah; but concerning
other incidents Of his life knew very Ut.
tie. Az n matter of fact Isaac does not
show of to advantage between Abraham
on the one side Of him and Jacob on the
other: Abraham because OF what he was,
tine father of the faithful. and Jacob be-
cause of what he became. for by the power
Of God he was changed from Jacob. the
cheat, to Israel the prince. having power
with God and with men. and one cannot
helm but feel a. he reads the whole story
of Isaac's life that it would have heen bet.
ter for him had he died upon the. altar.
BE made q snlendid start in life. but SO
did Noah and Lot, and so have many OF
you. but that Is not enough. At the be-
ginning OF his career Isaac goes away be-
vond the Others whose names have men.
toned. We are 40 taken mp with Ahra.
ham and his willingness to offer bis son
that somehow we have FORGOTTEN lsaac's
willingness to be offered. He really made
n splendid start. and was most estimable
Young man. If we look at single verse
in his career we say what an excellent
man, and il we look at others we find cur.
relves exclaiping, How mean BE- vs." and
vet 30 It is with our own lives. Men must
not be Judged by one paragraph in our ex'
perienee. Gee,
not to be read through az II II were one
sentence: it must be broken up into verses
and they are strangely punctuated. we
cannot take one verse out OF mans life
and say that n the man. for one verse
would make him too good. while another
would make him quite too bad. am very
sure TINT You are not quite 70 good NJ some
acts of your life would lead men to believe.
am equally sure that no man is quite 20
bad as some parts Of his life story would
lead NJ to think him. It is a great ercour.
agement to know that the reading OF the
story Of OUT lives is . matter OF divine elo-
cution. Some men read the most interest
ing book. an1 make it prosy. while others
who know how to read read the most IN
interesting production. and behold, It :
thrilling. Il is said that Edwin Booth
could saw the Lords Prayer in such way
a to bring the tears to your eyes. What
A ioy it is to know that our story IL to be
read by one who read the scroll in the svn'
apogue, and read it in such a way that
men contested whether he was reading the
old scroll or not. As He reads our lives
humble though they nav have been, they
viii expand into q noble eloquence. We
are perfectly safe with His Interpretation
Of our acts.
There. are certain texts akin TO this. a..
for example. Whose fan y. IN his band:
Il is q good thing that the fan il not in our
own hands for we would be unjust. and
equally GOOD that It il not in our enemies
hands. for thev would be ofttimes cruel
but with the fan in His hand there Will
come to US not one touch OF discipline ou'
what we need.
The subject Of wells is interesting. In
Oriental times a well OF water was Tor
tune. When a king dug n well he became
"a famous as if he had built pyramid
Great battles were fought to gain posses.
sion of wells and mighty conGuests waged
for their defense. Castles and towers were
erected to secure their possession. Aora'
ham dug at least four wells; how many
more do not know. but these four were
filed in by the Philist:nes. and it IL with
their reouening that we have to do in the
text. ! like to speak Of wells because there
Is music in the very sound Of the word
In Isaiah, the twelfth chapter. second
and third verses, we read. BEHOLD. God
IL nv salvation; I will trust. and not be
afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my
strength and nv song: he also is become
my salvation. Therefore with Joy shall. 70
draw water out Of the wells Of salvation y
This is not only an Old Testament figure
but New, for Jesus said. But whosoever
drinketh Of the water that / shall give
him shall never thirst: but the water that
I shall give him shall be in him vel! o.
water sprinoine up into everlasting life
John &: u. Therefore the gospel in well
and you haye never had q drink OF spring
water a. you have been weary in yonE
tramp up the mountains or across the
plain that could compare with the refresh
ing influence OF drink OF the water Of life
from the we'll OF salvation. Some OF you
have had sorrow. your hearts have been
almost breaking. you have wondered where
you might find help; stoop and drink this
morning of this old gospel well. Some Of
you have failed. and indeed who has not in
this awful struggle of life. but in your fail
ure you have wondered il there could ever
be restoration; stoop and drink this morn.
ing, and you will find that as YOU drink
you will take IN of His life. and this is the
secret OF victory over sin. Some OF you
are exceedingly weak. and you dare not
trust yourself for another day. ! bid YOU
drink OF the water of the well Of salvation.
and you will find strange new strength
taking possession Of you. Isaiah IS: IT,
These wells had names. 1t is little sin
gular as we study the story of Abraham
snd Isaac to tind the names gwen to the
wells, and likewise singular that in these
names we find revelation OF our own ex.
perience in the journey of life.
First, the first well was named Strife.
We have all had drink at this well. We
have had it in our business as we have
been striving for success; We have met d,
in our homes Us We have aimed to conduct
them as homes should eyer be conducted