Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-09-18
The THREE DENIALS.
Sunday Discourse By DR.. Chapman, the
Noted PastOr.Evangelist.
An Analyst, Of a Child.fiearted, Maynard,
Generous Biblical Character-Lord
Awaits to Forgive and Forget.

BILE and helpful sermon is by the Rev. Dr.
J. Wilbur Chapman, the best known evan
gelst in the country and oRe OF the most
popular pulpit, orators Of New a YORK wat al
preached from the text; Now Peter sat
without in the palace" Matt xxvi' SO.
This is the master stroke Of the great
artist in painting the picture Of this child
hearted maynard, generous, loving man
whom we know as Peter. 1t is one of the
shadows in the picture, but the shadow
help us to appreciate the more the light
II is a single sentence, and yet IN 1T we
find the secret of a souls downfall, the
cause OF the heartache of the Son Of God,
and note of warning for Gods people
everywhere.
Peter was in dangerous position. First
of ALL because he sat in the presence OF
the enemy. In the first Psalm the warning
is given 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
scornlul," and this last is the most hu !,1;
position of all. Poor Peter was sitting
down. He also is to be pitied because he
sat without" There is circle within
which every child of God must keep if he
would have both peace and power. 1T in
imagination we take a compass in our
hand and set one point at the place where
we would have the centre and with the
other point describe the circle, we have the
picture Of the Christian life. 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 to keep in touch with Christ.
To sit without is to be in danger, and poor
Peter had stepped outside.
With all my heart | love to 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 it may be a
companion of it, and carry the name of
Nov Peter"
The first service that | can find that
Peter ever rendered unto Christ is record.
cd in Luke, fifth chapter, and the third
verse: "And He entered into one of the
ships. which was Simon's, and prayed him
that he would thrust out little from the
land. And He 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. Ia it not
true that much of the great work that we
find about us to-day hegins in Just 80 hum.
bic fashion as did the work of Peter:
like to study him in 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 epistles would thus head the
list. II is when we stand on the seashore
Mt night that we see the phosphoresccnce
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 him in his preaching, for
It is just the kind that everybody ought to
he able to do. You may say that it was
simply 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 in another place. it is
all that Peter said that the Holy Spirit
thought worth recording
| like him for his sincerity. You can
read him at glance. He could not be a
hypocric 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, they always loved him.
| like him for his promptness. He was
the first to 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 for his intensity. II is true
he made mistakes, but the pendulum swung
rs far toward uprightness as it did toward
failure.
My text is to he read in connection with
his denial, and thus we begin the more to
appreciate the story. Christ had given
HIM warning when He said, Simon, Satan
hath desired thee that he may sift thee as
wheat and again when He said. This
MIGHT vnu shall no homr1 nf NJ, - and
''beiora the cook crow thou shalt deny Me
thrice lie warns hS. too.
The oak that goes down in the midst OF
the storm does SO because through the
long years its heart has been eaten away
by the worm. The soul of the child of God
is never overthrow suddenly. and if 1t
goes down it is because it has steadily lost
TO cause alarm. If You should fail to.mor,
row you will doubtless find Il cause il
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 today, means the denial of to-mor
row.
1t is not to be forgotten that there were
three denas. When Jesus was taken
into the presence of those who were to con
denim Him Peter followed and wanted to
go IN, too. 1t is said in Johns Gospel that
another disciple, who was known unto the
high priest, had gone in with Jesus. and
tins. OF course, must have been John: they
doubtless knew him at the door and hi
passed through without question. Wher
he saw that Peter was not in he went to
the door and secured his admission.
can just imagine how Peter must have
walked up and down the court, now sitting
now sta lding, now trembling for his safe
ty. for in those days as to-day, conscience
makes towards of us all"
The first denial was at the wicket gate
To the little girl that admitted him to the
court he said:
Il know Him not"
lie might have taken warning and gone
back if he had but remembered the word.
of Christ, for he was Just at the edge Of
the circle; one side meant peace and the
other side despair
doubt not that some one who reads
these words has Just passed through the
wicket gate turning away from a life Of
blessedness, and possibly has denied hs
Master for the first time. From the heart
of the infinite Christ cry goes out to such
an one:
Turn We. turn We, for why will We die?'
The second denial was at the fire, wher
he sat with his enemies, and when he sale
with an oath:
Il tell you, know Him mott
Alas many OF us have gone through thu
wicket of denial, and dare to-day sitting
with His enemies. hardly knowing how we
reached the position To all such the cry
of God comes: Come out from AMONG
them and be We separate" The world ha.
always been the enemy of the Son of God
and he who allows himself to be in touch
with it in the least will deny his Master
before he is aware of it.
The third denial was to the relative Of
Malchus, whose ear he had cut off in his
supposed defense of his Master For this
attack upon his fellow man he was doubt
less, amcnable to the law, and possibly