Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-08-02
The NEARNESS OF GOD
Sunday Discourse BY Or. Chapman. the
Noted Pastor Evangelist.
Alphabet Of Divine Loye-Not Enough Of God
In Nature to Satisfy our Souls.

New YORK CIrY-The Rev. J. Wilbur
Chapman's sermons continue 10 excite the
greatest interest ard 70 give the greatest
satisfaction 10 that large body ct American!
peonle who demand 4 striking discourse for,
their weekly reading. The distinguished
pasta~-evangelist has prepared the follow
inc sermon for the n-ess. u Is entitled
"The Nearness ri Cod" and is preached
from tho text. Thou art near. o Lord
Pse'r Ito: 81
This text Is taken frorr ono OF tine long
est Psalms in the Bible but Il Is remarlla-
not ONLY on account NJ its length. hut
.use of its teaching. Like The celestial
1t lieth four SQUARE: the heishth and
ienth and the lnngth ard the breadth
are tho same. There Is bur one theme
II tho Psalm and that j. the word OF
and reminds one of nothing so much
diamond which as Won hn'd II as the
touches IL from every side it sends
70 al, hehoders the evidences Of lis
neanty and OF its worth. and this ll9th
Psalm Is the makeup OF the word nj God.
for every verse excent two. namely. the
1927 and the l22d refer IN some way TO
Gods word. and 1t Is mentioned either IN
der the figure of law. or testimonies, or
d. or nrecentS.
Ne writer Of this Psalm -,ust have been
red with the word % God as he knew
7 have heard o. an old Christian who
rreditatod his way through tho Bible three
times Surely this Is the secret OF a wholly
hannv life In 1850 ~ the time Of great
Political excitement William Wilberforce
made this note in his diary Il have walked
this morning from HYDE Park corner re-
peat'ng the 10th Psalm. and having great
comfort" Martin Luther said on COM
rerting on this Palm. David must have
shaken ever~ frr'it tree in Gods garden
and gathered fruit therefrom." like other
nortions OF the Scripture this Psalm has
been generally named. II has been called
the alphabet Of divine love- perhaps be-
cause OF its division. because il is separ-
ated into groups OF eight verses. and each
grouD Is under a letter of the Hebrew all
phabet until the alphabet is exhausted. IL
il really the Alpha and Omega of the word
of God. Tn the New Testament the incar-
nate word or Saviour u represented as the
Alpha and Omega. Nav IL not he because
the alphabet has been exhausted in display
ing to us His graces. and also because in
the Old Testament the alphabet has been
exhausted in speaking of His glorious words
II has also been called the paradise of all
doctrines. and / have been amazed to see
how many are here presented. Pardon
justification. sanctification. they ire ALI
here. II alsa has heen represented as the,
stOreh0use Of the Holy Shirt. for really in.
no part OF the Bible Is He more wonder
fuliv presented. and il has been spoken OF
~ 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.
sod and might find our way up TO Him..
Through !! verses David has been speak.
ing OF all ,aese things and has been talk
ing OF G. d. when suddenly "a il he were
,mpresse 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.
% Lord" II Is a possible thing for one to
preach so profoundly that he loses sight of
Him of whom he speaks; or Sunday
school teacher TO teach her lesson and al
most 10 he unconscious of the presence of
Christ Of whom she has been teaching. Il
: : good thing for US all to stop again and
for He Is indeed nearer TO US than any
earthly friend.
Kindred texts. There are certain texts
IN the Scripture which are akin to the one
] have chosen. as, Tor example. Psalm l2l:
3: The Lord is tiny keeper: the Lord is
thy shade upon thy right hand" If the
Lord - our keeper why need we go astray.
Tor lie neither slumbers or sleeps. Psalm
81: IS; * another text. "The Lord is nigh
unto them that are OF broken heart: and
saveth such as be Of contrite spirit"
am sure | am speaking for YOU all when |
say there never has been a heartache il we
have accented our discipline as He intend
ed, thar He has not been graciously near to
US Philippians the fourth chapter and the
hfth verse. the last clause is another illus
tration. and is verv much like the text,
Let yorr 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
at hand. and immediately he begins with
this sentence. BE careful for nothing" OF
course we need be careful for nothing ii
he Lord Is ut hand. for He will bear every
burden with US and helm us to overcome
every trial. The sd Psalm is another
beautiful Illustration. 1t has been nv
privilege within the past few DAYS to sit By
the death bed OF young man who NAV
even row De passing out into the eternity.
and when | told him that the end had
come tor him he said. 1T is long Journey
to make alone; is it mott" Nv only answer
was this 2Sd Psalm. Yea. though walk
through the valley of the shadow of death.
VII fear no evil. for Thou art with me-
and he brushed the tears out of his ewes
ana SAID: Then | am not afraid" nor
need we be at any time. for He is ALWAYS
with US. We learn by contrast to admire
many things. Those who have studied the
paintings OF Sir Noel Patton must have OBJ
served that part of their peculiar beauty
hes. oy trick OF art, in their partial ugli-
ness There are flowers and birds.
knights and ladies'. gossamer winged fairies
and children Of seraphic beauty. but in the
corner OF the canvas. or Just at their feet
some uneouth and loathsome form-a toad
lzlrd' a Shiny snail-to lend. by con.
tras; with its responsiveness. lovelier
beauty to the rest. So in ancient sculn.
ture the griffin and the dragon grin among
the angel faces on the cathedral front
neightening the surrounding beauty of
thelr detormity. Many of the literary sit.
iations OF the New Testament powerfnl,v
EXHIBIT this species of contrast. The twelve
ciscipies-one Of them is a devil Jesns
upon the cross. pure and regal-on either
SIDE thief. And here, as conspicuonsIr
IN TINS fifteenth chapter OF Luke. the most
exquisite painting in the Bible i touched
- ~ the loot with the black thunder
~ oi tae sier orcther-perfect as a
underltuation. And so here we /,
side VIZ taat the Lord is by our |,
is awFgine Tor moment all He |
read. =: In Psalm lis: s. we
fear: :, Is on my side; | will not
of coa1l:!n do unto me?' This
Prover, the child Of God, but in |
from tre read, The Lord is far
er OF but lie heareth the pray |
stand lis God pity US If we |
we readtion. In Psalm l45: is |
that caFd Is nigh unto all them |
Him in m, to all that call upon |
contrast lie II we would know the |
,ent for fbnza