The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-05-01
THE DISCOURAGED MAN
Sunday Discourse by DR.. Chapman, the
Noted Pastor.EvangeIist.
most People Dissatisfied Because They Lead
Too Artificial a Life.

second only TO LIT. Ihimage, Dut since the
death Of that famous preacher DR. Chap
man has the undisputed possession of the
Pulpit as the preacher to influence the
Dlain people. His services as an evangel
st are in constant demand. His sermons
have stirred the hearts of men and women
to degree unapproached by any latter
dav divine. j. Wilbur Chapman was born
in Richmond, I1d., June II, 1859. His
mother died when he was but twelve
Years Of age, and his father died seven
years afterward Consequently he was
not only deprived OF mothers care at
the formative age of boyhood, but he was
thrown upon his own resources before he
had reached early manhood. He was edu-
Gated at Ooerlin College and Lake Forest
University and graduated for the ministry
from the Lane Theological Seminary, Gin.
cinnati, Ohio, in 1889. While there he
manifested the character and the spirit
which have followed him as an evangelist
ministry a continual success as pastor and
as q rcvivalist. His sermons are simple
and direct, SO that their influence is not
SO much due to exciting the emotions a.
to winning the hearts and convincing the
minds of those who hear him. DIR. Chap
nan is now III charge of the Fourth Pres
byterian Church, New York City.]
NEW YORK CITy.-The Rev. DR.. j Will
bur Chapman, Americas most famous pas
tor.evangelist, who took charge of a mori
bund church in this city several years ago,
and is now preaching TO an overfowine
congregation, has furnished the following
eloquent sermon to the pres. 1t was
preached from the text: / Kings, 10: a.
''But he himself went a days journey into
the wilderness, and came and sat down
under juniper tree, AID h, requested for
himself that he might die"
The history of Elijah begins with the
with the word "and.' The preceding
chapter tells us of the idolatry Of the peo
pie Of the reign of lawlessness and the
apparent triumph of iniquity. 1t seemed
as il the end of all things had come, and ]
suppose everybody living in that time
thought so, but it this was the impression,
the fatal mistake had been made because
God is left out of all consideration. 1t ia
we'll for us to remember that He is never
at a loss. The land may be overrun with
niquity, His witnesses may be sienced,
but all the time He is preparing man in
some quiet village as He prepared Elijah,
and at the right time He will send him
forth with no uncertain testimony! There
is really no place for pessimism in the
kingdom OF Cod He has never made
failure in the past. He never will in the
future. "If God be for US, who can be
against u.s." 1t is literally true that when
the enemy comes in like a food this spirit
VI tuc toto ohoii hib UP a btdhdutu ubdiuSb
him.
The story of Elijah is most interesting
and we trace him from his sudden appear
ance here flashing. like a meteor upon the
scene OF action, down to Cherith, where
he il fed by the ravens, over to Zarephath
where he relieves the distress of the wom
an who meets him, but the most remark
able scene in his life is on Mt. Carmel
where, facing the prophets of Baal, after
their inability to call down fire from heav.
en- hesproduces the fire from the very
hand OF. God, which consumed the sacri.
fee, licks up the water in the trenches
and gives him victory OF a most remarka.
BILE kind. The prophets of Baal are dis.
tressed, and the news concerning their de-
feat is carried to Jezebel. She is intensely
angry, and declares that Elijah shall be as
her prophets are at a certain hour of the
day Instead of looking up to Cod and
triumphing over this wicked woman Eli
iah does quite the opposite, and thus it is
that the text Is written to describe his sad
fall.
How are the mighty fallen! 1t would
be difficult to imagine. man in whose life
there was more of real contrast now he ia
master in prayer and the pendulum which
swings one way toward glory swings in
Lis life in tne other direction toward de-
spair, and the prayer for victory becomes
wall OF distress; now he is locking up
the heavens and holding the key and APP
parently at his own will the rain tarries or
falls, and now utterly dismayed he is rush
ing to the wilderness and wishing that he
might die, but Elijah is not alone in this
desire. The most of men have at one time
or another wished that they might end all.
Moses did, "And if Thou deal thus with
me, kill me, pray Thee, out OF hand. if
have found favor in Thy sight, and let me
not see my wretchedness." Numbers IL:
10. So also did Jonah, Therefore now, o
Lord, take, ] beseech Thee, my life from
me; for it is better for me to die than to
Apostle Paul said, II am in a strait be-
:yixt two, having desire to depart and to
be with Christ" but the trouble with the
most OF us is we want to die our own way
Elijah was not willing to die at the hand
Of Jezebel, but he was quite ready to sleep
himself away into insensibility under the
juniper tree in the desert. Elijah made a
great mistake in running away. If he had
stood his ground he might have saved his
country, prevented the captivity Of the
people, for doubt not the 1000 that had
not bowed the knee 10 Baal would have
come forth, and they would have rushed
forward conquering and to conquer, but
Elijah is picture of ourselves, and we all
like him have been times without number
under the juniper tree. The object of this
sermon is to ask the question, "Why we
are thus discouraged" and then to deter
mine il possible what the difficulty was
with Elijah.
Why are we! There are thousands of
people to-day who are utterly dissatisfied
with life because they are living too artih-
esl an experience. We have very many
things that our ancestors did not possess.
The possession of these things ought to
bring to us great blessings in every way,
but as a matter of fact il is true that
naithat hanniupae ErOtharlxr lOya M
power nor good have been increased in
the least We have indeed gone in the OPP
poste direction, and many Of us are Of
all men most miserable. We are discon-
tented because we are trying to be some
thing that we are not. The business man
thinks he must keep pace with his compet-
itor whatever the cost to himself, and in a
little time he finds himself out OF his lati-
lude In society thousands Of people are
aping the customs and manners OF those
who are in IN entirely different set from
themselves, by whose .ide they can never
stand, and ii they did they would be only
the more unhappy. and there are thousands
Of homel where instead OF living simple
hfe the members OF the household are liv-
ing at a pace that is terrific, and all this
Is killing the business man, the society
woman, he parents aud the children, and
instead Of possessing JOY and peace we are
under the juniper tree. The THIRST for
pleasure IN these days is so great that we
have become absolutely unscrupulous in our
attempts To gain the objects Of our de.
sires. We. ought to be satisfied with Just
tvit NJ t..4