The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-06-20
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
4 SUNDAY DISCOURSE 6Y THE NOTED
PISToR.EvANceIIs
subject: why Men should Attend chareh
-Motives which should Not Influence
the neutrality-suspicious. Would Reiapse
Into Barbarian without Gods Temple

T.
Chapman. the popular pastor-evanzelist OF
the Fourth Presbyterian Church OF this
| city. ha- delivered a sermon IA which he
set forth the reasons why men should at
tend church. He preached from the text,
And He said unto them Come ye your
selves apart into desert place and rest
awhile" Mark g: 81.
John the Baptist had been beheaded
| and his dLsciples were IN confusion. They
were truly as sheep without a shepherds
I The apostles had heard OF the disaster,
| and came 20 Jesus 10 tell Him OF all the
things that had come 20 pass. and then il
was that He spoke 10 them IN the words
1 of the text, And He said unto them,
. Come ye yourselves apart into desert
place and rest awhile; for there were
many coming and going. and they had no
leisure 50 much as 20 eat i am very well
aware that 70 some OF you this may seem
an inappropriate text, for if the church Is
desert then IN itself II presents 20 us the
/ reason why so many men are away from
! t. and why there seems 20 be a growing
! indifference 10 its claims. Alas. II is true
too often the church IS a desert place. IL
! viii not help Us any IN our efforts 20 lead
men to attempt to blind our eyes TO the
/ condition OF things. A desert l. spot
/ without water without habitation, a place
. OF death and despair. and this j. true OF
every church where anything - substituted
for the gospel. where the whole truth IL
.
/ sauted 20 dying men. The sermons may
be perfect so far as their literary excellence
/ - concerned, but without the gospel. as
the heart they are sounding brass and tlnk.
/ linz symbol in the estimation OF Him who
. - the great head OF the church Then again
the verse in which the text Is found pre-
/ sents us a picture of the world. The Mas
ter called the apostles aside TO rest, for
| there were many coming and going, and
! they had no leisure so much as TO eat.
! This L. indeed a representation OF the busl.
ness life of the most OF men. The pace il
terrific and If any man fails TO keep step
| with his competitor in business ne u soon
| left behind and is counted out OF the race.
One OF the greatest needs OF the day for
| men in all departments OF life. whether il
be IN the shop, with the ordinary day la
borer or with the great merchant in his
business, or the famous lawyer at the
court, one Of the greatest needs OF the day
| IL for rest. Rest does not necessarily mean
idleness; when men rest as ! have it in
| mind thev get their best conception of God.
they work out their greatest plans for the
future, they become in the truest sense a.
God would have them.
Leonardo da Ninci tine great painter,
was once employed bv the Emperor TO pro-
duce a picture. which was 10 be finished
bv certain date. After working some
| time at his task, however, the artist alb
sented himself from his studio FOR a week
or more. doing apparently nothing toward
| completing the picture The Emperor hear.
( ing of this sent a courtier TO demonstrate
with the painter, and when the latter did
not meet the remonstrance commanded
him to come 10 the royal presence. WHY
I have you neglected the painting of the pic-
ture we have ordered" was the question
sternly put 10 the artist. II have not neg
lected it. sir was the answer. But we
, know that you have not had the brush in
/ those oh "a
dering Emperor True. sir" said the art
ist. "but nevertheless the picture has
grown. the work Of the brush il the laasr
10 be done IN producing a painting The
last week ! have been awav from nv studio
It is true but wherever | went that pic
ture has been IN my mind, and slowly and
steadily have been getting into place the
figures to be put upon the canvas. The
picture, sir, viii be done at the stated
time and It was and this picture Is TO-
day regarded as the greatest work of the
Eamous painter.
Men cannot carelessly approach a great
work, For the disciples il was "Tarry ye.
before the going forth 20 service. and this
is necessary not only in religious life. but IN
all denartments of life. In n paDer not long
ago under the caption "Why do we 90 to
church, the following was suggested:
Because It is the fashion.
Because II has become a habit.
Because il is respectable.
Because we like the minister
Because we enjoy the music and other at
fractions
Because we feel lonesome when we do
not 90.
Because we sing in the choir or are Off
cla's and must go.
Because parental authority enjoins 1t.
Because it helps business.
Are any of these the motives that move
you to attend church? Some of them may
have a subordinate place in ones actions
but they should never become n prominent
or a dominant force Why should we go to
church? For hundred legitimate reasons
chief among which are these:
Because the church is the tabernacle OF
the Most High.
Because it has always been the symbo
and centre OF worship.
Because He plainly promises to meet Us
| there.
Because we need the help the church af
fords
Because Others need the force of our ex
ample.
Because OF the JOY we find in public anc
social worship
Because without the church the comnu
nifty and nation would soon lapse into bar
barjsm.
Because close fellowship with Gods peo
pie here Is the truest road TO the life here
after
ll - Il IdCI lndL men are not dlltuulNa
church. and it cannot be true that this i
altogether the fault of the non-attcndant
themselves This is a cold world IN vhicl
we hve and naturally the world want
warm words, warm smiles, warm welcomes
warm hearts, warm prayers and the warn
spirit of brotherhood. and men have q rIgh
tn expect that the church which represent
Christ upon earth shall exhibit all OF theS
things. The man of the world does no
stay away from the church because there /
too much ot the Spirit OF God IN It, On
, rather because there Is too little. Tn
church must be united II the unsaved worl,
is 20 be drawn TO il.
~ the charge of Fort Donaldson In tn
, late war the enemy's works had been a;
tackled many times by the different compl
MES AZ last wearied Of their fruitless e
, forts the Union forces for the most par
, massed themselves az the foot OF the hi
and advanced together They came on u
2 such numbers and with unbroken line tha
2 . nothing could withstand their progres.
| They gained the heights and unitediy wo
a victory which their divided forces cou
. never have obtained. When the Spirit q
! / Christ shah make the church as one grca
. body compelling us 90 march under one grel
: 4 banner OF the cross then We may eEDeC
: victory. Division has ever driven me
away from the church; where u exists
. breeds contempt and disgust \ distis
guished man has written me the reaso
e that some men d, nos attend church is b,
. cause they are impatient az ;he attempt
- made by the ministers 20 preach on sue
subjects A. nuance. politics. literature ar
art Tne ordinary minister has had ,itt'
experience m these lines 90 which otre