Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-11-08
"POWEROF A GREAT IDEAL"
SUNDAY Discourse by DR.. Chapman. the
Noted Pastor Evangelist.
bse:tiiui Sermon on the Comfort and Hap.
ein.ss OF fiaying an Ideal TO Anchor
One to th: Better Things Of Life,

Ii you look at the top of this Psalm you
will read the Michtam of David. There
are differences OF opinion as to the mean.
ing Of this expression. Some have said
that 1t means victory. and this would seem
to be true, since there is 4 particular
Psalm bearing the same title, whose sub
ject matter Is on various themes. but all OF
which end in triumph. Psalm SC. Thou
hast delivered my soul from DEATH"
Psalm 81. My heart is fixed. / will sing
and give praise" Psalm rs. There is a re
ward for the righteous" Psalm 50. God
is my defense aud the God of my mercy
Psalm 90, Through God We shall do va
!iantly"
There are Others who saw that the ex.
preston means golden. and so we might
infer from the margin. which means that
il is worthy OF being written in letters OF
gold. and may have been in some conspicu
Gus place in the temple. At any rate we
know that its truth is better than gold:
yea. than much fine gold. There are still
others who declare that its meaning il
precious. and certain it is that it is a pre-
cious privilege to walk with Christ even
before us.
$50 on 90. not knowing.
| would not If | might.
I'D rather walk in the dark with God.
Than 90 alone in the light.
I'd rather walk bv faith with Him,
Than go alone by sight
Some teachers say that the meaning oil
the expression is secret. and what follows
it is hidden truth. Certainly it is true
that the secret OF the Lord is with them
that fear Him." and there is a secret place
of the Most High The first is learned
when we walk with Him. the second is
reached at the end of the journey. But ii
you nut all these interpretations together
you have the golden Psalm of the precious
secret. which would seem to he fitting
introduction TO all that follows. This
Psalm is about Christ. We know it. be
cause Peter said. For David snealeth con.
corning Him. l foresaw the Lord ALWAYS
before my face; for lie is on INV right
hand. that I should not be moved" Act.
2: D. If David could have strength by
looking forward to Christ. what may ] moi
have as ! look back at His history and life
in the power OF His presence by the Holy
Spirit.
1t is the instinct Of human sonl to have
an ideal Every child hss The boy long.
to be like his father. The Girl has desire
to resemble her mother. What a RESPONSE
bility rests upon each. Men and women
have whether they viii acknowledge it or
not. They long to be like some one else
The musician mas his Mendelssohn. the
poet his Shakespeare. the artist his Da
Vanei. the preacher his Spurgeon David
knew this and so he said. Il have SET the
Lord always before me: because He is ut
my right hand. | shall not be moved" TIC
initiate any one else in the world is to be
come ridiculous. but 1t is remarkable that
people all over the world may seek to mi.
tate Christ and be the better for it. Let
it be noted that this Is definite expe.
rience o. conclusion which David has
reached. insist upon the definition of il
because il is scriDtural. Notice Romans G:
10, Neither yield We your members as in.
-.
yield yourselves unto God. as those that
are alive from the dead. and your members
as instruments of Righteousness unto God
And also Romans u: ]. II beseech Won,
therefore. brethren, by the mercies OF God,
that We present your bodies living sacri-
your reasonable service" The tense of the
verbs in both verses indicate definite &c.
ton. IL Is really putting ones self over
into the keeping and control of Christ.
A man has threefold nature. spirit. soul
and body. and in this order. | Cor. 6: 20.
For We are bought with price: therefore
glorify God in your body and in YOUR
"Let every soul be subject to the HIGHER
powers. For there is no power but of God:
the powers that he are ordained OF God"
Romans II: l. 81 heseech Won. therefore,
brethren. by the mcrcies OF God. that We
present your bodies a living sacrifice. holy,
able service All OF which indicate that
He will fill tho shirt. insnire the soul and
control the body il given the right to do it.
Then everything has become sacred in orr
lives and living itself is a sacrament. l do
not much believe in the worlds division
of all things into sacred and secular. for
all things ought TO be sacred to the child
of God. and all days ought TO he holy and
they woald be did we but live in the spirit
OF the text. Some people meet temptation
and flv to Him. 1t is infinitely better to
by to Him and then meet trial in whatever
form IL NAV come. There is great power
in the word because in the text. This
i not Just fash OF an experience. it is
the deliberate outcome of long and va
ried retrospect, and will not in any true
sense be before our face until we set Him
there. 1t is first decision and then prac-
tice, and the text must become the habit of
our lives. 1t certainly was in the expe-
rience of David. for he said. Il have set
the Lord always before me-" There are
certain Old Testament characters which
furnish us an illustration OF this text.
First. Abraham. Christ said it. John s:
80, Your father. Abraham. rejoiced to see
my dav. and he saw it, and was glad"
The Scribes and Pharisees about Him when
He spoke of Abraham answered with a
sneer, and the Jews said. john IS: 81.
Then said the Jews unto Him. Thou art
not yet fifty years old. and hast Thou seen
Abraham" When the answer of our Mas
ter was. John s: IS. Jesus said unto
them. Verify. Verify. / say unto you, be-
fore Abraham was. ] am"
There is something pathetic about these
words of the Jews. Thou art not yet fifty
years old" In fact. He was only about
thirty. His face must have been marked
with pain and suffering. How old is He
do you ask. There are different WAYS of
answering. BY the record He was thirty
in looks He must have been a thousand
according to His work He is ages old. The
inspiration of Abraham's life was that the
Lord was ever before Him. Genesis II: !,
We deny ourselves for success in business,
apparently little caring whether this husi.
ness viii help or hinder us in spiritual de.
yelopment. See the lesson in Lots case.
He pitched his tent toward Sodom and
then moved into the city. His family be.
came identified with the life of the city,
and he a part of its government. In the
end of the story he has lost his power to
witness, all his property, his political pc.
sition his influence over men, over his own
family, and even with God. Abraham was
very different God choose for him. Gene.
sis Is: l4-l5, "And the Lord said unto Abra.
ham, after that Lot was separated from
him, Lift up thine eyes and look from the
place where thou are northward. and
southwark, and eastward. and westward.
For all the land which thou seest. to thee
will ] give it. and to thy seed forever"
How like this is to our own inheritance.
Ephesians 81 1919. That Christ may dwell
in your hearts by faith; that We being
rooted and grounded in love may be able
to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth. and
height: and to know the love of Christ
which passeth knowledge. that We might
be filed with all the fulness OF God" Thu