The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-05-01
DIR. CHAPMAN'S SERMON
A SUNDAY DISCOURSE BY TIE Noted
PaSTOR.EVANCeLlST.
Subject: A Discouraged Man-Most People
Dissatisfied Because They Lead Too
Artificial a Life-No Room in the King
dom of God For Pebsiniisrn.

1.-The Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, D. D., is
now the most distinguished and best
known evangelist in the country. he was
second only TO DR.. Talmage, but since the
death of that famous preacher Dr. Chap
man has the undisputed possession OF the
Pulpit the preacher TO influence the
plain people His services as an evangel-
ist are in constant demand. His sermons
have stirred the hearts OF men and women
to a degree unapproached by any latter
day divine. j. Wilbur Chapman was born
in Richmond, Ind, June Il, 1859. His
mother died when he was but twelve
years or age, and his 1ather died seven
years afterward. Consequently he was
not only deprived of mothers care at
the formative age OF boyhood, bat he was
thrown upon his own resources before he
had reached early manhood. He was edu-
Gated at Ooe~lin College and Lake Forest
University, and graduated for the ministry
from the Lane Theological Seminary, CIu-
cinnati, Ohio, III lSS2. While there he
manifested the character and the spirit
which have followed him as an evangelist
all over the country. They have made his
ministry I continual success as pastor ana
as a revivaiist. His sermons are simple
and direct, so that their influence Is not
so much due to exciting the emotions as
to winning the hearts and convincing the
minds of those who hear him. DR.: Chap-
man is now in charge of the Fourth Pres
byterian Church, New York Gty.J
New YoEK CITY.-The Rev. DR.. j. Will
bur Chapman, Americas most famous pas
tor-evangelist, who took charge OF moTi-
bund church in this city several years ago.
and Is now preaching to al overdoTlnG
congregation, has furnished the following
eloquent sermon to the press. 1t was
preached from, the text: Kings, l9: 4,
s'But he himself went a days journey into
the wilderness, and came and sat Gown
under juniper tree, and he requested ior
himself that he might die.
The history of Elijah begins with the
seventeenth chapter of l Kings and starts
chapter tells us OF the ido,atry of the peo
pie of the reign of lawlessness and the
apparent triumph OF iniquity. 1t seemed
as if the end of all things had come, and
suppose everybody living in that time
thought so, but if this was the impression,
the fetal mistake had been made because
God is left out of all consideration. 1t Is
well for us to remember that He Is never
at loss. The land may be overrun with
iniquity, His witnesses may be sllenced,
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 i'll the
failure in the past, He never win 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 flood this spirit
of the Lord shall lift up standard against
him.
The story of Elijah is most interesting,
and we trace him from his sudden appear
ance here flashing like meteor upon the
scene of action, down to Cherith, where
he is fed by the ravens, over to Zarephatn,
where he relieves the distress Of the wcm-
an who meets him, but the most remark
able scene in his life is on Mt. Carmel,
where, facing the prophets of Baa!, after
their inability to call down fire from keav-
en- he produces the fire from the very
hand of God, which consumed the sacri-
fee, hcks 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 certain hour OF the
day. Instead of looking up to God and
triumphing over this wicked woman Eli
jah does quite the opposite. and thus it IS
that the text is written TO describe his SAD
fall
allow are the mighty fallen? 1t woald
be difficult to imagine man IN whose hte
there was more of real contrast; now ne Is
master in prayer and the pendulum which
swings one way toward glory swings IN
his life in the other direction toward de-
spair, and the prayer for, victory becomes
a wall of distress; now he is locking Up
the heavens and holding the key and ap-
parently at his own will the rain tarries or
falls, and now utterly dismaycd 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 l
have found favor in Thy sight. and let me
not see my wretchedness." Numbers ii !:
Is. So also did Jonah, Therefore now, 0
Lord, take, | bcseech Thee. my life from
me; for it is better for me to die, than to
live" Jonah 4: 3. And even the great
Apostle Paul said, II am in strait be-
twixt 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 q
great mistake in running away. If he had
stood his ground he might have saved ms
country, prevented the captivity of the
people, for l doubt not the 1000 that had
not bowed the knee to Baal would have
come forth, and they would have rushed
forward conquering and to conquer, but
Elijah is picture OF ourselves, and We al
Ike 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 if possible what the difficulty was
with Elijah.