Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-11-29
THANKSGIVING
Dr.. ]. WILDER Chapman's Sermon Ap.
propriate TO the Day.
~Three Meetings of the Saviour"-Rendei
Thanks 10 God for the Greatest OF
Gifts, His So,, Jesus Christ


press. Ii Is entitled Three Meetings OF
the Saviour, and is founded on the text.
Evening, and morning, and at noon, viii
i pray" Psalm -: II.
IL is quite the custom on THANKSGIVING
Day TO render thanks and praise unto God
for material gifts and material prosperity
We are accustomed to measure the har
vests and to try to count out earthly bless
ings, and then make an effort to put into
language some adequate expression OF our
appreciation OF Gods goodness | leave
this task to other ministers. while | in
their name and behalf express my grateful
thanks TO God for the greatest OF all gifts
namely. His Son. Jesus Christ. and il Is
my hope that | may present Him i'll such
way in this message that all may see tina;
II Is their privilege 10 come in closest fel.
lowship with Hum. With this thought in
mind | use the text, Evening, aud at
morning, and at noon. will pray" The
Psalinlst determines to pray frequently. at
least three times he viii be on his knees:
he determines to pray fervently. for he Will
cry aloud unto God. The text does not
run as we would like ii to. for we always
reverse the der and say at morning. at
noon. and at evening. but the Hebrews be-
gan the day with the evening and closed
stwith nooa We always begin ii with the
morning. and one day we shall reach
morning which shall never end. The
Psalmist means that he will pray more
than three times. He is simply saying that
he will begin and continue and end the
day with God. He takes the natural di-
vision of the day and NJ each point he de-
termlnes to set up an altar. Mr.. Spurgeon
says he lays line straight through the day
and tracks the sun with his petitions. 1t
used to be said in olden times that we
should pray three times at least, at even.
ing, because Christ was on the cross. in
the morning because He rose from the
A 4
ed. Ii our bodies need nourishing three
times. why not our souls? We have fire.
quent Old Testament illustrations of this
habit, notably Daniel Now. when Daniel
knew that the writing was signed he went
into his house. and. his windows being
open IN his chamber toward Jerusalem, he
kneeled upon his knees three times a day
and PRAYED. and gave thanks before his
God as he did aforetime." Daniel G: 10.
We have the early members of the church
IN the New Testament presenting us an ex-
ample. and il we study the Acts of the
Apostles we find the disciples many times
IN prayer. but ALWAYS morning, noon and
night For Jesus 10 be with us is one
thing. and we are all the time in His
thought; He hrs promised never to leave
us and never TO forsake us. but for us &c
be with Him in our contemplation is quite
another thing. and it il that we may learn
this lesson that | speak the words of the
text. The result of this fellowship will be
cause for thanksgiving. These three times
are suggested because the morning is the
time OF feasting. the noon is the time OF
questioning or resting. while the evening
Is the time for thu >ettling OF accounts
and ! have CHANGED the order of the text
for the reason tina: we are living in the
new disrersat;on. = 49, =, A...'
- I ----:----.-;'-'
The morning. "But when the morning
was come" John 81: 4. Johns gospel
might properly have closed with the 10Th
chapter. The 3lst verse OF tina: chapter l.
most significant and gives the object and
aim OF the gospel. But these are written.
that We might believe that Jesus is the
Christ. the Son of God. and that believing
We might have life through His name"
But John adds this 2lst chapter because
he gives us another beautiful picture of the
Lord, and records the oniv miracle worked
after the resurrection. MAY this not be
typical and did we bat live in touch with
our Lord might il no; be possible in these
days to have filed nets and 4 multitude
about US OF the saved
The disciD.es had returned to then
homes in Ga,ilee alter the events men.
probably. in the house Of Zebedee. They
were doubtless talking CT the pas,. They
might have called to m.rd their first meet.
ing with the Saviour and dweit Lovingly
on the CORY of His lie. They might have
spoken in whispers OF the disappointment
Of His death. and then with shining faces
have recalled the account Of His resurrec
ton and His personal appearing to them
Doubtless Peter was e the company once
again. They are back amid the familiar
scenes OF their Old life: the boats are lying
on the beach. the fishermen are meniine
their nets and these seven. five OF whom
are named and two unnamed. dolbt,ess
nar kna
out from tie shore, and the women are
wishing their husbands and boys good
speed. while the men answer with words
of cheer. Fishing is always fascinating,
and so can imagine Peter with flashing
eye and twitching nerves and quick beat.
ing heart looking about the busy scene I'M
til he can stand it no longer, and then he
saws, Il go a-fishing." Instantly they a-e
all ready 10 go and they push off from the
shore. II is 4 most beautiful sea in itself
and as their oars flashed in the light OF
the setting sun as they are away to the
old scenes OF other days. the vision is fas.
cinating. But it really was a perilous 20
sition, for though the sea is always trcach.
erous, the boat might have been old. and
here are these representa- leaders OF
the cause OF Christ What il they had
been lost in the night? The same question
might be asked concerning Moses when 4
child in the ark. What II one OF the waves
of the Nile should suhmergc the little ar;
Or the crocodile should crunch it? H"t sgch
questions are idle and useless. Moses j
not safer today than then, and so these
early disciples We're safe because their
hope was centred upon Oac whose ewes
are ever upon His own by night They
toiled and took nothing. Every old de.
vice was used 10 charm the fish. hut every
time the net was drawn I'M they knew by
the tug OF it that they had failed As tire
light is breaking they are about 100 yards
from the shore. They hear voice saying,
Lads. have We any meat" and they an.
swer mo" Cast the net or the right
side" saws the stranger and l53 fish was
the result OF obedience. The disciples
shout. at is the Lord" and Peter. jump
ing into the waves swims ashore. and in
..Come and dine" they all sit with Him
about the fire and ate May suggest sew.
eral daily lessons fo- the morning hour:
First. Jesus stood upon the shore and
they knew not that it was Jesus. He is al
WAYS nearer than we think. and He has
been waiting every morning since that day
70 begin the day with His own disciples
You must begin every day with Him,
therefore, If you would have a day OF
peace.
II have Friend so precious,
So very dear to me.
He loves me with such tender love,
He loves so faithfully.
j could not live apart from Him,
love to feel Him nigh
And so we dwell together,
Ny Lord and l.
There is such thing as being too busy
to see Jesus. BE still. and know that l
am God - Is the meg sage for many of Us.