The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-02-27
rhe Rev. Dr. j. Wilbur CHAPMAN Tells OF
the spirit That l. Needed IN the Church
How to Win the Crown witch ~ In-
corruptibie-NewP Plan OF salvation.

eral'y "dsapproved' Paul Is teaching
that even If he l. 20 win the crown that Is
incurruptible. he must deny himself he
must put forth heroic effort he must be
faithful until the very end
This spirit Is needed in the church. III
the first crown Is for the passive Christian
the second Is TOR the enthusiastic follower
OF Christ, and next 10 the baptism oi the
Holy Ghost the church to-day needs the
baotsm Of enthusiasm. II Is \ great mis-
take Tor men 20 allow their prejudices TO
lead them against the methods OF church
work upon which God has set His seal.
There Is CRY to-day against new methods,
and people saw the need of the time is for
the OFT methods ot our fathers. There Is
son.e truth IN this. hut the trouble with
the advocates OF this proposition Is that
thcv DO not make their methods old
enough We ought 10 go hack to pente-
costal methods of giving. for IN those davs
the disciples gave All they had We ought
10 60 hack to Pertccostal methods of
preaching; the carly preachers had lust
two themes IN m'0d-nawo'v. .lesus and
the Resurrection We ought 10 GO back 10
Pente Astal living. tOr IN the oldcn times
the discin,eS lived '0 the cvnectation that
each row dav would bring back She Lord
Himself ard having this hope IN Uim their
lives became pure and their testimonies
powerful.
Z
every SUNDAY. lf the methods IN use do
not compel the pcplc TO accept the gospel
We have no responsibility for conversion
tFe S1lrit Of God takes care of that. hut
we do have tremendous responsibility
resting uno0 us - make every man won.
81 anl child understand that the Son of
God died 10 set thcm frec from the pen.
atty o' sin. and that Ee ever pleads at
Gods right hand 20 lihorata them from its
power The church is not an end. but
rather \ means 10 m end. VI counted an
end, the membership becomes satisfied
with the church in itself its preaching.
its music. its social standing. its ability 20
influence the minds of the pconle. and in
all seriousness | dare to say that such a
church viii be a curse TO community in
tho tn ought of God. rather than a bless.
ing We have this TO remember: when
counted as means TO an end the church
loses sight Of herself and realizes that she
ia II existence only 10 bring TO every lost
sinner the message Of the gosnel So long
"a there il one soul in the world unsaved
God calls His children 10 carry the mes
sage, Of peace and glad tidincs of great JOY
10 that one.
There is = Scriptrral warrant for this
frequent change OF method VI Is all
summed up IN one word until How loro
did the father wait for HE son. "UntiP
he returned How long did the woman
so'rch for tho lost niece OF slver9 "Un-
viz she found It. How lorc DID the shon-
herd look for his sheepp 'T'ntiw he had II
in his arms ard was bea-iug II back with
rejoicing 10 the fold How often ought
We ~ change our methods ~ the chu~oh'
"Unti" we have n method upon which
Cod will set Wis seal and to which the
HOLY Ghost will 2 70 His approval because
that method oom1cls the pco0lc 20 hear
the gospel and 10 known that Jesus Christ
died to save all mankind.
Paul was willing to hc counted 'ool II
only he might better influence men. To the
wise ho would be wise; ~ no ignorant he
was willing 10 he counted igrnraot: 10
the weak as \ mar of woalncss-;f oolv
hv al mears he "u;ght sovC some" Mav
the Lord God fll the church with THE
sDiritl We could shake the cities ard
roo~e the world with the power Of God
And when 'ho great dav NJ awards should
come. simr'v because W. had been dead in
earnest had counted personal oasc ne
nothing. bad lahorr1 irccssartlv "" dav
ord hv NIGHT. IN heat 91l IN cold we
should receive the crown that Is incorrupt.
iblc
THE CROWN OF REJOICING.
Thcss. ii: l0-"For what is our hope.
or joy or crown OF rejoicing; Are not even
We IN the presence OF our Lord Jesus
Christ at His coming
WheG Paul remembers the Thossaoa.
ians whOm he had won for Christ he i'm
medjate,y replies. "le are our crown Of
rejoicing" and so this third form Of the
reward - properly called the soul-win-
nerg G own.
Alas some who are born OF the Spirit.
who have been trained in the Christian
church. or might have been, who have
lived all their lives dead IN sin, shall never
welr II. But It is possible for everybody
to receive 1t from the hands Of the Master
Himself
This is the crown that the sainted Spur
geon is 10 wear. II il said that 1900 peo-
pie joined MS church in his ministry, and
this was only the beginning Of the multi.
tude of others that have been Influenced
by his life the world around. II is the
crown that Mr.. Moody is 10 wear, because
IN all parts Of the world he has pointed
mon - the crucic1 One u is the crown
that faithful sunday school teachers and
devoted workers are % wear
] had In my nome AZ ono time n very
celebrated >undav.sehool workev lie tod
me how he became a servant OF Christ. He
was converted a. 4 bov before the Young
Peoples Society % Christian Endcavor was
known. lie wanted 20 DO something for
Christ and all he could think Of was 10
teach a Sundlv-schoo' class. He went %
the superintendent v-ith a request that he
might b" made a teacher, and was re
fused Tie went = second time. with n
like result. He went q third time. and
proposod 20 brIrg in a class from outside
and this time he secured the consent 81
the superintendent. When be went out 90
find bows his first visit was 90 a great
browustOne mansion. He rang the hell
and the servant opened the door. He
asked n the lady 0f the house could be-
sen. lie was shown into the parlor, and
soon the mother of the boy entered
H. said. II have come % ask II your
bov car come 20 Suniav.schOol'
Ter face flushed and her eyes flashed
as che .er.iod NV child has been 20 Sun
dav-sehpJl and has had such miserable
teaching that ! have made up mv mind
that no shall not 90 again. until either ]
can teach him myself or get some ono who
car
Aft.r little waii.7r size asked sun.
posa 7 should send nim who would teach
him"
lie Jecame greatly embarrassed az this
ouesfi ID. aad th9ssuf that Do ever be- got
out %. the Louse be- would never again
think % any work IN the church. But
finally he replied
"WeL, II be comes viii teach him my
sell"
There was something in his frank state.
mcnt-tle rl1z Of his vpicc-which touched
the mother. and she said
"Nc . Sunday be viii BE- there"
lie came-he was the only boy in the
class-and when the young teacher told
him the story Of Jesus Christ he was con
ysted
As he told us the story the tears were
in bis eyes, and be said
~fet ne tell you the rest just before
left New York was called 20 the room ~
man who was dying. a. I entered he
called me % his bedside and said Come