The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-01-30
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
A DISCOURSE ENTITLED THE COS.
PEI IN THE OLD TESTAMENT"
The Rev. Dr. J.wilbur Chapman Explains
How Gods Ability TO Cleanse Is H.
Iustrated in the Ceremonies OF the
old Testament Scriptures.

entitled. The Gospel in the O.d Testa-
meut,' was preached by the famous evan
ge.Ist, DR.. j. Wilbur Chapman, from the
text, And when the fowls came down
upon the carcasses, Abram drove them
away Genesis Nv: IL.
La all parts OF the word Of God. both in
the Old Testament and the New, we md
Gods provision made for cleansing the
sinner IL, IN the light OF all that has
been said We ,eel ourselves condemned
and that II the day OF awards came to-
morrow We should suffer loss and lose our
crown, though we shall be saved, yet so
as by fire, this thought should come 10
Us a. an inspiration, that all our sins may
be blotted out and our transgressions for.
gwen. IL Is OF great cheer, therefore, Tor
Us 20 study the subject now gwen. IL Is
not necessary simply that We should IA
miharize ourselves with the New Testa-
ment; this Is, OF course, essential; but If
we would know Gods ability 10 cleanse
We ought 70 know the Old Testament
Scriptures, with their types and Ceremo-
MES
The birds Of the Bible form an interest
ing subject for investigation. The FIRST
mention of them IN the old Testament Is
IN Genesis /: 2l-"And God created great
whales, and every living creature that
moveth, which the waters brought forth
abundanty, after their kind, and every
winged fowl after his kind; and God saw
that 1t was good Since that time they
are 10 be seen flying through many of the
stories OF holy writ, hlled with lessons of
sweetness and power. Their songs have
been the sweetest, their plumage has been
the brightest, their teaching has been the
best. The eagle mounting up lar above
the earth, and building ITS nest above the
clouds, Is a picture OF Christian eXhilara-
ton. Isaiah had II IN mind when he said:
They that wait upon the Lord shall re-
new their strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run and
not be weary; they shall walk and not
faint" The same bird, preparing it's nest
and pushing out its little ones so that they
may learn TO fly, offers a splendid ilmstra-
ton OF the providence OF God IN thus
seeming severe, but with the outcome al.
ways glorious. Every man who has come
10 know God in Christ must certainly say,
with the apostle Paul, "All things work to-
gether for good, 10 them that love God"
When Elijah was at the brook Cherith.
and the waters had passed from his vision.
and he himself was on the verge of star.
walton, the birds fed him. Every little
sparrow that comes fitting through the
air Is a reminder OF what Jesus said: "Not
a sparrow ialleth 10 the ground but your
heavenly Father knoweth it."
But as We read the Old Testament sto-
ries we find that there are also birds of
the stories they tell are not so bright and
happy. This lesson IN the text is along
this line.
Abram is a wonderful study for the
Christian. In the great events of his life
he perfectly typltes the experience through
which every Christian has passed When
God called hlm from Cr OF the Chaldccs
he was an illustration OF our being called
from the land of SIN and death When he
g,t
in-law, It emphasized what Jesus sand, "A
man must iorsake father and mother and
hls own life If he would bc Ny disciple" i"
Every Christian, If he Is TO be used of God
must forsake the world. In Abrams sep
aration from Lot he is a perfect illustration
of the demand made IN the New Testa-
ment that we must, II we would be filled
with the Holy Spirit of God, separate our.
selves even from the flesh.
There Is a great battle waging, as we find
when we read the connection of the text
with other verses of Scripture. II IL writ
ten IN Genesis xiv: 4-l6-"And when
Abram heard that his brother was taken
captive he armed his trained servants,
born IN hls own house, 3lS, and pursued
them unto Dan. And he divided himself
against them, he and his servants, by
night, and smOte them, and pursued them
unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of
Damascus. And he brought back all the
goods, and also brought again his brother
Lot, and his goods, and the women also
and the people"
It Is here we find real test Of Abram
Many man has gone down lust where
Abram stood. God is always giving US
tests Of character.
Read very carefully the twcntv.frst 70
the twcnty-tOurth verses Of the fourteenth
chapter of Genesis. and notice Abrams an
swer: And the king OF Sodom said unto
Abram, GIVE me the persons and take the
goods 10 thysolf And Abram said 10 the
king OF SodOm, ! have lift up mine hand
unto the Lord. the most high God. the
posscssor OF heaven and earth. that |
will not take from a thrcak even 70 "A shoe
lachct. and that ! VIII not take ANYTHING
that Is thine, lest thou shoudcst say.
have made Abram rich; save only that
which the young men have eaten. and the
portion OF the men which went with me
Amer, Eschol and Mamrc: let them take
their portion VI always pays 90 stand
for God as against men in this world
! has ls clearly taught in Genesis Xv: l-lO
Alter these things the word Of the
Iorl came unto Abram IN a vision. say
ing, Fear not, Abram; ] arm thy shield
and thy exceeding great reward And
Abram said. Lord God. what wilt Thou
give me, seeing | go chlldless. and the
steward oi my house IS this Ehezer Of
Damascus And Abram said, Behold, 10
me Thou hast given no seed and 10, one
born IN my house rs mine heir And be.
hold. the word OF the Lord came unto him
saying, This shall not be thine heir. but
he that shall come forth out of thine own
bowels shall be thine heir. And He
brought him forth abroad. and said. Look
now toward heaven, and tell the stars. VI
thou be- able 90 number them: and He said
unto him. So shall thy seed be. And he
believed IN the Lord; and He counted II
% HIM for righteousness. And He said
unto him, ] arm the Lord that brought thee
out OF tr Of the Chaldecs. 20 give thee this
land % inherit IT, And he said Lord God
whereby shall 7 know that shall inherit
it, And lie said unto him. Take Nc n
bcIfcr Of three years Old, and a she goat
Of three years old, and a ram Of three
wears old. and a turtle dove aad n young
pigeon And he took unto him all these
and divided them in the midst, and laid
each piece one against another, but the
birds divided be not"
God never deserts His people. He some.
times delays, but never iorsakcs and there
y promise Of blessing which comes 10
every one who viii walk uprghtly. No.
tice the eighth verse of this fifteenth chan.
ter of Genesis And he said. Lord God
whereby shall ] know that ] shall inherit
IT, Abram does not put this test 70 God
because be ~ IncredulOug. or because he
believes that God may fail him, but be.
cause 10 vas The custom m those davs for
one % give a pledge Of the fulhilment Of a
promise, he asks. How shall I know"
God's answer % him u n very strange
one-it Is found In the verse that folows
And he said unto him. Take Ne a beif,r
Of three years old, and a she goat Of three
years old, and a ram OF three years old.
and a turtle dove and a young pigeon"
Thus, seated opposite the altar we find
Abram wAting-a wonderful illustration