Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1903-02-26
"THE FULL REWARD"
Sunday Sermon By Rev. DR.. J. Wilbur
Chapman.
The Spirit that Is Needed In The Church--How
to Win the Crown Which Is IncorrupibIe
New Plan of Salvation.

New Plan of Salvation.
New YORK CITY. - The distinguished
evangelist, the Rev. DR.. j. Wilbur Chap
man, Is the author of the following sermon
entitled "The Full Reward" which was
| preached from the text, Every man that
striveth for the mastery is temperate IN
all things. Now they do it to obtain a cor
ruptble crown, but we an incorruptible.
But | keep my body under, and bring it
into subsection, lest that by any means.
when have preached to others, myself
should be castaway." Cor. tx: 25, 27,
Paul, in the figure of speech, is on the
race course. He is striving to reach the
goal AMI win the prize. Here, therefore, it
is not a question of life, but entirely
question Of awards. He is not writing to
God. He says: II will keep under my
body, lest | shall become a, castaway.'
The word "cnstaway' in the Greek is lit
orally "disapproved." Paul is teaching
that even if he is to win the crown that is
incorruptible, 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. If
! the first crown Is for the passive Christian
! the second is for the enthusiastic follower
of Christ, and next to the baptism of the
| Holy Ghost the church to-day needs the
baptism Of enthusiasm. 1t is a great mis-
take for men to 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 peop.c say the need of the time is for
some truth in this. but the trouble with
the advocates of this proposition is that
they 90 not make their methods old
enough. We OUGHT to go back to Pente-
costal methods Of giving, for in those davs
the disciples gave all they had. We ought
to go back to Pentecostal methods of
preachinG the early preachers had just
the Resurrection. We ought to 90 back to
Pente ostal living, for in the olden times
the disciples lived in the cvpectation that
each new dav would bring back the Lord
Himself. and having this hope in Him their
lives became pure and their testimonies
powerful.
Ever, church ought to change its method
every Sunday. if the methods in use do
not compel the peple TO accept the gospel.
| We have no responsibility for conversion
tt. Spirit OF God takes care of that. but
we do have n tremendous responsibility
resting uno, us to make every man wom-
nn and child understand that the Son of
! God died to set them free from the pen
atty o. sin. and that He ever p'oads Mt
Gods right hand to lihcratc them from its
! power The church is not an end, but
rather means to on end. i counted an
end, the membership becomes satisfied
it's music its social standing, it, ability to
influence the minds of the peonIe. and in
all seriousness ] dare to say that such n
church will be curse to n community in
the thought of God, rather than bless
ing. We have this to remember: when
counted as a means to an end the church
loses sight of herself and realizes that she
IL in existence only to bring to every lost
sinner the message OF tho gospel, SO long
as there is one soul in the world ,lnsaved
God calls His children to carry the mes
sage of peace and glad tIdings of great JOY
to that one.
There is n Scriptural warrant for this
frequent change of method. It Is all
summed mn in one word; until. How long
did the fat her wait for his son, until
he returned, How long did the woman
search for the lost piece of silver? Gun
tl' she found it. How long did the shen-
herd look for his sheep? "Until" he had it
in his arms and was bearing it back with
rejoicing to the fold. How often ought
we to change our methods in the church?
'Until' we have a method upon which
God will set His seal. and to which the
HOLY Ghost will give His approval, because
the gospel and to known that Jesus Christ
died to save all mankind.
Paul was willing to he counted fool II
only he might better influence men. To the
wise he would be wise to the ignorant he
was willing to be counted ignorant; to
the weak as man OF weakncsS-,t only
hv all means he "mght save some Nav
spirit! We cor,d ehnke the cities and
move The world with the power of God:
And when the great day of awards should
come, simnlv because we had been dead in
earnest, had counted personal ease as
nothing, had labored incessantly by day
and hv nirht in heat and in cold. we
should receive the crown that is incorrupt-
ible.
THE CROWN OF REJOICING.
Thess. ii; l9-"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
When Paul remembers the Thessa on
ians whom he had won for Christ, he i'm.
rejoicing" and so this third form Of the
reward is properly called the soul-wn-
ner's 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
wear it, But it is possible for everybody
to receive it from the hands OF the Master
Himself.
This is the crown that the sainted Spur
geon is to wear 1t is said that 10000 peo,,
PIE Joined his 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. 1t. Is the
crown that Mr.. Moody is. to wear, because
in all parts of the world he has pointed
men to the crucifed One. 1t is the crown
that faithful Sunday school teachers and
devoted workers are to wear.
| had in my home at one time very
celebrated Sunday school worker. lie tod
ne how he became a servant OF Christ lie
was converted as a boy before the Young
Peoples Society of Christian Endeavor was
Christ, and all he could think of was to
teach Sunday-school class. He went to
the superintendent with request that he
might be made a teacher, and was re
fused. He went second time. with
like result. He went a. third time, and
proposed to bring in class from outside:
and this time he secured the consent OF
the superintendent When he went ont to
find bows his first visit was to great
brownstone mansion. He rang the bell
and the servant opened the door. lie
asked if the lady of the house could be
seen. He was shown into the parlor, and
soon the mother Of the boy entered.
He said: 81 have come, to ask II your
bov can come to Sunday school,.
Her face flushed and her eyes flashed
as she replied: "My child has been to Sun
day-school and has had such miserable
teaching that / have made up my mind
that he shall not go again. until either, |
can teach him myself or get some one who
can" ,
After a little waiting she asked: "Sup-
nose | should send MIN who would teach
hir,"
He became greatly embarrassed at this
ouesti IN. and thought that if ever he got
out OF the house he would never again
think Of any work in the church But