The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-01-14
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT Discourse ENTITLED
-STCNINc JESUS"
tne Rev. DR.. j. Wilbur Chapman Pieads
For . Fair CONFEDERATION ofthe Claims
OF tho Religion OF Christ-AnythinE 70
Better Than Being Indifferent.

entitled, "Stoning Jesus was preached
by the great evangelist, the Rev. DR.; j..
Wilbur Chapman. from the text: Then
The, the Jews Ito took sP stones again to stone
The shining of the sun produces two
effects in the world, one exactly the OPP
positc of the other. In, one place 1t en- en-.
livens. beautifes and strengthens; IN tne
others it deadens, mars and decays. 80
it is with the Gospel of Christ. 1t IS unto
some "savor of life unto life unto otn;
ers It is "a SAVIOR of death unto dea tn.
So it was with the coming Of Christ into
the world He brought to light the truest
affection and the deepest hatred, Men
loved darkness tathcr than hgnt. so
Christ's eomirs >1hto the world could only
disturb them.
If YOU 20 into the woods on a summer S
day, and il it be possible, turn over one
OF the logs which may he near to yoa:
will find underneath hundreds OF
little insects; the moment the light strikes
them they run in every direction; bark.
ness is their life; they hate the light. But
il you journey little further ana Nit
stone. which for a little time has oeen
covering the grass or the little flowers, the
moment YOU would lift the obstruction
these things would begin to grow. The
light is their life; they die in the dark.
Christ's coming into the world pro:
voked the bitterest prejudice and called
forth the deepest devotion. Simeon, q
dcyout man, was in the temple when the
Young child Jesus was brought in, and he
took Him up in his hands and blessed God,
and said, Lord, lettest now Thy servant
depart in peace. according to Thy word.
for now my eyes have seen Thy saliva
ton" It was just the opposite with
Herod. When the king heard concerning
Jesus he sent the wise men that ne might
find out through them where. He was,
ce.ding wroth, and sent forth and slew
an the children that were in Bethlehem
and in all Che coast thereof two years aad
under, according to the time which he had
dilicently inauircd of the wise men. These
are the two extremes.
Johns gospel il the gospel Of love, but
in it we find the same great differences.
Where can you find such sweetness as is
contained in these words-"For God so
loved the world that He gave His only
beeotten Son, that whosever beheveth 10
Him should not perish but have ever.ast.
ing life% Where is there such tenderness
Only two words. and yet on them the
consolation! But where can you find such
hatred as expressed in John viii: SO,
"Then took they up stones to cast at
Him" and again in the text, Then the
Jews took up stones again to stone Him:
When you remember whom they were
stonipg, the Son OF Man and the Son OF
God. the One who was going aboat doing
good. tie sin is something awful to think
about. This text and the verse that fol:
lows is a beautiful illustration Of hate and
love, brutality and tenderness. He had
just said. 81 and my Father are one.'
words which should have made the hearts
one with Jehovah. who had led their fore:
fathers from Egypt to Caanan; who had
spoken the worlds into existence; had
held the winds in His fists: in whose
hands the seas washed to and fro. You
would have thought at these expressions
OF the Master every knee would have been
bowed in loving devotion; but not 20.
The Jews took M the stones again with
which to stone Him. and He gave them
one of the tenderest answers His heart
could dictatc-"Many good works have
shown you from Ny Father, for which OF
these do you stone Me-"
that those who were models in fairness
of their treatment of men are most unfair
in their treatment of Jesus Christ. ii
you are familiar with the mode of stonins
offenders in the early days, you will be
able to see how true this was of the Jews
The crier marched before the man who
was to die, proclaiming the mans sins and
the name of the witnesses appearing
against him. This was for the humane
purpose OF enabling any one who was ac'
quainted with the circumstances in the
casn to 60 forward and speak, for him
and the prisoner was held until the new
evidence was given. But the Jews were
not so coasideratc of Jesus; when He
said, "I and Nv Father are onc,' imme.
diately they began to stone Him.
All that is asked for our religion, for
Christ and for the Bible is just fair
consideration OF their claims. The Bible
we claim, is the word of God. not because
il is old only, but because it ia both old
and true. It seems "a IL it were written
for us as individuals; it is my present an
swer to my present need. We simply
present tine Book in evidence. Suppose
you try. to find its equal; suprosc yor try
to produce its simplest parable; failurs
would be the result. Oar religion is the
same; we only ask for it fair considers
ton. For Christ it is just the same. In
England not long ago woman was lee
turing against our religion. and after she
had closed. one of the mill.hands said
IT would like to ask the lecturer this one
question: Thirty years ago was the curse
Of this town and everybody in it. I tried
to do better and failed. The tee.otalcr
got hold OF me. aud l signed the pledge
and broke it. The police took me and
sent me to prison. and the wardens tried
to make me bettcr. and I hegan 20 drink:
as soon as left my cell. When oil had
fl a.. .,,k
He made new man OF ne. am mem
Der of the church. n clnss-leader and SUI
perintendent of the Sundav-school. II
Christ is a myth and religion is untrue
how could be SO helped by them?"
Men are still stoning Jesus Christ. Per
haps you shrink from the conduct OF the
Jews and cry, "For shame" hut there is a
warse way to stone Him than that. Men
can hurt you far more than by striking
yca in tho face or beating you with
stripes. Do you imagine that Christ's
worst suffering was when they cast stones
mt Him. or scourged Him. or put nails
through His bands? / am sure not. bit il
was rather when He came unto His own
they called Him "this fellow" when He
was in Gethsemane in an arony; when He
was on the cross and He felt 80 to-saken
that His heart broke.
IF He were here today in the flesh as
He is in the Spirit. am sure there arc
WAYS we could hurt Hin more than by
taking No stones from the very streets
and casting them in His blessed face until
His eyes were blinded by the blood drops
falling down.
INCONSISTENCY.
/. Have you ever noticed the sadness
which throbbcd in the words of our
Savior at the Last Supper, "Onc of you
shall betray me-" o. when He was walk.
ing with them toward the garden. "All
of vou shall he offended this night he.