The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-11
SERMON FOR SUNDAY
DISCOURSE ENTITLED tine COS.
PEI IN THE OLD TESTAMENT"

PEI IN THE OLD TESTAMENT"
% Rev. DE-. J.wnbur Chapman Explains
Few eed's Ability to cieanss 10 H.
lussrstsd In the Ceremonies OF the
Old Testament Scriptures.
NEW YoRK CIrY.-The following sermon
titled, "The Gospel in the Old Testa-
ent," was preached by the famous evan
list, Dr.. j. Wilbur Chapman, from the
kt, And when the fowls came down
bon the carcasses, Abram drove them
ray" Genesis Nv: ii.
In all parts of the word Of God, both in
be Old Testament and the New, we lind
sod's provision made for cleansing the
inner. II, in the light Of all that bas
been said We .eel ourselves condemned
and that If the day OF awards came to-
We should suffer loss and lose our
crown, though we shall be saved. yet so
O. by Gre" this thought should come to
M a. an inspiration, that all our sins may
be blotted put and our transSressions for
Given. It il of great cheer, therefore, for
q to study the subject now gwen. 1t IS
not necessary simply that we should IA
miliarixe ourselves with the New Tesla:
ment; this 10, of course, essential; but II
We would know Gods ability to cleanse
we ought to know the Old Testament
Scriptures, with their types and ceremo-
nies.
The birds Of the Bib!e form an interest
ing subject for investigation. The hrst
mention Of them in the Old Testament IS
whales, and every living creature that
moveth, which the waters brought forth
abundantly, after their kind, and every
winged fowl after his kind; and God saw
that il was good" Since that time they
are to Be seen flying through many Of the
stories Of holy writ, filed 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 far above
The earth. and building it's nest above the
ton. Isaiah had il In mind when he said:
S.sThey that wait apoa The Lord shall re-
TsW their strength; they shall mount up
with wings a eagles; they shall run and
not be weary; they shall walk and not
faint" The same bird, preparing. its nest
and pushins out its little ones 20 that they
may learn TO fly, offers . splendid i~llustra-
tion Of The providence Of God, in thus
seeming severe, but with the outcome a.
ways glorious. Every man who has come
10 know God in Christ must certainly say,
with the apcstle Paul, AN things work to.
Rether for GOOD, to them that love God"
When Elijah was at the brook Cherith,
and the waters had passed from bis vision,
Walton, the birds fed him. Every little
SPARROW that comes fitting through the
air 10 q yemindcr Of what Jesus said: mot
. sparrow falleth to the ground but your
heavenly Father kncweth It."
Dnk q Ne read ihe Old Testament sto-
RES ne find that there are also birds Of
prey. They, too. have their lessons, but
The stcfies they tell are not 70 bright and
happy. This lesson in the text d along
Abram 10 q wonderful study for the
Christian. In the trest events of his life
he perfectly typiics the experience through
which eve}y Christian has passed. When
God called him from Ur OF the Chaldees
be was an illustration Of N being called
from the land Of sin and death. When he
separated himself from Terah, his father.
in-hw, il emphasized what Jesus said, a
man must forsnke father and mother and
bis own life IL be would be My disciple"
Every Christian, If he il to be used Of God,
psust forsake the world. In Abrams sep.
aystion from Lot De 10 Q perfect illustration
Of the demand made in the New Tesla.
ment that We must. If we would be filed
with the Holy Spirit Of God, separate our.
selves ever from the flesh.
There in Q great battle waSing, ~ we find
when we read the connection Of the text
with other verses Of Scripture. It 10 writ
Zen n Genesis xiv: Hl6-"Aad when
Abrsm heard that his brother Sras taken
captive be irmed his trained servants,
s ISsn n ant a,s DAM avn 1 And he si Siiv q R Sinseli
against them, he and his servants, by
nieht, and smote them, and pursued them
INTO Hobah, which Is on the left hand OF
Dsmascus. And be brought back all the
goods, and also brought again his brother
Iot, and hi: goods, and the women also,
Il Il here we find q real test Of Abram.
Many Q man has gone down Just where
Ahram stood. God 10 always giving Us
tesla Of character.
Read very carefully the twenty.frst to
the twenty.fourth verses of the fourteenth
-chapter OF Genesis. and notice Abrams an
.swef: "And the king Of Sodom said unto
LAbram, Give me the persons and take the
goods =. thyself. And Abram said TO the
king Of Sodom, ] have life up mine hand
unto the Lord, the most high. God, the
win not take from q thread even 10 a shoe.
Jacket. and that ! win not take ANYTHING
that IL thine, lest thou shouldest say. !
hare 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 Manure; let them take
their portion" Il always pays to stand
for God a. against men in this world.
This 10 clearly taueht In Genesis ": lilo
AFTER these things the word of the
Lora came unto Abram In Q ~vision, say
ing. Fear NOT, Abram;. ! am thy shield.
enc thy sscfsd,ag great reward; r And
give me, seeing / 90 ehildless, and the
Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to
me Thou hast given no seed; and 10. one
born in my house 10 mine heir. And, BE-
bold, the word Of the Lord came INTO him
saying. This shall not be thine heir, bui
he that shall come forth out Of thine owl
bowels shall be thine heir. And BE
brought him forth abroad, and said. Lool
NOW toward heaven. and tell the stars, i
thou Be able 10 number them; and He said
unto him. So shall thy seed be. And h
believed in the Lord; and he counted il
unto him. I am the Lord that brought thes
out Of Ur Of the Chaldees, to give thee thi,
land 70 inherit il. And he said, Lord God
whereby shall ] know that ] shall inherit
Il. And he aid unto him, Take Ne ,
fAeifer OF three years old, and . she goa,
] Of three years old, ahd . ram OF tire,
years old, and . turtle dove and q youn,
pigeon. And he took INTO him all these
"a divided them in the midst, and Lit
hch piece n against another, but tn,
rds divided b. not"
God never deserts His people. BE some
mes delays, hut never forsakes, and ther,
Q promise Of blessing VII 1snEn
very one VIII, win walk upflsAayN SO
Ice the eighth verse Of this fifteenth chap
(er Of Genesis: "And he said, Lord God
Whereby shall ] know that I shall inheri
Btf" Abram does not put this test to Got
because he 10 ineredulous, or because b,