The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-18
THE STRAIT GATE.
A Sermon Preached Yesterday After
noon at the Presby terIan Church, Sc
Venteenth and Spruce Streets.

noon at the Presby teriRn Church, Sc
venteenth and Spruce Streets.
DIR. Hall was advertised to preach again at
DR.. Breeds Church, Seventeenth and Spruce
streets, ct balfpast o'clock, but long before 8
every nook and corner of the spacious ediice
was occupied, and so overwhelming was the
throng that the pulpit stairs were crowded, and
a number of ladies found refnge from the pres
sure in the very precincts of the pulpit ITSELF
The Rev. DR.. Breed announced the Coronation
hymn,
IAN hail the power Of Jesus name.
Let angels PROSTATE fall"
in singing which the whole congregation joined.
After prayer by the Rev. Alfred Goodman, OF
the Spring Garden Street Methodist Church. Dr..
Hall requested the audience to sing one verse
Of the hymn commencing
"Come. Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,
With all thy quick ming powers"
himself leading the beautiful refrain. He then
announced as his text the passage from Luke
xiii: "a, reading as follows:-
"StriUe to enter in at the strait gate; for many
be Gbie" ''''
1t is hard saying that salvation is so difficult,
but ii shows the sincerity OF Him who said 1t.
An impCsior would have held out the prospect
of indulgence and ease False religion may call
salvation easy, promising 1t on the condition
of payment of money or pilgrimage to holy
place. But true religion is difficult. We must
There are many mysteries in religion, and we
must leave many things to the right and left
unexplained. The object OF true religion is TO
teach us what to do, and how to follow in the
path Of plain duty. In answer to the question,
UAre there few that be sayed2" Jesus gave in
answer the words of the text. tits possible to be
buried in solving the mysteries connected with
it, and yet it WINS the great end of religion-our
own duty and personal salvation,
In the same passage the Lord has reproVed
sectarian influences. The Jews regarded all
other nations as heathens aud outcasts, and that
all of their nationality would be saved, because
of their descent from Abraham. Latitudina-
uanism and eXclusiVeness are thus generally
found together But how many will we see In
Heaven whom we did not expect 10 meet tnerei
and how many will be excluded who now expect
to get IN Bieotry will be greatly astonished at
the last day. Many Protestant, Boosting OF ms
clear views and simple religon,will be excluded;
while many "poor, deluded Romauist, ~ as they
are accustomed TO call them, will get TO Heaven
in spite of his superstition. Though we believe
| in the most correct theology, and belong TO the
most scriptural church, we will be cast into
outer darkness, If we are workers OF lniqulty'
True religion is described in the text as Delng
a strait or narrow gate. II we would enter
in at IT, it must be by an effort. This does not
contradict the description OF religion as Oelng
easy and the way of salvation as being open to
all. So far as God is concerned, there is HIS
forgiveness and help for every one. Yet no
sinner can enter In at the narrow gate, bringing
his sin with him; no one can enter IN at the
narrow gate unless he Is willing to reuounce ms
sin. Again, the gate is too narrow to admit the
sinner and the world. Whatever is lncompatl-
| bIe with serving God hinders our entrance, for
we cannot serve both God and mammon. We
must stay outside with the world, or leave the
world and enter alone. So We must leave pride
behind for the door is low, as well as narrow.
0ur service must also be of the heart. A reli-
sion of mere outward forms will not force us
| through the narrow gate. There are many
works SO arduous that ii the heart IS not in
mem they cannot be performed, and SO it is
with religion.
Some think the wording Of the text shows a
adherence between striving and seeking; that we
must strive If we would enter, and that those
Who only seek will not get in But the text does
not contrast striving and seeking, hut only
strivino now and when IL is too ate-when the
SIm' Snar Il s6ut If the sinner is now seeking 10
inter Christ win not refuse him; ''for every one
that asEeth, receveth; and he that seeketh,
dndeth; and to him that knocketh itlshall be
win be dlsappointed; that some persons who
] claim admitlance had false expectations Of