The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-12-01

up in these wonderful words: Sand there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomi-
nation or maketh lie; but they which are
written in the Lambs book of life.
Therefore it is that / say that our reason
consents to the bibles description of heaven
as being divinely true. We know and feel
in our own selves that holiness, absolute puri-
ty, is the first and grand requisite for future
happiness. Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they she'll see God, says our Master, and our
hearts assent Yes, know, and you know,
that none but the pure in heart can see God;
that none but the pure in heart want to see
God None other would find any pleasure IN
seeing Him.
We'll, but we all expect to get to heaven;
we all expect TO see God.
Now, let us ask ourselves candidly and hon
estly, "Are we fit to 60 there? Are We ready
to see him p
| do not want to Judge you, nor any one of
you, my brethren. Answer the question to
yourselves and to God. For myself, | am
free to confess that [ am not fit Perhaps
some of You find yourselves in the same case.
Well, what are we going to DO about it? We
can't get TO heaven as we are; there rs no
question of that. 1t is simply impossible.
We hope to be ehanged-to be made fit.
w tiif Dub HOW anu hhGH* ms 10 90 fiee'i
question, one of most momentous Importance.
Let us not put it away with a vague hope that
somehow or other and at some time or other
we will be made better than we are. When
and how are we to be made fit to enter this
glorious home of everlasting light?
Many people think that when they die they
will go straight to heaven, yet up to the day
Of their death they know that they are not tit
to enter heaven. Dothey think that the chill
waves of the dark river have the marvellous
power of cleansing the soul from sin, so that
he who enters it foul and polluted comes out
spotless and clean? Is there any foundation
for the idea in reason or in scripture? Nay.
the scripture tells of but one stream that has
such marvellous power-the stream that hows
from the pierced side of Christ.
Death cannot make us fit for heaven. Then
when and how are we to be made fit? Is II
after death, that men Ire on and on SO I'M
concernedly in the midst of their pullutlons
Is there any reason to think that after death
/ the soul may be washed and made clean II
the blood of the Lamb? Oh, my brethren
we can but hope that it may be so, when We
/ behold so many thousands hurried away into
eternity all unprepared for heaven, SO many
unclean and filthy, SO many spotted and pol
luted. Have you not stood beside the grave
| of many an one of whom you would not dare
| affirm this soul was fit to enter gaze OF pearl
| or tread street of gold? And yet it was q
soul for which Christ died. and You have 81
lently commended it with large hearted char
ity to the loving hands of faithful Creator
| and most merciful Saviour. And may we no
hope that in His own way, out of His abun
/ dant love and most excellent wisdom, he has
! devised some means to receive that soul, anC
to make it meet to be partaker of the inner
itance of the saints in light? But If there be
such way, he has not revealed 1t to us. The
scripture gives us nothing more than few
mysterious hints to Tighten its gloom. And
it were the most rash and groundless pre-
sumption to trust ourselves to that darkness.
When and how are we to be made hit? Il
there not some way here and now, this side
the grave, IN this present time? listen wha
the apostle says in our text: Christ loveC
the church, AID gave himself for it, that he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the wash
| ing of water by the word, that he might pre-
sent unto himself glorious church, not hay
/ ing spot or wrinkle or any such thing, bu
that it might be holy and without blemlsh. y
Does not this scripture tell us how, ever
here and now, in this present life, we may be
sanctifed and cleansed, made holy and with
out bemish, and fit to be presented at the
| last to our Lord without spot or wrinkle OF
any such thing? Most certainly 1t does
| Thus to perfect us is the one grand office Of
the church, the Bride of Christ, on earth
| For this purpose she was established in dis
| infinite wisdom and endowed with the gifts
and graces necessary for its accomplishment
! The Holy Church of God is the very gate Of
heaven. 1t is the very means established by
Our Lord and Saviour himself to save men,
to deliver them, that is, from their sins, tc
sanctify and perfect them in holiness, and tc
fit them to enter at last those pearly gates
whence is forever excluded everything thai
defleth. And, my brethren, | am bold tC
affirm in the tone of positive conviction that
to have any reasonably sure hope of coming
to those mansions of JOY, you must enter al
this gate.
am aware that there are many men who
think that the church cannot help them much
or not at all. They say Religion has to dc
with God, and we don't see that you priests
| have any right or any power to come between
our souls and their God. Far be it from me
to desire to come between any soul and its
God. But / only know this, that they who
come to the church come nearer to God than
those who stay away, for that they come where
it pleases Him to be found. And | maintain
this, not as matter of theory of theological
doctrine, but as a matter OF fact, that is de-
monstrable from experience. Tell me, where
do you find the people who are nearer to God
who realize the evil of sin, who strive to be
rid of it, who are pure minded and humble
and charitable? Look through your acquaint
ance and tell me where do you find the PEG.
pie who, so far as you can judge, are the best
fitted to enter the pure dwelling place of God;
are they in the church or out of it? / know
that you can find many noble and exalted
I characters who are outside of the church, hon
orable, pure minded, upright men. And
know that you can find many protesting
Christians who are not worthy to be compared
with them, mean, narrow minded, backbiting
selfish, contemplate people. The kingdom
of heaven is net that takes good and bad
But we must judge here by the law of spiritual
averages. These good people outside the
church, no one knows how much better they
would be if they had the church's helps tc
holiness; and these bad within, no one knows
how bad they might be but for these helps
We must not compare the best without with
the worst within, but best with best and worst
with worst. Compare your John Stewart
Mill with the sainted DIR. Pussy; compare
this poor falling Christian with your murderer
on the gallows; take the average goodness Of
the church and compare it with the average
goodness of the world, and there is no ques-
tion-there can be no question as to which
way the advantage lies. Well, then, it fol
lows to a demonstration that there is power
in the church to make men better men, more
fit for heaven. And how can you venture tc
go on hoping to be made fit for heaven, il
you do not avail yourself Of this power that
the Saviour of the world has put within your
reach? All, consider this, my brethren; ye
who make light of your privileges and duties
as church members; We who allow any trifiing
excuse to keep you away from the house OF
God; We who think that you need not the
church's assistance for your salvation, con
slider that the church is without doubt the
gate of heaven. This is the gate of the
Lord; the righteous shall enter into it.