The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-04-24
!, and the seventh gate shut. Nor
av in and the eighth gate


way in, and the eighth gate
shut. Switzerland in, and the ninth gate
shut. Hindustan in. and the tenth gate shut:
Siberia in. and the eleventh gate shut. All
these gates are closed but one. Now, let
America go in with all the islands OF the sea
and all the other nations that have called on
God. The captives all freed. The harvests
all gathered. The nations all saved. The
flashing splendor of this last pearl begins to
move on its hinges. Let two mighty angels
put their shoulders to the gate and heave 1t
to with silvery clang. 1t is done! 1t tnun-
ders! The twelfth gate shut
Once more I want to show you the gate.
keepers. There is one angel ut each one OF
those gates. You say that is right or
course it is. You know that no earthly pal
ace or castle or fortress would be safe with
out sentry pacing up and down by night
and by day, and if there were no defenses be-
fore heaven. and the doors set wide open with
no one to guard them, all the vicious OF
earth would go up after awhile, and all the
abandoned OF hell would be up after awhile,
and heaven, instead OF being world Of light
and 10Y and peace and blessedness, would be
O world of darkness and horror. So am
glad to tell you that. whilethese twelve gates
stand open to LET great multitude in. there
are twelve angels to keep some people out.
Robespierre cannot 60 through there, nor Hill
Of earth who have not repented OF their
wickedness. If one of those nefarious men
who despised God should come to the gate,
one OF the keepers would put his hand on his
shoulder and push him into outer darkness.
There will be password at the gate OF
heaven. Do you know what that password
is? Here comes q crowd of souls up to the
gate, and they say: "Let me in; let me in. I
was very useful on earth. I endowed col
leges. built churches and was famous for
my charities, and having done so many won.
derful things for the world I come up to get
my reward" A voice from within says, II
never knew YOU" Another great crowd
comes up. and they try to get through. They
say: "We were highly honorable on earth,
and the world bowed very lowly before US.
We were honored on earth, and now we come
to get our honors In heaven" And a voice
from within says, II never knew YOU" An
other crowd advances and says, "We were
very moral people on earth, very moral in
deed. and we come up to get appropriate re-
cognition." Avoice answers, Il never knew
YOU"
After awhile Isee another throng approach
the gate, and one seems to be spokesman for
all the rest. although their voices ever and
anon cry, 'sAmen, amenr' This one stands
at the gate and says: "Let me in, was a
wanderer from God. I deserve to die. I
have come up to this place, not becauseI de-
serve it, but because have heard that there
Is q saving power in the blood OF Jesus"
The gatekeeper says, "That is the password,
Jesus. Jesusr" And they go in and sur
round the throne, and the cry Is, "Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain to receive blessings
and riches and honor and glory and power,
world without end!'
I stand here this hour to invite you into
any one Of the twelve gates. tell you now
that unless your heart is changed by tho
grace of God you cannot get in. I do not
care where you come from, or who your
father was, or who your mother was, or
what your brilliant surroundings-unless
you repent Of your sin and take Christ for
your divine Saviour you cannot get In. Are
you willing, then, this moment, just where
you are. to kneel down and cry to the Lord
Almighty for His deliverance?
You want to get in, do you not? Oh, you
have some good friends there. This last
year there was some one who went out from
your home into that blessed place. They did
not have any trouble getting through. the
gates, did they? No, they knew the blessed
password. and. coming up, they said,
'sJesus!" and the cry was. "Lift up your
heads, ye everlasting gates, and let them
come in" Oh, when heaven is all done and
the troops Of God shout tho castle taken, how
grand it will be if you and I are among them!
Blessed are all they who enter in through the
gates into the city.