New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30
KNOCKING AT THE PEARLY GATES.


A good old minister had just finished his ser
mon He had gone all through the traditional
thirdly and fourthly and sixthly; he kept close
IN the line OF the narrow lane OF his creed; ne
nreached from the limited point OF his Dogma
that close communion and total immersion were
tho "only" means OF salvation. and that only
those who agree with him will be permitted 10
sntsr the kingdom of Heaven: he had hnisheo
his screed and Il was powerful sermon w.
he closed tie well-thumbed Bible BEFORE MIN
and gave out the closing hymn. then SANK 'neu
and exhausted, into his well-cushioned anu cum
Portable easy chair back OF the pulpit. Inc
solemn strains OF the organ and the sweet Noio7'
y, tho choir soon nut the good old man TO sleep:
he bad q vision q dream and ne dreamed that
he went straight from his pulpit 10 the heaven
above and with proud confidence ne khocNe"
ut the pearly gates. but no answer came i'o''
within; again he knocked. but no sounu " 90
heard What, He who had preached the o''''
true doctrine Of faith these four ana uhl''S sV
coming straight from his church and no ad-
mission here: he turned around ano' oe"o.u
there were many others like him. waiting wait
,r, >or those nearly gates to open. ana ne sd'
ao,., 70 walt and 10 see what the others Wouio
do. ,,, -.
Presently a stately Episcopaan walked UP
90 oa,n asu,ittance; he prayed In the prescrioeu
formula Of his Church readily, and Veroa'ii" "e
reneated the Litany. but only TWO OF '"ieo ~
the throng arose and repeated the iesso"' WIN
him The others were silent ana so "eie ~
, a,as No sound was heard from wlthih-
~ prosbvtoria, repeated. his Westminster con-
<o.s,or end others walked up and repeated their
ou.n necular prayer confession OF ral'h' pu'
with like result; only here and there one OF '"o
would ioin with them. and the gates reinalneu
closed to them all
and of Jacob. and IN the pures' heo'."
nra,.ad aloud. "Kadosh. Kadosh.. Kadosh.!'
.osona, zehaoth MILO kol ha-aretz kebodo The
oreer Of God had written the Commandments
w .,o,s ., s,one in Hebrew, but Il was not
hoard within. No sound was heard. and the
80. ,on+ ehut in the face Of one Of GODS
chosen people but only two or three among al
tho throng prayed with him. Tie others under
stood him not and he, too. sat down TO walt
and watch.
Presently a priest OF the holy Church OF Rome
stepped up; humbly and lowly he bowed ana
made the sign Of the holy cross, and then began
II read aloud. He read holy mass; In nonline
Patri ct Fiji ct Spiritus Sancti Amen IN
trojbo ct altare Del Judica me Deus et u's-
cerne causam mean de genie non sancta ne
had been taught that through the portals OF MS
Church alone leads the path to Heaven but
Heaven was closed to him. as 1t was 10 the
others and he also took his place to wait ana
watch.
, swarthv son Of Arahy came next He.
who's. ancestors claimed that 1shmael was the
Younger brother OF the Nazarene. and had been
thrust aside by the elder brother. and whose.
prophet. Mahomet had visited Heaven 10 select
a glorious and permanent home for all his fol-
I'D nd
Allah. hear me; hear me. Allah. La laha, i'll
Allah. Allah Ii ak-bar" But Mahomet was
not there 10 aid him. and neither his apostle
nor his Allah opened those gates for him, and
with the rest, he too sat down to wait
A follower Of the wise philosopher Confuclus
also came and performed his own peculiar rites
The Buddhist was there. and a follower or the
sweet and dreamy Brahma who floats In sea
Of bliss through eternal glory and happiness.
and many more knocked and Knocked anc
prayed. but each had only few who would
pray with him.
At last an old man separated from the
throng His hair was as white as snow and
his beard Of silver hue. He had travelled
much, had been in many lands, had travelled
toward the East and mingled with the Sons or
Light. He had been taught to walk by the
Plumbne OF Rectitude. to walk uprighty be
fore God and man. - act upon the square win
all mankind had learned to travel upon the
Level of Time toward that undiscovered country
from whose bourne no traveller returns. He
had been taught that to enter yonde- portals
the king must leave his sceptrc and the heggar
his staff outside the gates. And. above all this,
he had been taught to reverence the Deity. to
bow before his God. to acknowledge and affirm
his belief IN a Supreme Being. in divine
Architect OF tho Universe, by whatever name
he may call him in whichever way he may
worship and he turned toward the waiting
people and said: You have all prayed alone.
Are wo not all creatures OF one Creator? Are
we not ali brothers. children Of one Father?
Join with all OF you. to pray to the
Father Of All. To our Father. who art in
Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom
come Thy will he done on earth as II is In
Heaven. forgive US our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespaSs against us. and. be
hold, all Joined the Old man IN this prayer All
were Of one mind and all bowed In supplcation
10 the All Father. And as they prayed they
heard the angels choir come nearer and nearer
to ioin them, and wider and wider opened the
Pearlv Gates and the Jew and the Gentle tho
Hirdoo and Christian entered together. Arm in
arm were the followers Of COnfucius and Of
christ Of Mahomet and Of Buddha. md all the
tbrong entered. singing Hosanna and wended
and worship the Supreme Being. the Father of
All
The congregation had left the church. the
sacred edlice was nearly empty. and the good
cid minister had not awakened. The sexton went
up 20 the pulpit to tap the good old man on
the shoulder - wake him. He woke not, He
was dead. He will never wake again. He had
Joined the vast throng Ills spirit had left the
narrow house but also left the narrow lane, the
narrow creed. His dream had become true.
He entered the Pearly Gates, but he entered
with his brethren 10 bow before his Father.
before their Father. the Supreme Being the
Father Of all mankind.
GARIBALDI LODGE NO 5i2.
Right Worshpfu Remisio Lopez. d n ~ tho
Tenth District made his official visit TO this popu-