Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-05
Christianity.
Changes in Mail Service.
Chief Clerk John NJ. Butler of the railv
mail service has made the following
BACCALAUREATE AT BELLEVUE.
Rev. Stephen Phelps of Omaha Adj
dresses the Students.

dresses the Students.
BELLEVUE, Neb., May 4.-(Special.) y
The baccalaureate sermon to the students
OF Bellevue college was delivered at the
Presbyterian church this evening by Rev.
Stephen Phelps, D. D., of Omaha, instead
of by President d. r. Kerr, as previously
announced. The church was crowded with
students and friends of the college to hear
this well known divine DR.. Phelps had
chosen as his text Revelations iii, s: Be
hold l set before thee an open door and
no man can shut it,"
The speaker began with congratulations
to the graduates. He then gave the cir
cumstances under which the text was
spoken and the warrant for using the words
as applicable now, in the accompanying
words. "He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches" !"
He then called attention
To the earnestness and emphasis of the
words
To their individual and personal charac-
ter II set before thee" God has an open
door for each of you.
The contrast-of Himself with man: II
open, no man can shut" "If God be for
you, who can be against you?"
The sovereignty expressed. The key is
symbol of authority. Very suggestive Is
the expression, II have the key of David,
and the keys of death and the grave" He
opened to David his life task. Neither
King Saul nor any other could prevent. He
opens death to all who die None can pre-
vent. He opened the grave to Himself and
escaped from it, And all that are in their
graves shall, in due time, hear His voice
and come forth He who is thus sovereign
says to each of you, Behold l set before
you an open door, and no man can shut it.
What doors?
First-The door of knowledge. In your
courses of study though excellent and
thorough, you have only been looking into
open doors You have scarcely more than
crossed the threshold of any science. Vast
realms OF truth lie beyond Press on
farther and farther, into them. You will
find that all truth is from God, and that
there is no conflict between His works and
His word
Second-The door Of opportunity. He has
place for you. II you are ready for It,
II is ready and waiting for you. There are
five ways in some or all OF which you will
find your open door or your life task. BY
the suggestions OF the Holy Spirit to you
By the use of your own reasons. BY the
counsel of others-Samuel was sent to
David, Elijah TO Elisha. Annanias TO Paul
and Paul to Timothy BY His word-it is
"a light to your path and lamp TO your
feet" BY His providence.
Now, thus guided and aided, be watchful
for opportunities, Queen Isabella entered a
widely opened door when she Pledged her
jewels to support Columbus. Martin Luther
entered divinely opened door when he
nailed his theses to the cathedral gate. Man
nightly, but vainly, tried to close 1t, for
He had opened it who cpeneth and no man
shutteth. Cyrus entered Babylon through a
door, which God had promised for more than
hundred years to open to him, yet Cyrus
himself had much TO do in opening 1t. He
turned the Euphrates from its course and
marched his men under the walls through
its empty channel. He co-operated with
God. So must you
You are coming to your lifework in an age,
the busiest that ever was, but among the
crowding, toiling millions there is a place
for you. Find it, enter 1t; ill IL; leave It
only when God shall call YOU from it to
the place prepared for you in the life be-
yond.
Third-Ths Door of Escape-From corrod-