Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1901-01-16


who here bend all their energies in
the right direction; text, III Peter
| i, IL: For so an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly."
Different styles of welcome at the
gate of Heaven are here suggested.
| We all hope to enter that supernal
capital through the grace that is
ready to save even the chief of sin
ners. But not now. No man healthy
of body and mind wants to go now.
| The man who hurls himself out of
| this life is either an agnostic or is
demented or finds life insutferabe
and does not care where he lands.
| This is the best world we ever got
got into, and we want to stay here
as long as God will let us stay. But
when the last page of the volume of
our earthly life is ended we want en-
rollment in Heavenly citizenship. We
want to get in easily. We do not
want to be challenged at the gate and
asked to show our passports. We do
not want the gatekeeper in doubt as
TO whether we ought to go in at all.
| we do not want to be kept in the
portico of rHe temple until consulta-
ton is made as to where we came
from and who. we are and whether
1T is safe to admit us, lest we be
,dhscord in the eternal harmonies CT
| lower the spirit of Heavenly worship.
| When the apostle Peter in the text
addresses the people: For so an en-
| trance shall be administered unto
you abundantly," he implies that
some will find admission into Heaven
| easy, rapturous and accl Srrsatory,
| while others will have to squeeze
through the gate of Heaven, if they
| get in at all. They will arrive anx-
ious and excited and apprehensive and
wondering whether it will be Come
or Col" The Bible speaks of such
persons as "scarceIy saved" and in
another place as saved as by fire.
| and in another place as escaped by
| the skin of the teeth"
Carrying out the suggestion of my
text, L propose to show you what
classes of Christians will get into
Heaven with n hard push and those
who Will bound in amid salutations
infinite. In the first class ! put that
man who gets into the kingdom of
God at the close of life all given
to worldiiness and sin. Years ago he
made the resolution that he would
serve himself and serve the world I'M
til body, mind and soul were exhaust
ed and then, just before going out of
this life, would seek God and pre-
pare to enter Heaven. He carries out
his resolution. He genuinely repent
the last day or the last hour or the
last minute IF his life. He takes the
last seat in Che last car Of the last
train bound Heavenward His re-
leased and immortal spirit ascends.
Not one wing bears down toward him
with a welcome. No sign of gladness
at his arrival None there obligate
TO him for kindness done or aims dis
trlbuted or spiritual help admins
tered. He will find some place to
stay, but I do not envy that man his
Heaven. Ho got in, but it was not
an abundant entrance
Sometimes in our pulpits we give
wrong turn to- the story of the
dying thief to whom Christ said.
ms day shalt thou be with me in
Paradise We ought to admire the
mercy OF Christ that pardoned him in
the last hour. but do not let us adj
mire the dying thief. When he was
arrested, | think his pockets were fui
OF stolen coin. and the coat he had
on his back was not his own he
stole right on until he was arrested
for his crimes. He rspented and
through great mercy arose TO Para.
disc, but he was no example TO fol.
low. What gigantic meanness TO
devote the wondtous equipment OF
brain and nerve and muscle and hone
with which we are endowed. tbeee
miracles Of sight and hearing and
speech, to purposes unworthy or pro-
fame, and then, through hnstv repent.
ance at the last. enter Heaven,
Cheating God all ones lifetime and
then taking advantage OF 2 bo,L,r,,,,,
law and made free Of all .abilitics
I should think that some men ,yonId
be ashamed TO enter Heaven or womb
prefer some medium place in Che wide
universe where the palaces are not
so ehulgent and the trees bear not
more than six instead Of twelve man.
ner Of fruits and the social life is not
, 30 exalted
Again. the bigot will not have ,vbs
my text calls an abundant entrance
He has his bedwsrsed opiuion ne D.,
, what all must believe and DO i'm ord,
: 20 gain celestial residence. lie b,, IL.
2 creed In one pocket and his catecbt.r,
= IN another pocket and ~ rnav b.
3 good creed and q gooo catcchism hr,
( he uses them as sharp swords ao,i,s-
z those who will not accept his fbcori.s
r You must be baptized ia his VA, -,
come TO him through apostolic succcs
sion or be foreorda iueo Of eferrit, %,
9 you arc in an nwfui way ne shri,st
1 up and shrtfc'o up and becomcs NOR.
Il splenetic until the time Of his dcpor
r ture is ~ hand lie has enough a.
: the salt Of grace 10 save him. but ti
3 entrance into Heaven will be Some
> thing worth watching what do tho,
. | want with him i'm Heaven ,,.boro IN.