Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-01-26
TALMAGE's SERMON.
HEAVEN AWAITS TRUE DISCI-
PIES OF CHRIST.
Tells What May Be Expected In the
Next World by Those Who Faithfully
Serve God and Help Their Fellow Men
Reward of Self Sacrifice.

Copyright. 1901. by Louis Klopsch. N Y)
Washington. Jan. 13.-In very novel
way DIR. Talmage in this discourse de-
ecribes what may be expected in the
next world by those who here bend all
their energies in the right direction;
text, II. Peter l., IL: cFor so an en-
trance shall be ministered unto you
abundantly.''
Different styles OF welcome at the
gate of heaven are here suggested. We
all hope to enter that superna1 capital
through the grace that is ready to save
even the chief of sinners. But not now.
No man healthy of body and mind
wants to go now. The man who hurls
himself out f this life is either an
agnostic or is demented or finds life
1nsufferable and does not care where
he lands. This is the best world we
ever got into, and we want to stay here
as long as God will let us stay. But
when the last rpage 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
whether we ought to go in at all. We
do not want to be kept in the portico
OF the temple until consultation is
made as to where we came from, and
who we are. and whether it is safe to
admit US. lest we be a discord in the
eternal harmonies or lower the spirit
of heavenly worship. When the apos-
tie Peter in the text addresses people,
Fer SO an entrance shall be admin
1stered unto you abundantly," he i'm
plies that some will find admission into
heaven easy, rapturous and acclama-
tory, while other will have to squeeze
through the gate of heaven, if they get
In at all. They will arrive anxious and
excited and apprehensive and wonder
Ing whether it will be "Come!" or
'Go!" The Bible speaks of such per-
sons as scarcely saved and in an
other place as saved as by fire." and
In another place as escaped by the
skin of the teeth
The Mercy Of Christ.
Sometimes in our pulpits we give a
wrong turn to the story of the dying
thief TO whom Christ said, This day
shalt thou be with me in paradise" We
ought to admire the mercy of the
hour. but do not let US admire the
dying thief. When he was arrested,
think his pockets were full 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 repented, and through great mercy
arose to paradise, but he was no ex-
ample to follow. What a gigantic
meanness to devote the wondrous
equipment of brain and nerve and mus
Gle and bone with which we are en-
dowed, these miracles of sight and
hearing and speech, to purposes I'M
worthy or profane, and then, through
hasty repentance at the last, enter
heaven! Cheating God all ones life
time and then taking advantage of a
bankrupt law and made free of all liza
bilities. / should think that some men
would be ashamed to enter heaven OF
would prefer some medium place in the
wide universe where the palaces are not
so effulgent and the trees bear not more
than six instead Of twelve manner Of
fruits, and the social life is not so ex-
allied
Again, the bigot will not have what
my text calls an abundant entrance
He has his bedwarfed opinion as tt
what all must believe and do in order
to gain celestial residence. He has his
creed in one pocket and his cateehisn
in another pocket, and it may be a goo(
creed and good catechism, and he use:
them as sharp swords against those
who will not accept his theories. YOU
must be baptized in his way or come
to him though apostolic succession OF
be foreordained of eterniay, or you ar,
in an awful way. He shrivels up ant
shrivels up and becomes more splene
tic until the time of his departure ii
at hand. He has enough of the salt o
grace to save him, but his entrance int.
heaven will be something worth watch
ing. What do they want with him il
heaven, where they have all gone int
eternal catholicity, one grand commin
Cling of Methodists and Baptists an,
Episcopalians and Lutherans and Con
gregationalists and Presbyterians an,
a score of other denominations just a
good as any 1 have mentioned? The.
all join in the hallelulfah chorus, &C
companied by harpers on their harp
and trumpeters on their trumpetE
Worthy is the Lamb that was slail
to receive blessing and riches an
honor and glory and power,"
Necessity of Denominations
Denominations of Christians on cart
were necessary in order to better wor
and to suit preferences-as an arm
must be divided into regiments, We
one army; as a neighborhood must b
divided into families though one neigh
borhood. But there is no need for sue