The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1901-01-19
FOR GODS CHILDREN.
A Warm Welcome Awaits Those
Who Faithfully Serve Him.
DIR. TaImsge Tells what the True
Disciple of Christ May Expect
in the Next World - Re-
ward OF SeIf-Sacrince.

expected in the next world by those
who here bend all their energies in
the right direction; text, III Peter
1, H. 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 sim
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
temented or finds life insufferable
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 Mt all.
We do not want to be kept in the
portico of the temple until consulta-
ton is made as to where we came
from and who we are and whether
il is safe to admit us, lest we be n
discord 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 acclamatory,
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 "Go!" 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, | propose to show you what
classes of Christians will get into
Heaven with hard push and those
who will bound in amid salutations
infinite. In the first class l put that
man who gets into the kingdom of
God ut the close of a life all given
to worldliness 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-
o.. IL
his resolution. He genuinely repents
the last day or the last hour or the
last minute Of his life. He takes the
last seat in the last car of the last
train bound Heavenward. His re-
leased and immortal spirit ascends.
one wing bears down toward him
welcome. No sign of g.adness
TO himYval. None there obligated
triputed kindness done or aims dis
tered. lie <gitual help admins
stay. but do TSpd some place to
Heaven. Ho got>>yy that man his
an abundant entrancest it was not
Sometimes in our pun
wrong turn to the stofNe give
dying thief to whom Christ<. the
"ihis day shalt thou be with nisS:
Paradise" We ought to admire III
mercy of Christ that pardoned him Il
the last hour, but do not let us nd
mire the dying thief. When he wa
arrested, think his pockets were fui
OF stolen coin, and the coat he ba,
on his back was not his own. III
stole right on until he was ARRESTED
for his crimes. He repented, an,
through great mercy arose to Para
disc, but he was no example to fol
low. what gigantic meanncss {,
devote the wondrous equipment o
brain and nerve and muscle and bon,
with which we are endowed, thes,
miracles of sight and hearing ant
speech, to purposes unworthy or pro
fame. and then, through hasty' repent
ance at the last, enter Ueayenl
Cheating God all None's lifetime and
then taking advantage of bankrupt
law and made free of all liabilities
should think that some men would
be ashamed to enter Heaven or 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 man
ner OF fruits and the social life is not
so exalted.
Again, the bigot will not have what
my text calls an abundant entrance.
He has his bedwarfed opinion as to
what all must believe and do in order
to gain celestial residence. He has his
creed in one pocket and his catechism
in another pocket. and IL may be a
good creed and a good catechism, but
he uses them as sharp swords against
those who will not accept his theories.
You must be baptized in his way or
come to him through apostolic success
sion or be foreordaineu of eternity. or
you are in an awful way. He shrivels
up and shrivels up and becomes more
splenetic until the time of his depar-
ture is at hand. He has enough of
the salt of grace to save him, but his
entrance into Heaven will be some
thing worth watching. What do they
want with him in Heaven, where they
have all gone into eternal catholicity,
one grand commingling Of Methodists