The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-01-30
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.
subject: Entering the Gate-Exultant Ad-
mission Awaits Those Who Have Lived
For Others, While the Bigot and PEN
urious Will Barely Squeeze Through.
ICnnHiYht 1901. /

fOT OEHerhp W nlte DhSoe oAA>H =
urlous Will Barely Squeeze Through.
Copyright 1901
WASHINGTON, D. C.-In very novel
wav DR.. Talmage in his discourse describes
what may be expected in the next world
by those who here bend all their energies
in the right direction; text. II Peter l,
II, "For so an entrance shall be minis
tered unto you abundantly.'
Different styles of welcome at the gatIe,
of heaven are here suggested. we al
hope to enter that supernal 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 g.,
now. The man who hurls himself out OF
this life is either an agnostic or Is de,
mented. or finds life insufferable, and
does not rare 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 page of the volume OF
our earthly life is ended we want enroll.
ment 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 gate
keeper in doubt az to whether we ought
to 20 in at all. We do not want to be
kent 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 Apostle
Peter in the text addresses the people.
'For 40 an entrance shall be administered
unto yon ahundantlv." he i..iplies that
some will find admission into heaven easy,
ranturous and acclamatory. while Others.
will have to squeeze through the gate OF
heaven. if they get in at all. They will
arrive anxious and excited and apprehen-
sive and wondering whether it will be
"Come!" or "Go" The Bible sneaks Of
such persons as scarcely saved" and in
another place as Saved as by fire." and in
another nlace as escaped "by the skin Of
the teeth"
Carrying out the suggestion OF my text:
I propose to show you what classes OF
Christians will get into heaven with a
hard push and those who will bound in
amid salutations infinite. In the first
class I put that man who gets into the
kingdom of God at 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 unit.
body, mind and soul were exhausted, and
then. just before going out of this life,
would seek God and prepare to enter
heaven. He carries out 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 asccuds. Not
one wing bears down toward him with a
welcome. No sign Of eladness at his ar
rival. None there obligated to him for
kindness done or aims distributed or spir-
itual help administered. lie will find some
place to stay. but / do not envy that man
his heaven. He got in, but it was not an
abundant entrance.
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 Christ that
pardoned him in~the last hour, but do not
let US admire the dying thief. When ne
was arrested think his pockets were full
of stolen coin and the coat he had on his
back was not lis 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 example TO
follow. What gigantic meanness to de-.
nerve and muscle and bone with which we
are endowned, these miracles Of sight and
hearing and speech, to purposes unworthy
or profane and then, through hasty re-
pentauce at the last enter heaven. Cheat
ing God all ones 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.
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
it may be good creed and good cate
chism, but he uses them as sharp swords
against those who will not accept his the
cries. You must be baptized in his way
or come to him through apostolic success
sion or be foreordained of eternity or you
are in an awful way. He shrivels up and
shrivels up and becomes more splenetlc
until the time of his departure is at hand.
He has enough of the salt of grace to save
him, but his entrance into heaven will be
something worth watching. What do they
want with him in heaven, where they
have all gone into eternal catholicity, one
grand commingling of Methodists and
Baptists and Episcopalians and Lutherans
end Congregationalsts and Presbyterians
and score of other denominations Just
as good as any ! have mentioned? They
all Join in the halleuiah chorus, accompan-
led by ha-pcrs on their harps and trump
eters on their trumpets, worthy is the
Lamb that was slain to receive blessing
and riches and honor and glory and pow
er."
Denominations of Christians on earth
were necessary in order to better work
and to suit preferences, as an army must
be divided into regiments, yet one army;
as a neighborhood must be divided into
families, though one neighborhood. But
there is no need for such divisions in heav-
en-, and therefore all belong to one de-
of sainthood. What will 6e
the bigot's amazement when he sees
seated side by side on the banks Of the
river of life Calvin and Arminius, Arch
bishop Cranmer and some dissenting
preacher of the gospel who never gradu..
ated, one who on earth was robed and
surpliced ecclesiastic, and a backwoods
minister who in the log cabin meeting
house preached in linen duster! Among
the great surprises of heaven for the blgot
will be the celestial friendliness OF those
who on earth opposed each other in wrath
lest polemics. He will get through the
gate, for he has a spark Of divine grace in
his heart, but there will not be an inch
of room to spare on either side of him. 1t
will not take long for heaven to educate
him into a glorious big heartedness.
Again, the penurious Christian will not
have an abundant entrance. Perhaps he
was not converted until all his habits of
tight fstedness were fixed beyond recov-
cry. The people who are generous were
taught to be generous in childhood; You
can tell from the way that boy divides the
apple what his characteristics for gener-
osity or meanness will be for the next
eighty years if he lives so long. If he eat
it ali himself while others look wistfully
on, he will be Shylock. If he give half
of it to some one who has no apple he
will be an ordinarily generous man. Ii
he give three-fourths of it to another, he