The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-01-17
ENTERING THE GATE.
DR.. Talmage Describes What May Be Ex-
pected in the Next World.
ExuItaut Admission Awaits Those Who Have
Lived for Others, While the Bgot and
Penurious VIII Barely Get There.

ittnNFi<nt ifVi.l
WASHINGTON. d. C-In a very novel
way DR.. Talmage in his discourse describes
what may he expected in the next world
by those who here bend all their energies
in the right direction; text VI Peter /,
II, For so an entrance shall be minis
tered unto you ahundanty."
Different styles of welcome at the gate
of heaven are here suggested. We all
hope TO enter that supernal capital THROUGH
the qrace 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 Of
this life is either an agnostic or is de-
nented. or finds Fife insuiferable. and
does not care where he lands, This / the
best would we ever got into. and we want
tn stav here ne long as God will let MS stay.
But when the last pare Of the volume of
our earthly life is ended we want enroll
ment in heavenly citizenshp. We want
to ret in easilv We do not want to be
challenged at the gate and asked TO show
our passports. We do not want the gate
keeuer in doubt as to whether we ought
10 10 in at all. We do not want to be
kept in the Dortico of the temple until
consultation is made as to where we camo
from and who we are and whether IL is
safe TO admit u.s. lest we be dscord in
the eternal harmonies or lower the spirit
of heavenly worship. When the Apostle
Peter in the text addresses the people.
For so an entrance shall be administered
unto you ahundartlv." he Implies that
some will find admission into heaven easy.
ranturous and acclamatory, while others
will have tn squeeze through the gate of
heaven. If they get in Mt all. They will
arrive anxious and excited and apprehen-
sive and wondering whethc~ it viii be
"Come!" or "Go" The Bible snealss Of
such persons as scarcely savNd." and in
another place as Saved ne hv f"e." and in
another r'oce as escaped "by the skin of
the teeth"
Carrying out the suggestion Of my text;
] propose to show vou what classes o6
Christians will ret into heaven with
hard push and those who will bound in
amid salutations infinite. In the first
class 7 put that man who gets into the
kingdom of God Mt the close of life all
given tn worldliuesv and sin. Years aoo
he mnde tho resolution that he would
serve himself and serve the world until
hodv, mind ard soul were cxhaue-o1, and
ther. Just before going out OF this life.
would seel, God and rrenare to enter
heaven He carries ont his resolution.
He genuinely renents the last day or the
last hour or the last minute of his life
He takes the last sent in the last cor of
the LIST train bound heavenward His re-
leased and immortal spirit ascends. Not
one wing bears down toward him with
welcome. No sign of oladness at his ar
rival None there obicated to him for
kindness done or aims distributed or spr-
itual help administered. He will find some
naco to stay. hut ] do rot envy that man
his heaven. He rot in, but il was not an
abundant entrance.
Sometimes in our pulrits we give q
wronr turn TO the story Of tho diving thief
tn whom Ch~;st said "'rhis dav shalt
thou he with Me in parndise." We OUGHT
- al. &c rkr.a 4lnA
hardened him in the last hour. but do not
let us admire the dying thief. When he
was arrested th;rl his poclets were full
of stolen coin and the coat he mad on his
back was not his vn. 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 a gigantic meauness to de-
vote the wondrous enuipment of brain and
nerve and muscle and hone with which we
are endowned. those miracles of sight and
hearing and speech. to purposes unworthy
or profane and then. thraugh hastv re-
|, pentance at the last enter heaven. Cheat
ing God all ones lifetime and ther taking
advantage Of n bankrupt law and made
free of all liabilities. l should think that
some men would be ashamed to enter
heaven.
Again. the bqot 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 catechsm in another pocket, and
it may be n 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 yor
are in an awful way. He shrivels up and
.l..... IL. u
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
Bantsts and Episcopalians and Lutherans
and Congregationalists and Presbyterians
and a score of other denominations Just
as good as any / have mentioned? They
all join in the halleluiah chorus, accompan
led by harDers 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
err"
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 neighborhood must be divided into
families, though one neghborhood. But
there is no need for such divisions in heav
en-, and therefore all belong to one de-
nomination of sainthood. What will be
the bigot's amazement when he sees
seated side bv 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
surplced ecclesastic, and a backwoods
minister who in the log cabin meeting
house preached in a linen duster? Among
the great surprises Of heaven for the bigot
will be the celestial friendliness Of those
who on earth opposed each other in wrath
lest polemics. He win get through the
gate. for he has spark of divine grace ir
his heart, but there rill not he an inch
OF room to spare on either side OF him. II
VIII not take long for heaven to educate
him into a glorious big heartednefs.
Again, the penurioHs Christian WI not
have an abundant entrance. Perhaps he
was not converted until all his habits o'
tight fstedness were fixed beyond recov'
cry. The people who are generous were