The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-02-21
FOR GODS CHILDREN.
A Warm Welcome Awaits Those
Who Faithfully Serve Him.
DR.. Talmage Tells What the True
Disciple of Christ May Expect
in the Next World - Re-
ward of SeIf-Sacrifice.
Copyright, 1900, by Louis Klopsch. N. Y)
Washington,

washing ION,
In very novel way DR.. Ta.mage in
this 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
i, II: 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 lie is either an agnostic or is
demented 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 at 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
it is safe to admit us, lest we be a
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 thai
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 "scarcely saved,' and in
another place as ''sayed 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 a hard push and those
who will bound in amid salutation:
infinite. In the first class I put thai
God at the close of life all giveI
to worldliness and sin. Years ago hi
; made the resolution that he would
serve himself and serve the world un
til body, mind and soul were exhaust
ed and then, just before going out O
this life, would seek God and pre-
pare to enter Heaven. He carries ou
the last day or the last hour or tn,
: last minute of his life. He takes th
: last seat in the last car of the las
train bound Heavenward. His re
leased and immortal spirit ascends
5 Not one wing bears down toward hin
with a welcome. No sign of g.adnes
, at his arrival. None there obligate,
to him for kindness done or aims dis
tributed or spiritual help admins
tered. He will find some place t
stay, but I do not envy that man hi
E Heaven. Ho got in, but it was no
an abundant entrance.
Sometimes in our pulpits we Civ
a wrong turn to the story of tn
dying thief to whom Christ said
, "Ihis day shalt thou be with me i
, Paradise" We ought to admire tn
a mercy of Christ that pardoned him i
: the last hour, but do not let us az
! mire the dying thief. When he wa
/ arrested, think his pockets were flu
Of stolen coin, and the coat he ha
;, on his back was not his own. II
!, stole right on until he was arreste
! for his crimes. He repented, an
through great mercy arose to Par,
;, disc, but he was no example to fo
. low. What gigantic meanness
devote the wondrous equipment {
brain and nerve and muscle and bor
with which we are endowed, thes
miracles of sight and hearing ar
speech. to purposes unworthy or pr
fame, and then, through hasty repen
y ance at the last, enter Heavel
Cheating God all ones lifetime ar
q then taking advantage of bankrul
law and made free of all nabilitie
I should think that some men won
). be ashamed to enter Heaven or wou
= prefer some medium place in the wit
v universe where the palaces are n
;. so effulgent and the trees bear n
more than six instead of twelve ma
ner of fruits and the social life is n
so exalted.
. Again, the bigot win not have VIII
70 my text calls an abundant entran<
ls He has his bedwarfed opinion as
g what all must believe and do in ord
Ie to gain celestial residence. He has /
creed in one pocket and his catechis
in another pocket, and it may be
.. good creed and good catechism, b
!, he uses them as sharp swords agair
:. those who will not accept his theori
4. You must be baptized in his way
come to him through apostolic succ