The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1902-11-14


fident certainty. Peter left his fish
ing nets, and, entering through Christ
the Door. became a fisher of men and
found enlarged possibilities as he cast
out the net of Gods salvation on the
day of Pentecost and drew in 5000
souls. Paul gave up his narrow Juda-
ism and by his miraculous conversion
entered through Christ the Door into
a new life of service which has deep
ened and widened to the present day.
The business man, the scholar, the ar
tisan aud the toiler in whatever field
of usefulness in life will find enlarged
possibilities by means of Christ the
Door.
Jesus the Narrow-Broad DOor-A
paradoXical statement, but neverthe-
less true. \ Narrow Door, because
mans self-will and self-righteousness
cannot possibly find room to pass. a
| Broad Door, because whatsoever will
may come" Imagine the restless
1nultitudes of the earth's population
coming in response to the invitation
and seeking to pass through the
Door. AS they come we notice that
like Christian of Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress they are each and all carry
will. As in chemistry, the same ele-
ments in different quantities combine
to form a great variety of substances,
SC with these burdens which the null
titudes are struggling under. 1t is
self-will in varying quantities and
manifesting itself in a variety of
ways. SeIf-will in religious forms
and ceremonies, self-will in ambition,
in the appetites, in human friend
ships and associations, self-wiu in
everything to which the natural mind
and body of man can turn. And how
that surging multitude would go
sweeping through the Door if it could
Only carry its burdens with it. Sa-
! tan sets many door in imitation of
the Door which God has set, and he
| let's the multitudeS carry all the bur-
dens of their self-will with them.
| And every such door is the gateway
| to hell, for the full fruitage of self
will is hell itself. But the Door
which God has set before the world
| is so narrow that self-will can never
get through. Christ, the Door, is the
| entrance to Gods will, and self-wilI
can never abide in His presence. The
rich young ruler sought Christ, the
Door, and because he could not en-
ter with the self-will of his gold, he
went away sorrowful. What a sad
spectacle it is to see the world cling
ing to its self-will and failing of en-
trance to Christ the Door, where is
Eternal Life and eternal satisfaction
in abiding in the will of God. Do you
know what Gods will is? In the very
narrOwness of the Door we find it's
worldwide breadth, for God will
have all men to be saved, and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth"
The only entrance to the realm of
Gods will is through Christ the Door.
Jesus VIII Yet Be a Shut Door,
The message to the church in Phila-
delphia was, Behold, l have set be-
fore thee an Open Door, and no man
can shut it." And that is Gods mes
sage to the world to-day, but in the
fullness of Gods time that Open
Door is to become a Shut Door.
While the Door is open the light
streams from it into the world, and,
thanks be to God! some turn to that
Light and live. But some day that
Door is to be shut, and then what
awful darkness will PREVAIL The cry
a
as they stand before the shut door
IL yet to burst from the agonized lips
OF the world. Gods message from
the Open Doorway of His love and
mercy is always in the present. "To-
day, if We will hear His voice, harden
rot your hearts" "Now is the ac-
cepted time, now is the day of saliva
ton" Gods tomorrow will see His
face withdrawn from the Open Door,
His hand will close to the Door, and His
voice will no longer be one of plead
ing invitation, but will echo in thun-
der tones of wrath through the earth
ly corridors: depart from Me, We
workers of iniquity." 1t is a solemn
thought, but it is the eternal truth
Of God. Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but the Word of God abideth
forever
Which side of the Door are you on?
Not which side do you think you are
on, or hope you are on, but which
side are you really on according to
Gods Word and His eternal prom
Uses?
Jerry McAuley once put the ques-
ton to a lady who had come to visit
his mission. ''Sir, I am a member of
{ church" Nothing daunted Mr.. Nc
Auley pressed home his question: 81
did not ask you about your church
membership. Are you saved?" do
you mean have I gotten down like
those people up there?" (pointing to
the motley group at the altar. And
she turned Indignantly and left the
m;Ifion. But the shaft which had
been sent home to her heart wrought
its work, and it was Mr.. McAuley's
privilege to see her, a repentant SIN
ner, leave her self-will behind and
PASS through Christ the Door. Have
you Joined the church with your bur-
den of self-wiII tightly shut within
your heart? Then you have not en-
tered Christ the Door. Your name
may be on the church books but no
angel hand has been moved to in
scribe your name in the Lambs Book
CT Life.
On which side of the Door are YOU?
While the sun beams upon you and
you feed in the worlds pastures to
your hearts content. you may not be
conscious that you are without the
fold, but when the nigtt settles down
upon you ard the chill ~pountain air
cuts to your very marrow, and the
wild beasts close in upon you to de-
YOUR you, then you will realize that
there is the difference of an eternity
ha+veeu the outside ami the inside -