The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-06-27
AT ST. PETERS GATE
JOSEPH BERT SMILEY'S MOST
FAMOUS POEM. =
How the Saint and the Sinner Went
Hand in Hand to the Portals OF the
City of Peace, and the Welcome
Accorded Them. -.'. -

St. Peter stood guard at the golden gate
With a solemn mien and air sedate, 49,
49, When up to the top Of the golden stair
A man and woman, ascending there,
APPLIED for admission. They came and
stood
Before St. Peter, so great and good.
In hope the City Of Peace TO- win,
And asked St. Peter to let them in.
The woman was. tall and lank and thin.
With a scraggy beardlet upon her chin: ,,+
His stomach a s was so butt SO it founded out,
His face was pleasant, and all the while
He wore a kindly and genial smile.
The choirs in the distance the echoes
And the man kept still while THE woman
"oh, thou who guardest the gate said
1--we come hithes bf S la1g , thee
And play our harps with the angel band
Of me, St. Peter, there is no doubt.
There's nothing from heaven to bar me
I've been to meeting three times a week,
And almost always I'd rise and speak.
I've told the sinners about the day -,
I've told my neighbors-Ive told EN- all
Bout Adam and Eve, and the frlmal
I've shown them what they'd have to do
# they'd pass in with h the Ghose en-. few
Laid out the plan for their whole career
I've talked and talked to 'em loud and
long,
For my lungs are good and my voice is
strong,
So. good St; Peter, you'll clearly fdy see see
But my old man, I regret to- say,
Hasn't walked in exactly the narrow
He smokes and he swears, and grave
faults he's got,
And 1 don't know whether he'll pass or
He never would pray with an earnest
Or go to revival, or join in hymn,
So had to leave him in sorrow there
While I, with the chosen, united in
He ate what the pantry CHANGED to af-
While I, in my purity, sang to the. Lord.
And if cuc}lmbers were al ne got w.
But oh, St Peter. love him 50 .
To the pleaAure of heaven please let
I've done done s emo ugh--a saint I've been:
Won't that atone? Cant you let him in?
1o,unrepe ;r,ssi ass ~ below,
no .i' w. there someFsWay you can see
ion to themay enter who's dear to me!
THE N arrow gospel which I pray.
VIM chosen e9Reet to to f hnibi some go way
L nlru 81 their relation can amble through.
4atest " st: Peter it seems e. ST., to me to he
aentl61egrnet 10 S'ano f'sn' ny ''' ''
looms never sit down in that easy chair.
And say, st. Peter my sight is dimmed,
! But don't like the way your whiskers
are trimmed. -. ,. Toss.
1hs2 sar 1S2k Better aasEszs sst { atEs'sn.
Well, we must be going our crowns to
So open' St, Peter, and We'll pass in."
st. St. Ps sSife sat at G Sa toe Rs
TRsn SAD n Ttta fs er sat Eea y9a g 5r A Eye
And pf then h he arose, in his stature tall.
And dressed button upon the wall
And ,said to the imp who answered the
''Escort this female around to HE'LL"
The man stood still a. q piece Of stone
stood sadly. gloomily, there S9 al, alone
fee 9 se Was ge asa a me hs was bad
He thought if the woman went down be-
That he s Teu Vent to- thy regens dim
There wasn't the ghost Of a show for
him
Slowly he turned, by habit bent,
~ foi,ow wherever the woman went,
St Peter standing on duty there,
Observed that the top OF MS heao was
He called the gentleman back and said,
.Friend. how long hast thou been Wed!'
."Thirty years" with weary Slgh)C
And then he thoughtfully added "Why!'
St. Peter was silent. With head bent
He raised his hand and scratched his
Then Seeming a different thought to take,
Slowly, half to himself, he spake.
..r6,rtv years with that woman there?
Swearing is wicked. Smokes not good;
He smoked and swore-I should think he
would!
Thirty Years with that tongue SO sharp!
IEo1 1nSel Gabriel! GIVE HIM A HARP!
A ieweIed harp with golden string!
Good sir. pass IN where the angels sing!
Gabriel give him seat alone
One with the cushion-up near the throne!
Cali up some angels to play 3heir pest
See that on finest ambrosia he feeds,
He's had about all the hell he needs
It isn't lust hardly the thing TO 90
TO roast him on earth ana the 1ueare'
too" - +: lfN =
They gave him a harp with golden
A glittering robe and a pair of wings, .
And he said as he entered the Realms OF
Well this beats cucumbers, anyway"
And So the Scriptures had come to pass,
The last shall be first and the first shall
he last - s.-l