Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-02-24


the knock is heard The recent awful
theater tragedy in Chicago brought
solemn, death-like hush over the city
The most careless and frivolous and
indifferent were made to pause and
think of the more serious side OF life:
they were made To realize that il was
not all of life to live or death TO die
And as people were checked in the
rapid rush OF modern life and the
headlong race after pleasure. the
knock of Jesus was heard. He wanted
TO come and change the current OF life
so that IL would flow Godward, and
many. thank God. when they heard
the knock opened the door and let Je-
sus come in. But others would not.
and Jesus stands without. still knock
ing. knocking, knocking. Why is the
door not opened? 1t may be because
you do not realize Who is there, OF
because you have not withdrawn the
bars which are holding the door shut
no you realize that Jesus. the King.
- stands at your hearts door knock
ing? The story is told of Peter the
oitae. va NuSSid, WIN was lOhd VI
dressing in peasant garb and going
among his people, that one day he
knocked at the door of a house and
was refused admittance and turned
away. What was the distress and alarm
of the people in that house when they
realized that they had turned away the
king. If they had only realized that
1T was their king, they would have re-
ceived him with open arms. And oh.
soul. If you would only realize it. the
Saviour Who is knocking at your heart
is the King of kings and the Lord OF
lords. Those two men who walked
from Jerusalem to Emmaus did not real
lie that the stranger who met them
was Jesus. but when they invited Him
In to abide with them their eyes were
opened and they knew Him. And 1t
VIII be so with you. You do not realize
that II is Jesus knocking at your heart
You know there is an unsatisfied long
ing. the sense of a lack which this
world cannot supply. You have a con-
ciousness within your inmost heart OF
need which only God can fill. 1t Is
Jesus knocking You do not realize
Who II is that is there. You do not
"Hal IL Out JuSt
open the door and invite the stranger
In, and you will soon learn as He sups
with you and you with Him that It is
your Saviour and your King Who has
been seeking admission.
p UT the bars may be up and you do
= not want to take them down to let
the door open for Jesus. There is the
bar OF pride. All! how pride some
times keeps the heart door shut and at
last closes the very gate of Heaven
against the soul. Pride keeps the knee
from bending; pride keeps the head
erect; pride keeps the lips shut tight
The proud heart cannot come into
GODS presence, or. as James puts it,
God resisteth the proud" If IL is
pride that is keeping the door shut.
take the bar down. Or it may be the
bar OF personal desire. You have your
own purposes and plans. your own
feelings and wishes to crafty; your
own appetites to indulge. This bar OF
personal desire includes worldliness
sin In Its various phases. ambition.
selfishness. and this bar Of personal
NSSiic huSl De WlInuTaWn before Jesus
can come in. And then there is the
bar OF procrastination. 1t is an inno-
cent looking bar. but there is no other
bar which has proved more destruc-
tive to souls. 1t is Satan's last and
effective plea. The soul realizes read
lily It's need OF Jesus, it knows 1t must
break down the bars to let the door
swing open, but not now is the plea
Tomorrow, next week, next year.
After the soul has been its master a
little longer. After the desires OF the
heart and life have been INDUCED a
little more fully. But there is peril I'm
delay. as many, many a precious soul
has realized when it was too late
Jesus does not say He will stand at the
hearts door tomorrow. He stands
there now. but tomorrow He NAV
have Withdrawn. This bar of pro-
crastination is hard one to get rid Of
But be rid OF 1t right now, dear friend
DO what you know you ought to do at
once. While Jesus knocks, do not tell
Him to call tomorrow, but bid him
enter right now. this very moment
Nh thau ha