The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-20
The Guest Chamber Of the Soul.

(Selected forTT Times-Dls tch.)
"The Master saith unto theejf Where
Is the guest cha mber, where shall eat
the Passover with My discples?"-st,
Luke xxil:ll. gtf7s s
Our Lord spent Fills life, for the most
part, out Of doors; so that the; Gospels
carry. with them the breath Of the pura
open air He founded His kingdom on
a llillside;sIEts chosen oratory was I'M
der the! silver olive trees. H
But It will be also remembered that
Jesus did not dlsdain human homes, with
their sorrow and pain, their wealth also
or love and promise. It was alta mar
rage feast He wrought EIls first miracle
and His glory shonc forth. M
A softer light falls on Nicodemus as
he lnquires tho way Of truth; and In
the shadow of the room st. John watches
and understands. Within slmon's In
ihospitable house: Mary NIagdalene was
delivered from her woeful past, when
she washed His feet with her tears.
And the church Of all ages has made
her plous pilgrimage to the house of the
Good Man." and seen in tender mag
nation Jesus giving Els body and His
blood to the twelve. in sign OF the
sacrifice He had offered all Ills life,
was the very next day to complete on
Calvary.
For one to be Christian 1t Is only
necessary that he be loyal. but 10 be
Christian Of the, first order. he must
also be mystical. Jesus still comes to
us In our outer life-and blessed is the
man who arises and follows Him WHITTIER
soever He Leadeth!, Jesus comes 10 the
door of the soul; that man Is most
blessed who receives the Lord Into ms
prepared guest chamber For Jesus ls
the best of all guests who visit the
human soul. 1t is with ths soul as with
a house in this matter OF hospitality.
Many houses there be where the fire Is
lit In the guest chamber from January
to December. No generous feast IS
placed upon the board no kindly excite
mont on tho threshold. because no guest
! ever lodges beneath that roof. The
house holder may be most respectable
but it Is certain his family suffer loss.
The guest is an inspiration in the house,
and he does not utterly depart with the
| goodbye at tho gate,
More grateful still must be the
strangers who come In the spirit to VISIT
our sous-thosc great masters Who boz
Ing dead, yet live forever In their books
and works How favored and content
must be that mind where the prophets
| of God come, not as strangers with
Formally and dlGidence, but as friends
that have their appointed room and use
the password of the house.
lie who hath Socrates and Virgil and
Dante and Shakespeare III his guest
chamber need not vex himself because
his house is small many mobiles do not
! always entertain such company In their
l castles.
Among all the spiritual guests that
cross our threshold, Jesus Is the chief
and treasured friend. While tho public
como and so through the house IN the
busy daytime, this guest keeps His
room; but In tho quiet hours lie sits
and speaks with US, We make Him
our conHdante, but III the end Ile tells
us things We have not known about our
selves. Ills presence Is an Irresistible
condemnation of wrong-dolng, q perpet'
ual inspiration OF well-doing' It does
not matter whether the soul be palace
or cottage. Lot Hin but enter ano
abide. and the tenant Will become
saint
II we receive Jesus as q guest, we
should give Him the upper ROOM
Wearcd from many Journeys, When He
is brought Within that door, He Is salts
fled as one who has come home, Love
| &, ,,a ohosap up,ieSt lDhAmber'' OF Christ