The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-08-03
At the Beautiful
Gate
By REV. CAS-. DWIGHT. Phi. D.
Toronio. Can.

J. women" to the inner court. While the
other gates were overlaid with gold
and silver this portal, according TO
Josephus. was made "of Corinthian
bronze. and much surpassed In worth
those enriched with silver and gold"
The lame man was perhaps one OF the
most unfortunate individuals in Jeru.
salem. having no means Of earning
livelihood. being quite friendless and
certainly forlorn-yet he was well
/ placed.
The situation at the door Of the
temple was both pathetic and prom
Using. He could not walk in. but his
thoughts could enter: he might not
Join in the praises OF the worshipping
hosts within. but he could catch some
thing Of the enthusiasm which bright
ened their faces as they came out
While he was outside the circle Of
inner, intimate communion he was
yet In the line OF blessing and could
make daily proof OF the fact that It
was better TO be lame doorkeeper
in the house OF God than to dwell
luxuriously in the court OF riotious
Herod.
It is impossible to tell how pure
were the motives OF the lame man IN
habitually frequenting the door step
OF the Lords house. He was certain
y after money-but II all who are
after money in some shape were ex.
cluded from the sanctuary congrega-
tons today would be much thinner
than in many communities they are.
To a degree the lame man needed
coin. and 10 certain extent every
man needs It. but II his thoughts and
desires had been wholly centered up
on money 1t is not likely that Peter
and John would ever have been at
tracted to him. or been empowered
by the Lord to work in his case
miraculous cure. Let Us suppose that
the lame man had some sincere inter
est in the temple itself as well as in
the tolls which he collected from the
charitable. and that, while not indif-
ferent TO the silver and the gold. he
cared most of all for the spiritual mes
sage which such men as Peter and
John had to give.
II was a fine thing then that the
lame man got as far as the Beautiful
Gate. Rich or poor. men alike need
in their lives the identifying touch.
and hard prosaic lives need It most
OF all. Even If the lame man could
not enter the temple recesses he could
look up and admire the architectural
beauty about him. and the CLEAN OF
that Corinthiar bronze brought a
touch OF brightness into his life. The
Seranium plant In the window OF the
city tenement. the tree struggling for
stunted growth IN a city street, all
these are glimpses and gladdenings OF
the esthetic sense-the sense for
color. for proportion. for harmony,
which. often degraded to a goddess
art. are yet susceptible OF serving.
when purified and ldealized. the high.
est aims OF the moral nature. The
lame man was deformed IN himself.
but he was transformed by his daily
look into the face OF the beautiful
above him.
All men. however athletic or viSor.
Gus or full OF pride. are at some point
weak-are somewhere in their being
lame and impotent and in need or
aims. or OF spiritual uplift far bet.
ter than aims. There are beautiful
gates unto which We all alike need
TO come. God has made. not one nor
two nor six. as in the temple Of old.
but many such portals. in different
parts OF the pilgrim country OF mortal
sojourn. opening into fair reaches OF
truth and broad areas OF higher ex.
perience.
There Is first the Beautiful Gate OF
Faith. II the lame man had not IN
some degree had faith he would no,
have received from the miracle work.
ing apostles what was better than
aims-new health and strengthened
what WAS better than physical health
and Quickening-the recreating OF his
spiritual manhood. the renovation OF
his moral nature. Without faith II is
impossible 10 please God. or 10 get
anything worth while done. He who
would be successful In this life mus;
be much at the Gate OF Faith.
There is secondly the Gate OF PRAY.
er. Prayer IS faiths voice. Faith fnds
lis expression through prayer. The
prayerless man is always cssenfiarv
a weak ard resourceless man. The
lane man was weak. but he knew how
10 use his voice in prayer. and 50 he
did not remain weak.
There is the Beautiful Gate Of Love
The lame man appealed to the love
that was in Peter and John. and AID
not fail to receive response. Love
IS the very atmosphere Of thar land
Of delight into which The Gate Beau-
tiful opens When love dominates
and permeates a human lie heaven
ITSELF at once begins 10 Be- realized
or earth. There Is always IN Iova nm