Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-12-04
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THE GUEST AT THE DOORSTEP

Text, Behold l stand at the door and
knock '-Rev. iii. 20
Over half IL century has gore by
since the genius OF that master painter
Holman Hunt gave to us that thrilling
ly noble picture THE Light Of the
World" Even the unframed eye can
see that great thought has been
transferred from mind to canvas.
There's u patient face. Il kindly eye
The wounded hand is ut the knocker.
The nail pierced foot peers from be-
meath the priestly robe. Twilight and
evening damp have come. In his hand
is the lighted lamp Of truth. The door
is ivy grown-so long unopened. n
touch Of gcnius-there's no latch OH
the outside. 1t can only be opened
from within. Holman Hunt has just
passed into the spirit world. Every
one knows the meaning Of his glorious
! picture, even without title Every
, reader knows who is meant IN the
text, Behold. | stand ut the door and
knock" although no name is mention.
ed. The spirit of God comes to the
door of the human heart and knocks.
He stands there while the sun is 60
ing down. and night is coming on with
its heavy dews and damps. lie waits
and knocks. But only human fingers
can slip back the bolts for him to
come in.
The Visitor.
Whose dark door is this? It's the
door of the Jewish nation. where he
comes as Messiah, then. rejected. to
the gcntiles. 1t Is the door. say the
commentators. Of the Laodicean
church, noted for its wealth and volup-
| tuousncss. But It's more than that.
| Sob it out. crring one-"My dark door"
And the visitor Is none other than the
King Of kings and the Lord OF lords.
; Of whom the angels shouted when he
came home, lift up your heads y ye
gates, and be ye lifted up ye everlast-
ing doors. and the King of Glory shall
come in" Is he at my door? Surely
not. He belongs to the palace only
Balmoral, Petcrhof, Potsdam: royal
guest rooms, with purple and fine lin
Ell. gold and ivory must tint walls and
! floor for king; royal vat and forest
and nursery must furnish food. But
look! lie is passing into Peters house,
a fsherman's simple cottage. lie Is
stopping at Zacchaeus'. that hated tax
gatherer. And at Simon's. the leper-
"unclean" And to Mary and Mar
tha's, quiet. humble folks. Why
Master, l was looking for thee, too.
| but was looking at the church. at the
people, at the minister, the choir. the
ritual. the creed, and then your voice
spoke so quietly, "John. behold stand
at the door and knock" Say. IS that
what that goddess prisoner meant
when he was dying at the county jail
the other night? preacher. I've been
bad"-the dea til sweat was gathering
-"but come closer. chaplain. Jesus
has come to even this poor, dying
thief" Somehow thought OF anoth-
er dying thief.
His Reception.
"1f any man hear and open the
door," Good. Notice that "if?' 9th
ers may force me with screw and rack
and fagot-he respects the sacredness
of nv human will. Every mans heart
is his castle. Come In. come In! But
I'm ashamed. master. I've had other
cucsts-save the name! They've been
on these steps and through these cor
ridors. Blasphemy was here with
blackened lips; selfshness, with hard
eyes and close drawn robes: temper.
with murder aud strife at her heels:
lust red Tipped, hot brcathed and scar,
let ROBBED and drunkenness, with blood
| shot eye and slavering mouth. Huh!
/ Even now they lecr at me from dark
| corners with their foul memories. But
| come thou in. thought when king
would come there would be baLdS or
! music. booming IF cannon. tramplng
of soldiers, l:,ttlchags waving. yet
knew that was the blundcr of Peter.
James and Jol:n-inStrad there's quiet
love, 10y. peace and fragrance as OF
flowers from celestial gardens. Is my
reception rO!u or SlllltI VI III uIdl
Forgive me, patient one. That was
nv sin in the church -preoccupation.
spiritual matt enion. polite unbelief
Give me the quick sense of lover to
anticipate thy desires. the intuition OF
O mother for her child. the instinct OF
bird for SUMMER cline. O lonely one
of Nazareth make my home a Beth
any. where a Lazarus heart shall wei
come. Mary heart adore. d Martha
heart serve.
Tho Divine Guest.
II will come in and sup with him."
What an honor In the old Palmetto
State white mans carriage broke
down before negro's home. former
slave. prosperous now. Generous hos
pitality was extended. The table was
spread. and their former master and
mistress sat down to eat. Not dark
face sat at that table. All stood. as
of old, to serve. Master supped with
slave. but not for moment did the
freed man think of sitting with him
Christ says. Il call you not servants.