The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1910-12-09
SATURDAY NIGHT
SERMONS &A9
BY mi. -
pwSANuELW. PUpy1SD.D.
TINY curST AT THE DOORSTEP.

knock Rev hi. 20.
over half century has gone Oy
aimee the genius of that master PALMER
Holman Hunt gave to US that thrihmg-
" noble picture The Light OF the
world" Even the unframed eye can
ace that a great thought has been
transferred from mind to canvas
There's patient face. kindly eye
The wounded hand is at the knocker'
The nail pierced foot peers from De
Meath the priestly robe. Twilight anu
evening damp have come. In his manu-
IS the lighted lamp Of truth. Inc door
IS ivy grown-so long unopened a
touch OF eenius-there's no latch on
,ho outside II can only be opened .
from within. Holman Hunt mas just
passed into the spirit world. Every
~. tnovs the meaning of his glorious
nicf1re even without q tlle' livery
rosder knows who Is meant 10 the
texf Behold. stand az the door anu
knock" although no name Is mehuon-
al The spirit Of God comes TO the
6oor of the human heart aud knocks
To stands there while the sun IS go
ing down. and night is coming on WIN
lis heavy dews and damps. lie waits
and knocks But only human fingers
can slip back the bolts Tor BIN 10
come In.
The Visitor.
Whose dark door is thisi It's tne
door of the Jewish nation. where ne
comes as Messiah. then, rejected 10
the centiles II is the door, say tne
commentators. Of the Laodicean
church noted for its wealth and volup-
tnonsness But it's more than that.
Sob Il out. erring one-"My dark door.
And the visitor is none other than the
King Of kings and the Lord OF lorus'
Of whom the angels shouted when ne
came home. lift up your heads y ye
gates and be We lifted up We eyerlast-
inc doors. and the King OF Glory shaii
come I'M Is he at my door? surely
not, He belongs 10 the palace only
Ralmoral. Peterhof. Potsdam' royai
quest rooms. with purple and me I'm
on gold and ivory must tint walls ana
floor for a king; royal vat and forest
and nursery must furnish food. But
took He is passing into Peters house.
q fsherman's simple cottage. lie Is
stopping at Zacchaeus'. that hateu 'aA
'gatberer. And at Simon's. the leper-
.rncleanv' And to Mary and Mar
tha's quiet. humble folks. why
Master l was looking for thee TOO
bnt was looking at the church. al th'
neonle at the minister, the choir, tn'
ritual the creed. and fhen yoof Voc
smoke so quietly, John behold stan'
at the door and knock Say, Is tina
what that goddess prisoner mean
when he was dying at the county jal
the other night? preacher. I've bee
Naho-the death sweat was gatherin
-"but come closer. chaplain Jesu
hoe come to even this poor. dyin
thief" Somehow | thought OF ano'i
or dying thief ..-.-~
His Reception.
I .1f anv man hear and open I,
Aoor" Good Notice that III Ou
ors may force me with screw ana ra'
and fagot-he respects the sacreune'
80 INV human will Every mans nea
Is his castle Come in. come III -
I'm ashamed. master. I've hau ON
,,osts-save the name. They've oe'
- tbose stems and through these &C
r,dors Blasphemy was mere WI
hlackened lips; selhshness' win ia
ewes and close drawn robes; temp
nth murder and strife at her nee
Inst red lipned, bot breathed ana SCI
lot robed and drunkenness. with olo'
shot eve and slavering mouth III
Fven now they leer at me from ga
corners with their foul memories 4
como tbou in. thought when a ri
,rorld come there would be bands
music booming Of cannon. tramp
~ soldiers. battehags waving. ye,
tnovr that was the blunder oil fe'
James and John-mstead there gu
1oye iov peace and fragrance as
flowers from celestial gardens Is
receptlon cold or stilted or form
Forgive me patient one That
nv sin in the church-preoccupau
spiritual inattention. polite unoei
Give me the quick sense Of lover
anticipate thy desires, the Intuition
mother Tor her child. the instinct
q bird for SUMMER cline. o lonely
Of Nazareth. make my home 81
any. where a Lazarus heart shall
come. a Mary heart adore Maj
heart serve
The Divine Guest
u win come in and sup with Of
what an honor, IN the old Palm
state a white mans carriage pl
down before negroes home Tot
slave. prosperous now. Generous
vitality was extended. The taoie
spread. and their former master
I'm 70 aqf Not a