The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-23
mon good and not by tho political exI
gcncies of their own bailiwicks.
rIIE CLOSED pom.

\
And the door was shu,"--Matt
NV. 10.
That was the end. Tho opportunity
had gone by. The door had been wide
| open. Tho bridesmaids had been cx-
pcctcd ut the wedding: but the moment
came when they wcro not ready. and
tho door was shut--and stayed shut
lis II true. then. that anybody will
find the door of heaven shut? That is
question TO which We want reply.
1t Is plaiu wc cannot answer of our
selves. We do not know anything
| about IL. Under such circumstances. IL
VIC want an answer 10 n question in
medicine, VIC consult the highest medi-
cal authority Jr II is a question in
science VIC consult the wiscst scion
tnc authority. Tho same prudence
and rcasonablencss in religion sends us
with this question to tho supreme re
lisious authority. Tho best Thing,
then. VIC can do is to take this ques-
ton straight to the New Testament.
aud thus. at last. to Him upon whose
life and words all tho rest Of tho New
Testament is but commentary II
is answered there and tho answer is
not pleasant reading.
When VIC read the hard savings OF
tho gospel aud tho epistlcs touching
the fate OF tho wicked VIC should
keep in mind the fact that God is ever
ready to be gracious and Will take the
hand of every penitcnt sinner through
out eternity. and that Christians must
he Christians still In heaven. unsutis-
fed until they have built bridge
! across the gulf beyond which their
brethren arc in torment
Gould 81. Paul rest comfortably in
heaven. who said: II could wish that
myself were accurscd from Chris, for
my brethren who refuse to hear tho
voice Of God? And yet the door was
! shut. That stern thought is brought
to us over and over in the New .res.a
mcnt. In sterncst speech Jesus warned
His listeners time and again Of tho
dangers OF hell. Enter ye in at tho
straight gate: for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that lcadcth 60 de-
| struction. >and many there be which go
in thcroat; because straight is tho
gate and narrow IS the way which lead
eth unto life. and few there be that
find IT. And so Jesus spoke to those
who prophesied in His name. bur did
not know Him. And so He warned
| Sodom and GCmorrah, but He brought
Ills gospel no closer to His hearers
then than He brings ii to YOU to-day
/ a.
| TO enter. Presently the door VAS shut.
and that was the end Of il. They who
were out stayed out: their beiatod
knocking was not heard.
/ This is true OF our daily opportunl-
! ties. They present themselves with
/ open door and when wc pass along.
! looking the other way. the door is
! shut. and that door never opens again.
Other doors of opportunity may open.
but that door--nevor! And so II viii
be in the supreme and final crisis OF
our life.
And tho door was shut within
are lights ana JOY and wedding guests
and the table garnishcd for the we'd.
ding supper. And who arc these tina,
sit without in the chill darkness on
the wrong side OF tho closed door?
! Arc they wicked people? Arc tnev
enemies OF the bridcg room? No,
/ These arc tho bridesmaids. They have
/ been not only invited but especially
and particularly invited These for
hidden guests arc members Of tho
( bridal party. Others might have some
4 difficulty about getting In, but for such
/ as these cvcn tho closed door would
/ be opened-th q 5 what they thought
/ and they were mistaken!
/ Strange and terrible is the placc
I given in the gospel to sins OF omis-
! sion Is 1t true that anybody will find
! the door OF heaven shut: Yes: that Is
/ true! What sort OF people will they
I be? Some OF them will be people OF
our own kind. For what, then. viii
! they find themselves, shut out? For
sins of omission. The man With ono
talent had not stolen tho talent. n.
only failed to use It, The rich man in
tho parable is not said to have been
vicious; he simply did no. helm tho
poor man at his gate.
And. In tho great day Of decision.
who arc they that stand upon the left
hand? Is i; said 10 them: "Yon have
broken the commandments YOU have
hated righteousness and loved in
quty".? Not ut all And vet. they go
away laden with malcdiction. Ana
what have they done? "tnasmuch ms
yc did 1T not to ono OF the least OF
these. " did 1t not 70 Me-
Let us remember IT is by our oppor
tunltics that God will judge us. This
might VIC have done: This might VIC
have hocn, hut VIC wcrc intent uron
something else. We took lower
standard.
Oh, not against us. not in tho face
OF any Of us. lot tina, door close
There lis ono door which VIC our