Evening journal., 1916-02-21

a little girl TO her mother, Mamma,
see grandmother is getting ready to
90 to the country on a visit. I see
papa is getting ready TO go away on
a business trip. see you are getting
ready TO entertain some friends. But,
mamma, l do not see anybody getting
ready for heaven"
A friend told me OF his experience I
in a great city where he lived. There !
was TO be a famous lecturer come to |
that city, and it was evident that only
a small proportion of the people who
desired TO attend the lecture could OBJ |
tain admission. Each evening when
nc came home from his Office his wife
exhorted him to be sure to get some
reserved seats for that lecture. The
next day she was greatly annoyed be-
cause he seemed to evidence so little
concern about it, When the night OF
the lecture came and they were on
their way down to the auditorium, she
said. 81 believe there is no use for us
TO 90, because we will be unable to
get in, and il we did we would have
to stand during the whole evening
And still her husband was as calm
as ever When they reached the hall
there were multitudes on the outside
who could not gain admission. but the
husband Coolly took out Of his in
side pocket two tickets, which called
for two of the best seats in tire house.
He handed them to the doorkeeper
and they were ushered to their places.
There was no anxiety in his life. be-
cause he had had forethOught. Would
that mankind used as good judgment
in regard to preparation for eternity.
"They that were ready went in"
I would like to close this sermon
at this point. I would If ! dared. but
must render an account on the
! judgment day to my Lord and Master
as to how l have preached to you. In
loyalty to Him and to your interests S,
| must give you the rest of this mes
sage. the words of our text, And the
door was shut" Does that sound
very much as though every one was
to be saved? True it is that when that
door to the kingdom of heaven is shut
they that are on the inside Of the
door who have received Christ as
their Saviour, will be separated from
sin and from sorrow Old things will
pass away. God will wipe all tears
from their eyes. They can then build
upon that eternal foundation. The
know that the permanent life has be
gun. But those who have not entered
the kingdom of heaven, who have no.
received Jesus Christ will be upon the
outside, and when that door is once
shut it will be shut forever
have heard the story of misor
in France, who lived in a hut beneath
which he had built a subterranean
vault where he secreted his silver
and gold. The entrance TO this vault
was through a trap door in the floor
which was fastened by a spring lock
on the upper side. One day, as he
was wont, he lighted a candle. un-
locked the door, and went down the
ladder into the cellar to count his
money A gust Of wind, blowing
= through the open windows. blew
= broadside against that door It slam.
p med shut. and the lock was above
. You can see him as he puts down the
A candle. springs up that ladder. will
Il almost superhuman strength tugs
y against that door, but Intentionally h,
:. has made it strong. He struggles il
: vain; that candle seems to be eat
~ ing its way to the socket, and th
:, faces on the gold and silver coin
" seem to mock his holplessness and de
~ spair. For months no one was seei
" about that hermit's hut Nearly
a year passed by. and the authoritie
J, concluded to tear it down. Beneatl
" it they found the CHASTITY skeleton o
7, the miser. "The door was shut"
= So 1t is the door Of privilege, OF Op
y portunity for salvation, for spiritua
v development and for service il
y turning on its hinges. Sooner tha
you think. that door will be closet
= There is the story of a father an
e' mother who lived in a southern cit!
w. who had sent their only son to
:. northern college. He fell in anon
wrong associates. He became diss
? pated and debauched and drunkel
., He was expelled from school. Keenl
y. the parents felt the disgrace. At las
~ his life OF waywardness and sin brok
- his mothers heart. She came dow
~ to her death. The father, broken
80 spirit, hoped against hope that ii
-. mothers death would touch the son
- heart and bring him to realizatio
.o OF his condition. But then he SCENE
~. to 90 from bad to worse. One day
Z. met his father on the street and d
~ manded money. mo" said the fathe
u l'I will give you no more money. I'll
.4' more have given you. the worse "
~ have been of" And then that son,
an 49,. s,,,o,.a1,' 4, r. 60 IIad :,
int .'''llel .a'i,, oIu,''o'S - ~ aood r,an
~ would have fallen to the pavemel