The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-03
SAYS HEAVEN WILL Be
FILLED FROM BYWAYS
Rev. Roger L. Clark breaches
Sermon in Open
mowD IN CHIArBoRAzo PARK
Parable of the Great Supper Furnishes
Theme for Interesting Discourse on
Mercy of God to Man-Make Poor
Feel at Home.


Feel at Home.
Cooled by the breezes which swept
over the hill, a large number of per-
sons gathered in Chimborazo Park
last night for the first of series Of
summer Sunday evening open-air re-
lirious services. The speaker was
Rev. Roger L. Clark. pastor of the
Third Christian Church and the sub
Ject was, How Heaven Will Be
Filed" Mr.. Clark's text and sermon
go out quickly into the streets and
lanes of the city. and bring In hither
the poor and the manned and the halt
and the blind. Go out into the
highways and hedges that my
house may b nlled." Luke 14:21-23.
This parable Of the great supper was
spolEon ct 4 rsoh Pharisee's house in
answer 70 one OF the guests who said.
no doubt In . self-congratulatory way,
blessed u he that shall eat bread
in the kingdom of God" He is in
dood," the Master In effect replied.
but are you certain you have accept
"a the invitation and will be at the
foAst7 Not all who are invited come
many are called but few are chosen"
In this case those who were hidden
0D0xG00Q, WnSn NJ Zig Af6I 1iEy re-
oetved the invitation they did not list
N among their appointments; they
CARED nothing for 1t and so forgot it.
When the supper was ready a servant
WAs sent to them, but they begged to
- excusod--one because he was con-
oerned about his property. another be-
cause he was too busy, and one be-
cause no cared more for the social
relations and pleasures Of the world.
A very rich man said recently that
once when III through over-work. and
nAae the point Of death. he realized
that his splendid business and largo
AoalsnnalA4lons we're slipping away
ADnm HIM Among the first to visit
intimate friend who said Robert.
rsmemhar That shrouds have no peck
ETA" Out Of this sicknsss grew an
appreciation OF Gods invitation to the
nDast Of grace and glory which he had
eean relsotinG with excuses absolutely
tDtvtal for things comparatively worth
too1. W. may ~ well face the fact
illustrated by this parable: those of
~ world ara not anxious 70 accept
the oRsr OF salvation. They decline
the overtures Of God. disbslieve the
message ana turn away from His
messene era The house In this par
Il - heaven: the supper IL the bless
ednsss and enjoyment OF those who
enter. the invitation In the gospel. and
the servants are all the prophets.
preachers and ministries through
whom God has proTsrad His
love and marcy to the world. Tho
parable tells us of a. house filed. not
through the anxious entreaty of those
who enter. but by tho ali-ssarchtns.
compelling power OF an invitation
which in the end will All the house
with gueses-heaven filed not by self
sselx1ng. but tho sought. by those who
yield TO the conStraining power of a
love commended to us on the cross
Discloees Mercy of God.
This parable Is true TO history.
Stephen may well have quoted 1t In
his serrnon. the abstract of which is
preserved in ActA His sermon was
an application Of this parable. how
the whole Of ora Testament history
discioses tho mercy and long suffer
anco OF God Ia contrast with the fic-
klAnans and disioyai1y OF His chosen
1eeJas. This parable is illustrated in
the psS0ou OF Jesus: He came unto
Ale own and HIs own received Him
no1s 20 jerusalem. Jerusalem. that
ktOeeh the prophets ana stoneth them
&A& - sent unto her, How often
would have saehered thy children
te0o&hT. sven - = hen gathereth her
dhace1sns under her wings. and We
wuid not" And the parable 10 true
tedAJ. Humanity tends always away
fsom Coz and II as depraved now
- svoE Tbs one chanseiess condi-
ton amid Tits restless, changing age
. tho natural snmity OF the mind OF
she nssh against God. The effort OF
our tinnAs 10 to gfoes over and ignore
thto goddess apAthy--th.s Indifference
g the higher cali OF the gospel. II
the church should throw open It's
Doors TO tho wealth and culture and
isasoinS Of the world and say come
would depend upon how far
ths church 10 willing to compromise
the perfect standards OF the Kingdom
OF GOD ana connfve at grosser planes
o. living whether she would receive
2 Arge concourse or the lonely few.
- true that there are and will be
examples OF the conservation OF wealth
ana culture and learning to the King
dom % God--6s remarkable now in
tnsr singularity IS they were in the
days of Luke and Paul.
Poor VIII Feel At Home
Heaven will be nlied with poor peo-
PIE. lazarus must surely feel at home
among his kind. Whatever we
ohh piCptIlS galore
I'm ono essential respect we must
become poor: Blessed are the poor
IN spirit. for theirs is the Kingdom OF
Heaven" What good thing mus. 7
DO to inherit eternal ltfe?" Get rid of
everything which will keep Won ont
OF It Now this parable tells us why
the heavenly house is filled with the
poor, the lame, the halt the blind and
the houseless and homeless. II f not
that the rich and the elect and the
elite cannot come, but that they will
not come. Remember the invitation
vas g1ven to them flrst: remember the
servant was again sent to them. &C.
cording to the ventio and
courtesies OF the time. when the sup
per was ready. Then when there was
call again and yet again to every
one everywhere they had another op-
portunity. There is much more In
voived than their rejection: consider
the predicament of Euestiess feast,
OF an abundant supper spread and
waiting with none to eat II. The Mast
Or will not so unhonored: His house
shall be filled.
Oh, what a motley crowd gathered
~ that affair, Not an evening gown
Or full-dress suit among them. How
the Haeagreness and the neanness OF
the rough cotton clothing. the rags
u