Evening star., 1959-06-28
SPIRES OF THE SPIRIT
Gates of the Temple

1RSA tAAC 68sC0 Va eAAS
Temple" are words given
wings BY an inspiring mel
ody. They are usually sung
at some great worship occa-
sion when the sanctuary Is
thronged and the doors swing
In for all to enter. But alas,
too often the gates Of that
same temple are barred most
Of the time from Sunday to
Sunday. On Monday let
someone out Of the passing
crowds, yearning for an oasis
OF reverent beauty. with its
symbols of the unseen and
eternal, stand before the
closed door, and the attempt
to cross the portal Is futile.
The only scriptural sentence
that such q church entrance
suggests Is "And the door was
shut" and there could be
added, locked.
Recently as O visitor In q
great Southern city, I In.
structed the taxi driver to
take me to q well-known
church Of my own denondina-
ton. expecting to revel for q
while In It's sanctuary. and to
spend q few minutes In
its sacramental quietness.
Mounting the steps ! found
myself reading the sermon
topic Of the night before,
which was Sunday. The pas
tor had announced on the
bulletin board as his subject,
"The Church OF the Open
Door" That sounded propi-
tious, but when ] turned the
knob Of that impressive en-
trance my plans to enter went
a-glimmering. It would have
been q useless gesture to
pound upon the closed doors
and shout "Open the gates
Of the temple" but under
such circumstances one might
be pardoned for the impulse.
There is no building in any
crossroads, hamlet. village, or
teeming metropolis which
has within its walls so much
Of consecrated significance
and sheer loveliness as q
church where people gather
for worship at stipulated
times. There, away from the
babble Of the noisy ways is
blessed quietness. There, as
no where else. are hallowed
symbols which speak elo-
quently Of the faith Of the
journeying generations. Here
may be pictured windows de-
picting In stained glass bib
lical scenes and hallowed
glimpses Of the earthly min
istry Of Jesus, Savior Of men.
And here, too. are the forms
OF saints Of the early ages.
st Francis and others. In
many a modern cathedral ed
ifice are radiant figures Of
those Of later dates whose
message and contagious good
ness give them q place with
the immortals. Here are glori-
Gus treasures Of carving and
sculpture. memorials given to
speak Of some dear one, gone
now, over to the painless
other side. All this and more
is waiting. not Just for one
hour or so q week. but during
all the hours Of every day. II
the door Is open.
Roman Catholic churches
and Protestant Episcopal
churches habitually literally
obey the injunction of the
hymn. open the gates OF
the temple" and thereby ex-
ercise o tremendous ministry
to passersby. Every place OF
public worship, in the name
Of all that Is high and holy.
ought to eagerly follow their
example and thus enter in-
to a constant and . wider
ministry.
A well-known church at
the center Of the Nations
Capital. belonging to q de-
nomination which as q rule
is guilty Of the scandal OF
locked doors. rises above and
reaches beyond the faith"
to which it happens to be-
long. as. daily o lovely sign
Is placed near the sidewalk
where the procession of hui
manity goes by. In letters Of
gold this is> the heart-warm-
ing invitation to enter open
and welcome portals. It says,
This Is Your Fathers House,
The Holy Quietness Of Its
Sanctuary Invites You to