The children of the village school had been invited to a treat and many a small boy and girl could scarcely wait for the day to arrive.
Mr. Lane, who was deeply interested in the young people of his town, had returned home after an absence of several years. He had visited many foreign lands, and had brought with him a large number of rare and curious things.
He had collections of strange looking insects and a nim al s, stuffed birds, shells, corals, mosses, and seaweed. He had besides the costumes of the people of various countries; dresses from China, India, Russia, and Turkey, and many articles of wonderful design.
He invited the children on a certain day, and at a certain hour, and he promised to give them “a little lecture” and to tell them many interesting stories.
Mr. Lane made one condition: “I do not wish to be interrupted,” said he, “after you are all in the hall, and therefore I wish you to be there before two o’clock. At that hour the door will be closed, and no one can be admitted afterward.”
The day came. Many a dinner was hurried through that there might be no danger of missing such a treat. When the clock struck two and the door closed, there was a large and merry party gatred together.
Time passed — five, ten, fifteen minutes after two by the village clock, when a boy panting and heated from hard running came to the door. He looked up as he raised his hand to open the door. His eyes fell upon some lines in large handwriting on a paper fastened there:
“Closed at 2. No Admittance.”
Poor Richard! Too late! The sound of merry voices reached his ear from the happy company within, but in their joy he could have no part. He knew it was no use to knock or try to open the door. His disappointment was bitter indeed, and with difficulty keeping back the tears and sobs that struggled to come up in his bosom, he slowly walked home. His mother looked up as he entered.
“Why, Richard, how is this?” she asked. “I thought you had gone to Mr. Lane’s exhibition. You have been talng about it for a week.”
Poor Richard now broke down, and covering his face with his hands, he sobbed, “I couldn’t get in, Mother; the door was shut.” Then he confessed that though he left home in good time, he had stopped at the blacksmith’s to see the men work on an anchor, and after that he had played by the river with Diver, his uncle’s dog; he did not think of the time till he heard the clock strike two, and then he ran all the way and tried to get in, but failed.
Mr. Lane made one condition — the children must be in the hall before two. Now God has promised to the children of this world a free pardon for their sins and a glorious home forever with never-ending joys, and such sights as human eyes have not seen, and such sweet sounds as human ears have not heard.
But there is one condition. Pardon must be sought now; a right to enter there must be obtained now. When the Lord Jesus shuts the door none can open it; no one can enter then.
Dear young friends, if you have not yet come to Christ, we plead with you not to put it off any longer; tomorrow may be too late.
“They that were ready went in with him... and the door was shut.” Matt. 25:1010And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10). The door that shuts the reemed of the Lord in in safety will shut the unbelieving world outside for judgment. And on what side of the door will you be then?
“WATCH THEREFORE; FOR YE KNOW NEITHER THE DAY NOR THE HOUR WHEREIN THE SON OF MAN COMETH.” Matt 25:13.
ML 01/04/1959