Everyman’s Hut

Camp News, Volume 4, Issue 159, 29 January 1943, Page 4

Everyman’s Hut

“When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath SHUT THE DOOR, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are; .... . DEPART FROM ME . . . .’’—Luke, ch. 13., verses 25-27. Out' of Christ, without a Saviour, Lonely and dark thy way; With no light, no hope in Jesus, Making bright the cheerless day. Out of Christ, without a Saviour, Give to Him now thy heart, Ere’the door of mercy closes, And you hear His word, “Depart.’ Now we come to the third and last chat on the door that was shut. When the idea of these three talks presented itself to our mind we had no idea that they would be the last to go forth per medium of the “Camp News,” but so it just happens that the final talk appears in the last issue. "Just over three years ago, through the kindness of the proprietors, Stewart, Lawrence & Co., Ltd., space Was offered Everyman’s Hut for a weekly contribution to the “Camp News.”, We thank them most heartily for their help and consideration, and look back with pleasure over a period of . happy co-opera-tion. Everyman’s Hut was put into operation for the sole purpose of bringing the Gospel of Christ before the men and of helping them spiritually. The achievement of these aims is proved, not so. much by the number and popularity of the Huts now operating, as by the number of men who have been converted and helped, and whose changed lives are testified to by their unconverted comrades. And in our weekly contribution to the “News” we have sought the same ends, for no matter what the. out-

come of this war is, if we, individually and collectively do not turn to God in earnestness and reality we cannot survive. Three years ago this door of service was opened to us, and now, unexpectedly it is shut. Other doors of service may be opened, but we would come back to our subjectthe door that has been shut by the master of the house. Have you ever reached the station just in time to see your train pulling out? You meant to catch it, you have made great efforts to catch it, but your intentions were of no use when you were just too late. Good intentions will never catch a —you have to be in time. Good intentions vfill never get you to heaven —you have to secure your place before the door is shut. In the portion of Scripture at the head of this article, those shut out tried to gain entrance by knocking and calling and reminding the Lord how they had eaten with Him and He had preached to them. Of no avail were their pleadings—rather was their responsibility greater because of the very opportunities they had neglected. Too long had they waited and now the door was shut against them and the Lord’s last words, ringing in their ears as, hopeless and despairing they turn away, are “I never knew you, DEPART FROM ME.” May that not be the experience of any who read these lines. And Cheerio, Everyman! EVERYMAN’S THOUGHT FOR THE FUTURE. For so it falls out, That what we have we prize not, to the worth, While we enjoy it; but, being backed and lost, Why, then we rack the value; then we find The virtue, that possession would not show us While it was ours.

—Shakespeare.