In 1954, Ellis Island, the immigration station in New York Harbor, closed after processing more than 20 million immigrants since 1892.

During its peak years between 1892 and 1924, Ellis Island received nearly 12 million immigrants hoping to enter America’s “front doors to freedom.” Thousands of immigrants arrived each day, standing in long lines waiting to be studied for any signs of disability or disease.

From the moment they arrived the immigrants were under inspection. Public Health Service doctors looked for anyone who wheezed, coughed, shuffled, or limped as they climbed the stairs to the great hall of the Registry Room. Following that initial inspection, another group of doctors examined each immigrant, checking for 60 different symptoms.

Passing that inspection, the hopeful immigrant then waited in another line for five hours to reach the next station. Here inspectors verified 29 bits of information, such as age, occupation, martial status, and destination, in order to determine an immigrant’s “social, economic, and moral fitness.” During the peak years of Ellis Island’s operation, nearly 20 percent of all immigrants were detained before being allowed into the country.

Imagine if we had to go through an intense entrance examination before entering Heaven. God could ask such questions as these: Are you healthy enough? Have you helped anyone recently? Do you obey your mom and dad? When was the last time you sinned? Can you name all the books of the Bible?

Thankfully for us, there is only one question that we need to answer when we arrive at Heaven’s doors. Is Jesus your Lord and Savior? For, as the Bible tells us, it is by faith in Jesus Christ, in believing that he died for our sins once for all, that we gain entrance into eternal life.

That’s it. Test over. How would you do?

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved (Romans 10:10).

To Do

Nearly 100 million Americans today can trace their roots back to Ellis Island. Check into your family history to see if any family members passed through Ellis Island.

Also on this day

1859—The first flying trapeze act was performed by Jules Leotard at Cirque Napoleon in Paris, France. He was also the designer of the garment that is named after him.

1915—Theodore W. Richards of Harvard University became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry.

1940—Walt Disney released Fantasia.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.