GATE, in a military sense, is made of strong planks,
with iron bars, to oppose an enemy. They are gene-
rally made in the middle of the curtain, from whence
they are seen, and defended by the two flanks of the
bastions. They should be covered with a good rate-
lin, that they may not be seen or enfiladed by the
enemy. These gates, belonging to a fortified place,
are passages through the rampart, which may be shut
and opened by means of doors and a portcullis. They
are either private or public.
Private gates are those passages by which the troops
can go out of the town unseen by the enemy, when
they pass to and from the relief of the duty in the
outworks, or from any other occasion which is to be
concealed from the besiegers.
Public gates are those passages through the middle
of such curtains, to which the great roads of public
ways lead. The dimensions of these are usually about
13 or 14 feet high, and 9 or 10 feet wide, continued
through the rampart, with proper recesses for foot
passengers to stand in out of the way of wheel car-
riages.
GATES of Hell. This expression is used in Scripture,
to denote figuratively either the grave or the powers of
darkness, i. e. the devil and his angels.
The Mahometans use the expression literally, and
suppose that hell has seven gates. The first is that
where Mussulmans, who incur the guilt of sin, will be
tormented. The second is for the Christians. The
third is for the Jews. The fourth is for the Sabians.
The fifth for the Magians or worshippers of fire. The
sixth for Pagans and idolaters. And the seventh for
hypocrites, who make an outward show of religion, but
have none.