The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-08-26
pR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE MIDNIGHT REVEL.
Preached at MOnOna, wis.l

fea'tlng mas Teen known in all ages 1t
was one OF the most exciting times in Eng
llsh history when Queen Elizabeth visited
Lord Leicester at kcnilworth Castle Tho
moment Of her arrival was considered so i'm.
portant that all the clocks of the castle were
stopped, so that tn hands might point to
that one moment rs beng thu most signitl-
ant OF al, She was greeted to the gate
with floating iSaa S and torches and tho
thunder Of cannon and fireworks that set the
night ablase, and a great burst Of music that
lifted the whole scene into perfect enchant-
ment Then she was introduced in a dining
nall, the Injuries of which astonished the
world; 400 servants wait cd upon the guests;
the entertainment cost $500 each day.
Lord Leicester made that great supper in
kenilworth Ca tie
Cardinal WolSey entertained the French
at Hampton Court The best
COOKS in all tho land prepared for the ban
quet; plrveyoIs went out and Travelled all
he kingdom over to find coils for the table.
The time came The guests were kept during
the day hunting in the Kings PARK, so that
thoir apretites might be keen; and then, in
III, eveuin :, to the sound of the trumpetars,
they We're introduced into hall hung with
sill ( and cloth of gold, and there were tables
a glitter with imperial plate and laden with
the rarest of meats and a-blush with the cost
| est of wines; and when the second course
l
ces OF food hal been fashioned into the
shape o. men, birds and beasts, and groups
ian ing and iousting PARTIES riding against
"a h other with laaces Lords and Princes
and Ambas adors, out of cups filed to
the brim drank the health, first of the
King of England and next to the
King of France Card nal Wolsey pro-
pared that great supper in Hampton Court
But my text takes us to a more exciting
banquet, Night was about to come down
upon Babylon, The shadows of her $50 tow
ers began to lengthen. The Euphrates rolled
on, to- ched by the fiery splendorS of the set
ting sun; and gates of brass, burns and
glitterinr, orenel and shut like doors of
hame. The hanging gardens of Babylon, wet
with heavy dew, began to pour from starlit
flowers and dripping leaf a Fragrance for
were lighted for dance and frolic and prom
enade, The theatres and galleries of art in
yited tn, wealth, aud pomp, and grandeur of
the city to rare entertainments Scenes of
hot AMI was all were min lied in every
street, and goddess mirth and outrageous ex-
,ess and splendid wickedness came to the
Kings palace to do their mightiest deeds of
darkness, A royal feast tonight at the
Kings alace! Rushing up to the gates
are chariots upholstered with pre-
,lous cloths from Dedan All drawn
oy Fire eyed horses from Togarmah,
that rear and neigh in the grasp of the
charlotte rs, while a thousand Lords dismount,
aud women dressed in all the soendor of
Syrian emerald, an the color blending of
agate, and the chasteneis of coral, and the
'ombre glory of Tyrian purple, and princely
embrolaerles brought from afar by camels
across the desert and by ships of Tarshish
across the sea. Open wide the gates and let
The guests come in The chamberlans and
cup bearers are all ready. Hark to the rustic
81 the silks and to the carol If the music!
see the blaze Of the jewe's! ] 1T the ban
ner'! Fill the curs Clap the cymbals!
Blow the trum. etsl Let the night go by
with song and dance aud ovation, aud let
that Eabylonish tongue lie palsied, that will
not say: 30 kiEg Belshaz2ar, live for ever!"
Alb, my Fl ends! it was not any common
tanquet to which these great people came
All parts of TIE earth lad sent their richest
viands to that table. Brackets an chande
hers flashed their light upon tankards of bur-
shed god. Fruits, ripe and luscious in
baskets of silver, entwined with leaves,
pluckei 1rt m royal conserI atories. Vases
inlaid with emerald and ridge1 with exQuis-
tie ira cries, tillel with nuts that were
.hreshed from fore is of distant lands. Wine
brought from the royal watts, foaming in tie
iecanters an bubbling in the chalices Tufts
of cassia and fralkincense waiting their
sweetness from wall and table. Gorgeous
banners unfolding in the bree Q that came
through the opened window, bewitched with
the perfume of hanging gardens. Fountains
rising up from Enclosures of ivory in jets of
crystal, to fall in Gathering rain of diamonds
and pearls. Statues of mighty men looking
down from inches in the wall upon crowns
aud shields brought from subduel empires.
idols of won lerful work standing on
oeiestais of precious stones. Embroid-
cries dropping about the windows and
wrapping pillars Of cedar, and drift
ing on flo; rs inlaid with ivory and agate
Music, mingl'ng the thrum of harps, aud the
clash of cymba s, and the blast Of trumpets
IN one wave of transport that went ripping
along the wall and breath n among the gar
lands, and curing down the corridors, and
thrilling the sous of n thousand banqueters.
The 81 5nal is given, and the lords and ladies,
the mighty men and women of the land, come
around the tIbe Pour out the wine! Let
foam and bubble kiss the rim, Hoist every
one his cup, and drink to the sentiment sob,
King Belshazzar, live for erer!n Bestarred
headband aud oarcauet of royal beauty
CLEAN to the uplifted chalices, as again and
again and again they are emptied. Away
with care from the pala e! Tear royal dig
nifty to tatters! Pour out more wire Give
us more light, wilder music, sweeter perfume!
Lord shouts to lord, captain ogles to cap
tain, gobletS clash, decauters rattle. There
comes in the obs enc song ard the drunken
hiccough and the slaverinp lin and the g,,tfaw
Of ldlotic laughter bursting from the lips OF
Princes, flushed, reeling, bloodshot while
mingling with it all hear: "Huzza, huzza
for great Relshazzarn
What is that on the plastaring of the wall
Is it spirit! Is it phantom! Is it God
The music stops The goblets fall from the
nerveless grasp. There is thrill There is
start. There is thousand-voiced shrek Of
horror. Let Daniel be brought in to read
that writing. He comes in He reads it
Weighed in the balances, and art found
wanting Meanwhile the Assyrans, wht
for two years had been laying a siege to thai
city, took advantage of that carousal, anG
came in. | hear the feet of the conqueror:
on the palace stairs. Massacre rushes il
with thousand cleaning knives. Death
bursts upon the scene; and | shut the door Of
that banqueting hall, for | do not want tC
look. There is nothing there but torn banner:
and broken wreaths, and the slush of upset
tankards, and the blood of murdered women
and the kickei and tumbled carcass of dead
King. For in that night was BelshazzaI
slain.
l. learn from this, that when God writes
anything on the wall, man had better read
it as it is. Daniel did not misinterpret OIL
modify the handwriting on the wall. 1t il
all foolishuess to expecta minister of the Cos
pei to preach always things that the people
like or the people choose. What shall
preach to you to-day' Shall tell you of the
dignity of human nature: Shall | tell you Of
the wonders that our race has accomplished
"Oh, mol" you say, tell me the message tha
came from God" ] will If there is any
handwriting on the wall, it is this lesson
Repent, accept of Christ and be saved.n
might talk of great many other things, bui
that is the message, and SO declare it. Jesu.
never fattered those to whom he preached
He said to those who did wrong and VIII,
were offensive in his sight: ''Ye generator
of vipers! ye whited sepulchres! how car
We escape the damnation OF lell.n Paul the
Apostle preached before man who wa; MOI
ready to hear him preach. Whatsub be t die
he take! Did he say: 'Oh, YOU are a goot
man, a very fins man, a very noble man 2
No: he preached of Righteousness, to a mar
who was unrighteous; of temperance, to {
man who was the victim of bad appe ties; Of
the judgment to come, to man who wa!
unfit for it. So we must always declare tn,
message that happens to come to u.s. DAME
must read it as it is. A minister preached
before James T. of England who was lama
VI. of Scotland. What sui. est did he take
The King was noted all over the world fol
being unsettled and wayerinp in his idaaS