The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-09-14
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON
THE MIDNIGHT REVEL.
preached at Monona, Wis. ]

preached at Monona, Wis.,
Text: "In that night was Belshazzar, the
King Of the Chaldeans, slain" Daniel ",
Roasting has been known in all ages. It
was one oil the most exciting times in Eng
nsh history when Queen Elizabeth visited
Lord Leicester at kenilworth Castle. The
moment Of her arrival was considered so i'm
portant that oil tho clocks Of the castle were
stopped, SO that the hands might point to
that one m as being tho most signiti-
can't Of all. She was greeted to the gate
with floating islands and torches and the
thunder of cannon and fireworks hat set the
night ablaze, aud q great burst Of music that
lifted the whole scene into perfect enchant-
ment Then she was introduced in q dining
hall, the Injuries of which aStonished the
world; 400 servants waited upon the guests;
the entertainment cost $1,000 each day.
Lord Leicester made that great supper in
kenilworth Castle.
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the French
ambassadors at Hampton Court. Tho best
cooks in oil the land prepared for the BAN
quet; purvcyo:s went out and travelled all
the Kingdom over to find spoils for the table.
The time came. The guests we're kept during
the day hunting in the Kings park, so that
their appetites might be keen: and then, in
the evening", to the sound Of the trumpeters,
they were introduced into q hall hung with
silk and cloth Of gold, and there were tables
a.glitter with imperial plate and laden with
LEST OF wines; and when the second course
OF the feast came it was found that the alti-
cles of food had been fashioned into the
shape OF men, birds and beasts, and groups
d~aucing;an ~jousting PARTIES riding against
ea:h other with lances. Lords and Princes
and Ambassadors, out of cups filed to
the brim, drank the health, first of the
Ki;ng OF England and next to the
pared that great supper in Hampton Court.
But my text takes us to a more exciting
banquet. Night was about to come down
n~pon>Babylon. TIL shadows Of her 25O tow
'ers began to lengthen. The Euphrates rolled
ting sun; and gates of brass, FURNISHED and
ag:ittering, opened and shut like doors of
fam The hanging gardens of Babylon, wet
Wlth'heaVy dew, began to pour from starlit
manS miles around. The streets and s1uares
We're Lighted for dance and frolic n prom,
"enade The theatres aud galleries of art in
'yited the wealth, and pomp, and grandeur Of
tne Guy 70 rare entertainments Scenes OF
Tlot ana .wasSail were mingled in every
street, and goddess mirth and outrageous OK
cess and splendid wickedness came to the
Kings palace to do their mightiest deeds Of
darkness. A royal feast tonight at the
are chariots upholstered with pre-
cious cloths from Dedan and drawn
by fire-eyed horses from Tocnrmah.
that rear and neigh in the grasp OF the
cnar1otesrs, while a thousand Lords disrnount,
and women dressed in all the spleador Of
Syrian emerald, AMI the color blending of
agate, and the c~haSteness of coral, and the
sombre glory of Tyrian purple, and princely
embrolderies brought from afar by camels
acrosst me desert n by ships of Tarshish
the guests come I'M The chambeslains and
cup,,bearers are all ready. Hark to the rustic
OF the silks and to the carol IT the music!
gee the blaze Of the jewe:s! Lift the ban
npTSl Xiii tho 0SrpC VI +.
Blow the TRUMP cts! Let tho night go by
with song and dance aud ovation, and Oct
that Babylonish tongue be palsied, thar will
not say: 20 King Belshazzar, live for ever!"
xo, my trends: it was mot any common
eanqnet to which these great people came.
All parts of the earth bad sent their richest
viands to that table. Brackets an | chande-
hers flashed their light upon tankards OF bur-
nished gold. Fruits, ripe and luscious, in
baskets OF silver, entwined with leaves,
plucked from royal Conservatives. Vases
lniald with emerald and ridged with exouis-
tie trao cries, filled with nuts that were
threshed from fore 'ts of distant lands. Wine
9 9eca g from rom the f9yaa Sats, foaming in the
OF cassia and frankincense waiting their
sweetness from val and table. Gorgeous
banners unfolding in the breeze that Came
through the opened window, 'bewitohed with
rising up from Enclosures of ivory in lets of
crystal, to fall in Gathering rain OF diamonds
and pearls. Statues of mighty men looking
town from inches III the wall upon crowns
ana shields brought fnom subduei empires.
zoos OF wonderful work standing on
pedestais of precious stones. Embroid-
cries dropping about the windows and
wrapping pillars Of cedar, and drift
ing on floors inlaid with ivory and agate.
Music, mingling the thrum of harps,. and The
clash of cymba 8, and tle blast Of trumpets
In one wave OF transport!t hat went ripping
along the wall and breathing among the gar
iands. and Touring down the corridors, and
Ghrllnng the sous of a Thousand banuueters.
Inc signal IS given, aud the lords and ladies.
the mighty men and women of the land. come
around the tab z. Pour out the vine! Let
foam and bubble kiss the rim! Hoist every
one MS CLIP, and drink to the sentiment: '.Oh.
sing b~eisha11ar, live for everm Bestarred
headband and carcanet of royal beauty
eleam to the upiifted oha2ices, ,as:again and
again and again they are emptied. AWAY
with care from the palace! Tear ROYAL DIG
alty co tatters! Pour out more wine! Give
US more light, wilder music, sweeter perfumeI
Iord shouts to lord, captain ogles to cap-
tain, goblets clash, decauters rattle. 'Uhere
comes IN the obs enc song end the drunken
'ciccouch and thu slaverin~ Lip and the euffaw
J9l id1otc laughter bursting from the lips of
mingling with it all I hear: "Huzza' huzza.
for great Pelshazzar!"
- What Is that on the plastaring of the we'll
rs u spirit: Is it a phantom? is it Godl
Inc music stops. The gobhts fall from the
.nerveless grasp. There is a thrill. There is
aestart. There is a Thousand voiced shrek Of
horror: Let Daniel be brought in to read
that writing. He comes in. He reads It.:
weighed in tho balances. and ant found
wanting" Meanwhile the Assyrians, who
nor two years had been laying a siege to that
city, took advantage of that carousal. and
'canie;ln. hear the feet of the c~onquerors
on the palace stairs. Massacre rushes in
with IA thousand cleaning knives. Death
bursts upon the scene; and I shut the door of
That ibanqueting hall, for I do not want to
look; There is smoothing there buttorn banners
and hraken wreaths, and the slush of upset
tankards, and the blood of murdered WOMEN
and the .kicke1 and tumbIed carcass of a dead
slain.