Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-08-27
lR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE MIDNIGHT REVEL.
preached at Monona, wls.l

Fea ting has been known in all ages It
was one OF the mot exciting times N Eng
lisn history when Queen hlizabl til visited
Lord Leicester at kenilworth Castle The
moment OF her arrival was considered so inn
portant that all the clocks Of the castle were
stopped, so that III. hands might point to
that one moment as beng tho most signid-
cat of al She was greeted to the gate
with floating islanDs aud torches and the
thunder of cannon and fireworks that set the
nigh. ablaTe, aud great burst of music that
lifted the whole scene into perfect enchant-
ment Then she was introduced in a dining
hall, the Injuries of which astonished the
world; 500 servants waited upon the guests;
tho entertainment cost $500 each day.
Lord Leicester made that great supper in
Wentworth Cattle.
Cardinal Wol-ey entertained the French
ambassadors at Hampton Court. The best
cooks in all the land prepared for the ban
quet; prrveyos wCn5 out and Travelled all
the kingdom over t. find spoils for the table
The time came. The guests were kept Iring
the day hunting in the Kings park, so that
Their appetites might be keen; and then, in
th9 eyenin :, to the sound of the trumpet rs,
they were introduced into a hall hung with
sil aud cloth of gold, and there were tables
glitter with imperial plate and laden with
the rarest Of meats and a-blush with the cost
est Of wines; and when the seconl course
OF the asst came it was found that the alti-
ces or food had been fashioned into the
shape o, men, birds and beasts, and groups
ian ing and jousting | arties riding against
"a b othef with lanees. Lords aud Princes
The br.m, drank the health, first of the
King OF England and next to the
Hirg OF Francs. Card MI Wolsoy pre-.
PareI that great supper in Hampton Court
But my text takes us to more exciting
banquet Night was about to come down
n l., .N=n.
erS began to leagthen. The Euphrates rolled
on, to chedb by the fiery splendors of the set
Ting SUM- and gates of brass burn shed and
glittering, orenel and shut like doors of
hame, The hanging gardens Of b abylon, wet
with heavy dew, began to pour from starlit
flowers and dripping leaf fag. an Q for
many miles around. The streets ard S ulreS
wer9 lighted for dan and frolic and prom
snade. The theatres and galleries of art in
ylted the wealth, and pomp, and grandeur Of
the city to ra entertainments Scene; of
1jt an was al were min led 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 tue
Kings alaee! Rushing up TO The gates
are chariots upholstered with pre-
slous cloths from Dedan all drawn
by dre-eyed horses from Tosarmah
that rear and neigh in the grasp of the
~ Nulle Il GiN. iuEu LORDS QlSflOI n,
and women dressed in all the s0len lor Of
Syrian emerald, AMI the color blending of
agate, and the chaStenesS of coral and the
iombre glory of Tyrian purple, and princely
smbroideries brought from afar by canes
across the desert and by ships of Tarshsh
across the sea. Open wide the gates and let
Tue que It's come in The chamberlaipS and
cup bearers are all ready. Hark to the rustic
Dt the silks and to TIE carol If tho music!
see the blaze of the jewe s! lit the ba y
ners! Fill the curs Clap tho cymbals!
Blow the trum cts! Let the night 60 hy
with song and dance aud ovation, aud let
chat Eabylonish tongue lie palsied, that will
NOT say: ~ k1Eg Beshaz az, live for ever"
An, my II ends! IL was not any common
Tan iu2t to which these great people came
All parts Of tie Garth bad sent their richest
wants to that table. Brackets an chando-
hers flashed their light upon taukards of bur-
n'shed god. Fruits ripe and luscious, in
baskets of silver, entwined with leaves,
pucked FRI m royal conser atories Vases
inlaid with emei aid and ridged with exouis.
lite ira cries, fille1 with nuts that we're
shreshed from fore is of distant lands. Wine
brought ffoin the royal watts, foa ming in ire
aecalitsrs an bubblng in the cbali es. Tufts
- cassie and fIankincense waiting their
q lvtnesi from wall and table, Gorgeous
banners unfolding in the bree that came
Through the opened window, hewitt b d with
The peFiutneof han ging gardens. Fountains
rising up from in lAsureS of iyo y in jets of
crystal, to tall in Gathering rain of d Almonds
and pearls. Statues of mi hty men looking
Down from inches in the wall upon crowns
aud shields brought from subdueI empires.
Idols Of won .erful work standing on
peIestals of precious stones. Embroi!-
cries dropping about the windows and
wrapping piliajs of cedar, AMI drift.
ing on ito rs inlaid with ivory and agare
Music, mingl;ng the thrum of halps, aud the
clash OF cymba S, and the blast of trumpets
N 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 a thousand banquetnrs.
The 81 NAL is given, and the lords and ladies,
the mighty men and women of the land come
around the tab e. Pour out the wine Let
foam and bubble kiss the rim Hoist every
one his cup, and drink to the senti nent: ooh,
King BelShaGar, live for eyerr' Pestarred
headband and carCanet of royal beauty
CLEAN to the uplifted chalices, as again and
again and again they are emptied. Away
with care from the pala Ell Tear roval d p
nifty to tatters! Pour out more wine! Give
US more light, wilder music, sweeter perfume!
Lord shouts to lord, captain ogles to can
tain, gobletS clash, decanters rattle. Tn re
comes i'll the obs enc song and the drunken
hccough end I'll" slavorinO lin and THO o., ga W
or ldlotic laughter bursting from the lips OF
Princes, flushed, reeling, bloodshot; while
mingling with it all hear: "Huzza, huzza,
for great BelShazzarlh
What Is that on the plastering of the wall
Is 1T a spirits Is it a phantom? Is it God
The music stops. The goblets fall from the
nerveless grasp There is thrill, There is
start Iherei is a 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 As8yrians, who
for two hoo 10 n LII
city, took advantage of that carousal, anC
came in. hear the feet of the conquerors
on the palace stairs. Mass lcre 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 WI, aths, and the slush of upset
tankards, and the blood of murdered women
and the kicke and tumbled carcass of dead
Sing. For in that night was BelshazzaI
slain.
|. | learn from this, that when God writes
anything ON the wall, a man had better read
1t rs it is. Daniel did not misinterpret OF
notify the handwriting on the wall 1t i,
all tcolishnejs to expe2ta minister of the gos
pei to preach always things that the people
ike or the people choose. What shall
preach to you to-dayl Shall / tell you of thu
dignity of human natures Shall tell YOU Of
the wonders that our race has accomplished
On' ho' YOU say, tell me Jne message tina
came from God" ] will II there is any
handwriting on the wall, it is this lesson
Repent, nc ept of Christ and be saved.n
might talk OF great many other things, bu
That is the message, and so de clare it. Jesu
never BATTERED those to whom he preached
de said to those who did wrong and whC
were offensive in his sight; eye generation
OF vlpers! we whitad sepulchres how car
ye escape the damnation OF hell} z" Paul the
Apostle preached before man who was MOI
ready to hear him preach. What sub oct die
he take! Did ne say: "Oh, you are a gooC
man, very iina man, very noble manY
MO- he preached OF rghte Jusness, to a mar