The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-08-25
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
4 Rural Sermon on the Babylon
ian Midnight Revel.
Tia Handwriting on tho Wall Interpreted
Under Modern Light-Death an In.
truder 1T the Feast Death
Also ut Our Feasts.

Rev. +. De Witt Talmage addressed an
Immense thrcng on a recent Sabbath at
Monona, rural suburb Of Madison, Wis,
taking for his subject the Babylonian
midnight revel. The text was:
In tliat night was BeIshazzar the King Of
che Chaldeans sIaln.-Daniel ", 30.
DR.. ralmage said: Feasting has been
known in all ages. 1t was one of the most
exciting times In English history when
Queen Elizabeth visited Lord Leicester at
Kenilworth Castle. The moment Of her
arrival was considered so important that
oil the clocks Of the castle were stopped,
50 that the hands might point to that one
moment as being the most significant OF
ali. She was greeted at the gate with
floating islands, and torches, and the
thunder Of cannon, and fireworks that set
the night ablaze. and q great burst OF
music that lifted the whole scene into per-
feet enchantment. Then she was intro
duced into a dining the luxuries Of
which astonished the world; four hundred
servants waiting upon the guests; the en-
tsrtainment cost 5000 each day. Lord
Leices.er made that great supper in Ken
iiworth Castle.
But my text takes US to moro exciting
banquet. Night WAS about to come down
spon Babylon. The shadows of her 256
towers began to lengthen. The Euphrates
rolled on touched by the fiery splendors Of
the setting sun, and gates Of brass. burn.
ished and glitering, opened and shut like
doors Of fame. The hanging gardens Of
Babylon, wet with heavy dew, began
to pour from starlit flowers and dripping
leaf fragrance for many miles around.
The streets and squares were lighted for
dance and froIic and promenade. The
theaters and galleries OF art invited the
wealth and pomp and grandeur Of the city
10 rare entertainments. Scenes of riot
and wassail were mingled in every street,
and goddess mIrth and outrageous excess
and splendid wickedness came to the
Kings palace to do their mightiest deeds
Of darkness. A royal feast tonight at
the Kings palace! Rushing up to
tho gates are chariots upholstered
with precious cloths from Ocean and
drawn by fre.eyed horses from Togarmah
that rear and neigh in the grasp Of tn g
chsrioteers; while thousand lords dis
mount, and women dressed in all the
splendor of Syrian emerald, and the color
blending OF agate, and the chasteness Of
coral, and the somber glory of Tyrian pur.
pie. and princely embroideries 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 chamberlains and the cup bearers are
all ready. Hark to the rustic of the silks
and to the carol Of the music! See the
blaze OF the jewels! Lift the banners
Fill the cups! Clap the cymbals! Blow
the trumpets! Let the night go by with
song and dance and ovation; and let that
Babylonish tongue he palsied that will
not say: sob, King Belsha zzar, live for.
ever.''
All, my friends. It was not any COM
mon banquet to which these great people
came. All parts of the earth had sent
their richest viands to that table. Brack.
cts and chandeliers flashed their light up
on tankards Of rnished gold. Fruits,
ripe and luscious, in baskets of silver en-.
twined with leaves, plucked from royal
eonservatories. Vases inlaid with emer-
aid and ridged with exquisite traceries,
6lled with nuts that were threshed from
forests OF distant lands. Wine brought
from the royal watts, foaming in the decan-
tiers and bubbling in the chalices. Tufts
Of cassia and frankincense waiting their
sweetness from wall and table. Gorgeous
banners unfolding in the breez, that came
through the opened windows, bewitched
with the perfume of hanging gardens.
Fountains rising up from Enclosures OF
ivory in jets of crystal, to fall in clatter
ing rain Of diamonds and pearls. Stat.
yes of mighty mon looking down from
inches in the wall upon crowns and
shields brought from the subdued EN-.
pires. Idols of wonderful work standing
on pedestals Of precious stones. Embrod.
cries dropping about the windows and
wrapping pillars Of cedar. and drifting or
aoor inlaid with ivory and agate. Music
ningting the thrum of harps, and the
r!a sh OF cymbals, AMI the blast of trum.
pets in one wave Of transport that wen
sippling along the wall and breaking
among the garlands, and pouring dowr
The corridors and thrilling the souls of q
thousand bapQueters. The signal is given
and the lords and ladies, the mighty mel
and women Of the land, come around tn,
table. Pour out the wine! Let foam ant
hnbh.e kiss the rim! Hoist every one hi
cup and drink to the sentiment: so, Kinl
Belshazzar. live forever" Bestarret
g.. AcadSand and carcanet of royal beaut,
CLEAN to the uplifted chalices, as agaii
and again and again they are emp.
tied. Away with care from
Abe palace. Tear royal dignit,
70 tatters. Pour out more wine! Give u
Gvre light, wilder music, sweeter per
ismei Lord shouts to lord, captain ogle
TO captain. Goblets clash, decanters rat
tie. There come in the obscene song an,
the drunken hiccough.a and the slavering Iii
and the outlaw Of idiotic laughter, burst
ing from the lips of princes, flushed, reel
ING. bloodshot; while mingling with it al
Ihear: "Huzza, huzza, for great Belshaz
sarw
What is that on the plastering Of tn
wali' Is it spirit' Is it a phantom! ]
i God! The music stops. The goblet
sail from the nerveless grasp. There is
thrill. There is a start. There is
thousand voiced shrek of horror. LII
Daniel be brought in to read that writing
He comes IN. He reads it:
Weighed in the balance and found wan,
nj.
Meanwhile the Assyrians, who for tw
years had been laying siege to that city
took advantage of that carousal and cam
h Ihear the feet of the conquerors o
the palace stairs. Massacre rushes
With thousand cleaning knives. Deaf