The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-08-20
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
a. Rural Sermon on the Babylon
ian Midnight ReveL
rhe Handwriting on the Wall Interpreted
Under Modern Light-Death an In
truder at the Feast Death
Also At Our Feasts-

Rev. 7. De Witt Talmags addressed an
Immense tbrcng on a recent Sabbath at
Monona, a rural suburb Of Madison, Wis,
taking for his subject the Babylonian
midnight revel. The text was:
In that night was Delshazznr the King of
the Chaldsans slain.-Daniei ", 80.
DR.. Talmage said: Feasting has been
known in all ages. It 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
NIL the clocks of the castle were stopped,
so that the hands might point to that one
moment as being the most significant of
all. She was greeted at the gate with
floating islands, and torches, and the
thunder Of cannon, and fireworks that set
the night ablaze, and a great burst Of
music that lifted the whole scene into per-
feet enchantment. Then she was intro
duced into a dining-hau the luxuries of
which astouished the world; four hundred
servants waiting upon the guests; the en-
tertainment cost 50 900 each day. Lord
Leicester made that great supper in Ken
ilworth Castle.
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the French
ambassadors at Hampton Court. The hest
cooks in all the land prepared for the ban
quot; purveyors went out and travelled all
the kingdom over to find spoils for the
table. The time came. The guests were
kept during the day hunting in the Kings
park, so that their appetite might ~ Sesn;
and then in the evening, ~ tne sound of
the trumpeters, they were introduced into
a hall hung with silk shd cloth of gold,
and there were tables aglitter with inn
perial plate, and laden with the rarest Of
meats, aud ablush with the costliest wines;
and when the second course of the feast
came il wos found that the articles OF
food had been fashioned into the shape of
mon, birds and beasts, and groups dane
ing, and jousting parties riding against
each other with lances. Lords and princes
and ambassadors, out Of cups filed to the
hrim, drank the health, first of the King OF
England, and next to the King of France.
Cardinal Wolsey prepared that great
supper in Hampton Court.
But my text takes us to n more exciting
banquet. Night was about 10 come down
upon 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 glittering, opened and shut like
doors of flame. The hanging gardens of
BABYLON wet Win neUVY QeWV began
10 pour from starlit flowers and dripping
leaf fragrance for many miles around.
The streets and squares were lighted for
dance and frolic and promenade. The
theaters and galleries of art invited the
wealth and pomp and grandeur of the city
to rare entertainments. Scenes of riot
ana wassail were mingled In every street,
and goddess mirth and outrageous excess
nnI splendid wickedneSs came TO the
XMAS palace to do their mghtiest deeds
81 darkness. A royal feast tonight at
tie Kings palace! Rushing up to
the gates are chariots upholstered
with precious cloths from Ocean and
drawn by fire-eyed horses from Togarmah
that rear and neigh in the grasp of tn e
charioteers; while a 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 Tyriau pur-
pie, and princely emhroideries brought
from afar by cameIs 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
lazs OF the Jewels! Lift the banners
Fin the cupsl Clap the cymbals! Blow
The trumpetsl Let the night go by with
song and dance and ovation; and let that
Robylonish tongue he palsied that will
not say: "Oh, King Belshazzar, live for
ever"
All, my friendsl 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 burn ished gold. Fruits,
ripe and luscious, in baskets Of silver en-
twined with leaves, plucked from royal
coaservatories. Vases inlaid with emer-
aid and ridged with exquisite trnceries,
filed with nuts that were threshed from
forests of distant lands. Wine brought
from the royal watts, foaming in the decan-
tcrs and bubbling in the chalices. Tufts
of cassia and frankincense waiting their
sweetness from wall and table. Gorgeous
banners unfolding in the breezY 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
ues OF mighty men looking down from
inches in this wall upon crowns and
shields brought from the subdued cm-
pires. Idols of wonderful work standing
on pedestals of precious stones. Embroid-
cries dropping about the windows and
wrapping pillars Of cedar, and drifting on
floor inlaid with ivory and agate. Music,
mingling the thrum OF harps, and the
clash OF cymbals, and the blast of trum-
pets in one wave OF transport that went
ripping along the wall and breaking
nmong the garlands, and pouring down
the corridors and thrilling the souls Of n
thousand banqueters. The signal is given,
and the lords and ladies, the mighty men
and women of the land, come around the
table. Pour out the winei Let foam and
bubble kiss the rim! Hoist every one his
cup and drink TO the sentiment: so, King
Belshazzar, live foreverV' Bestarred
headband and carcanet OF royal beauty
CLEAN TO the uplifted chalices, as again
and again and again they are emp
tied. Away with care from
the palace. Tear royal dignity
to tatters. Pour out more winel Give us
more light, wilder music, sweeter per-
funnel Lord shouts to lord, captain ogles
70 captain. Goblets clash, decanters rat
tie. There come in the obscene song and
the drunken hiccough, and the slavering Lip
and the Euffaw of idiotic laughter, burst
ing from the lips of princes, flushed, reel
ing, bloodshot; while mingling with it all
hear; "Huzza, huzza, for great Belshaz-
Ear"
What is that on the plastering of the
wall? Is it a spirit? Is il phantom? Is
it GodS The music stops. The goblets
fan from the Verveless grasp. There lie a
thrill. Theirs Is a start There is q
thousand-voiced shrek Of horror. Let
Daniel be brought in to read that writing.
lie comes in. He reads il:
Weighed In the balance and found wa mt
ing.
Meanwhile the Assyriana, who for two