Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-08-23
Talmage at the Lake Assembly.
MONONA, AUG. s, Us.


full mirror-lakes that ever reflected the
suns face in the bright MONDAY, or
swallowed up the twinkling rays which
the distant stars let fall, Rev. t. De-
witt Talmage, of Brooklyn, preached
to over five thousand people. The SUBJ
ject of the sermon was THE Midnight
Revel." Mr.. Talmage was introduced
to the great audience, and in his pecu-
liar style he started boldly in as follows:
sin that night was Belshazzar, the
King of the Chaldeans, slain - Daniel
V, 80.
Feasting has been known in all ages.
1t was one of the most exciting times
in English history. when Queen Eliza
beth visited Lord Leicester at Kenil-
worth Castle. The moment of her
arrival was considered so important
that all 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 perfect enchant-
ment. Then she was introduced into q
dining hall, the luxuries of which as
tonished the world; four hundred SER
wants waited upon the guests; the enter
tainment cost five thousand dollars each
day, and lasted many days. Lord
Leicester made that great supper
in Kenilworth Castle. Cardinal VOL
sey entertained the French Ambas-
sailors at Hampton Court. The best
cooks in all the land prepared for the
banquet; purveyors went out and tray
eled all the kingdom over to find spoils
for the table. The time came. The
guests were kept during the day hunt
ing in the Kings park so that their APP
petites might be keen; and then in the
evening to the sound of trumpeters,
they were introduced into hall hung
with silk 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 costliest of wines;
and when the second course of the feast
came, it was found that the articles of
food had been fashioned into the shapes
of men, birds and beasts, and groups
dancing, and jousting parties riding
against each other with lances. Lords
and princes and ambassadors out of
cups filled to the brim drank the health,
first of the King of England, and next
the King of France. Cardinal Wolsey
prepared 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 shad-
ows of her two hundred and fifty towers
began to lengthen. The Euphrates
rolled on, touched by the fiery splendor
ofthe setting sun; and gates of brass,
Furnished and glittering, opened and
shut like doors of flame 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 frolic and
promenade. The theaters and CALLER
les of art invited the wealth and pomp
and grandeur of the city to rare enter
tainments. Scenes of riot and wassail
were mingled in every street; and God
less mirth and outrageous excess and
splendid wickedness came to the Kings
palace to do their mghtiest deeds of
darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the Kings
palace. Rushing up to the gates are
chariotS upholstered with precious
cloths from Dedan, and drawn by fire
eyed horses from Togarmah that rear
and neigh in the grasp of the chariot
GERS; while a thousand lords dismount,
and women dressed in all the splendor
of Tyrian emerald, and the color of
blending agate, and the cha steness of
coral,sand the sOmber glory of Tyrian
purple, 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 cup-bearers are all ready. Hark to
the rustic of the silks and to the car.l
of the music, See the blaze of the lew
elsi Lift the banners! Fill the cups,
Clap the cymbals! Blow the trumpets!
Let the night 60 by with song and
dance and ovation; and let that Baby
loniSh tongue be palsied that will not
say: 80 King Belshazzar, live forever"
All, my friends; twas not any common
banquet to which these great people
came. All parts OF the earth had sent
their richest viandS to that table.
Brackets and chandeliers flashed their
light upon tankards of Furnished gold.
Fruits, Iipe and luscious, in baskets of
silver, entwined with leaves, plucked
from royal Conservatives. Vases in.
laid with emerald and ridged with ex-
quisite traceres, filled with nuts that
were threshed from forests of distant
lands Wine brought from the ROYAL