The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-08-20
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
a Rural Sermon on the Babylon.
ian Midnight ReveL

The Handwriting on the Wall Interpreted
Under Modern Light-Death an In.
tr1der At the Feast, Death
Also ut Our Feasts.
Rev. I. De Witt Talmage addressed an
Immense thrcng on a recent Sabbath at
4onona, q rural suburb of Msdison. Wis,
taking for his subject the Babylonian
midnight revel. The text was:
In that night was Bel.hazzar the King Of
The ChaIdeans slain.-DanieI ", 30.
DR.. falmage 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
Ill the clocks of the castle were stopped,
90 that the hands might point to that one
moment as being the most significant OF
all. She was greeted at the gate with
Heating 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-hall the luxuries Of
which astoni.hed the world: four hun ired
servants waiting upon the guests; the en-
tertainment cost 5000 each day. Lord
Leicester made that great supper in Ken.
iIworth Castle.
Cardinal Wolsev entertained the French
ambassadors at Hampton Court. The best
cooks in sll the land prepared for the BAN
Qget; purveyors went ont 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. 10 that their appetite might be keen:
End then in the evening, to the sound of
the trumpeters, they were introduced into
q hall hung with silk and cloth of gold,
aud there were tables aglitter with i'm
perial plate. and laden with the rarest of
meats. and abIush with the cos.liest wines;
ard when the second course of the feast
came it WIS fouui that the articles of
food asd been fashioned into the shape of
men. birds and beasts. and groups dane
ing. and jousting parties riding against
each other with lances. Lords and princes
and ambassadors, out of cups filled TO the
b,in,. drank the health, first Of the Kingot
England. and next to the King of France
Cardinal Wolsey prepared that great
supper in Hampton Court
Bu. my text takes us to a more exciting
banquet. Night was abou. to come down
upor babylon. The shadows of her s55
towers began 10 leugtheu. The Euphrates
rolled on touched by the fiery splendors of
the setting sun, and gates of brass. burn.
ished and eiittering. 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 3 fragrance for many miles around.
The streets and squares were lighted Tor
dance and frolic and promenade. The
thea'ers and galleries of art invited the
wealth and pomp and grandeur of the city
TO rare entertainments. Scenes Of riot
and wassni; were mingled In every street,
and goddess nirth and outrageous excess
end splendid wickeiness came 70 the
KinS's palac,, to do their mightiest deeds
Ct darkness. A royal feast tonight at
TIE Kings palace. Rushing up TO
the gates are chariots upholstered
with precious cloths from ocean and
drawn ty fire-eyed horses from Togarmah
that rear and neigh n the grasp Of n e
charioteers: while thousand lords dis
mount. ami women dressed in all the
sp'enior of Syrian emerald, ri tie color
bleuiing Of agate, and the c,asteness of
coraL and the soMbc- glory of Tyrian pur.
pie. aud prircelv embroideries brought
from afar hv camels across the desert and
" shirs of Tarshish across che sea. Open
wide the gates and let the guests come in.
The chaunberiaIns and the cup-bearers ara
ell ready. Hark to the rustic Of the silks
and to the carol of the music! See the
iiaze Of the Jewels, Lift the banners.
Fill the CUPS. Clap the cvntals, BLOW
tie trunpets. Let the night go bv vita
song and dance and ovation: and let that
Bahylonish tongue he palStei tina. will
not say: SOi, King Belsi1zza-, live Cor.
ever"
All, my friends! I. wns not anv com.
came. All parts of tire earth had sent
their richest vfands 70 that table. Brack-
cts and chandeliers flashed their light mp
On tankards OF burn ished gold. Fruits,
rive AMI luscious. in baskets ct silver en-
twined with leaves, plucked from royal
conservator.es. Vases inlaid with emer.
aid and ridged with exquisite traceries,
filed with nuts that were threshed from
forests OF distant lands. Wine brought
from the royal watts. foamins in the decan-
tiers and buhh,inC in the chalices. Tufts
of cassia and frsnkinceuse waiting their
sweetness from wall ard table. Gorgeous
banners unfolding in the b-eez, that camn
through The opan.d windows. bewitched
with the r,srfr,-un of h,nciu- carJaos
Fountains rising up from Enclosures of
ivory in jets of crys.sl, to fall in cIatter-
ing rain OF diamonds and pearls. Stat
yes Of mighty men 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. Embrcid-
cries dropping about the windows and
wrapping pillars of cedar. and drifting on
ecor inlaid with ivory and agate. Music,
mins1ing the thrum of harps, and the
clash OF cymbals, and the blast of trr,rn-
pets in one wave of transport that went
rippling along the wall ard breaking
smong the garlsnds, and pouring down
the corridors and thrilling the souls of
thousand baneueters. The sigma, is given.
and the lords and ladies, the mighty men
and women OF the land, come around the
tsble. Pour out the wine! Let foam and
bubble kiss the rim! Hoist every one his
cup and drink to the sentiment: 20, King
Betshazzar. live foreverw Bestarred
headband and carcanet of royal beauty
Eieam to the uplifted chalices. as again
and again and again they are emp
tied. Away with care from