St. Landry democrat., 1886-08-28

sweep them for the markets? What music
but it must sing in our halls? What elo-
quence but it must speak in our senates?
Ho! to the National banquet, reaching
from mountain to mountain and from sea
to sea! To prepare that banquet the Sheep
folds and the aviaries of the country sent
their best treasures. The orchards
piled up on the table the sweetest
fruits. The presses burst out with new
wines. To sit at that table came the yeo.
many of New Hampshire, and the lum-
bermen of Maine, and the tanned Caro-
linan from the rice swamps, and the har-
vesters of Wisconsin, and the Western
emigrant from the pines of Oregon, and
we were all brothers-brothers at BAN
quet. Suddenly the feast ended. What
meant those mounds thrown up at Chicka-
hominy Shiloh. Atlanta, Getty sburg, South
Mountain? What meant those golden
grain fields turned into a pasturing
ground for cavalry horses? What meant
the corn fields quilted with the wheels of
the heavy supply trains? Why those
rivers of tears, those lakes of blood?. God
was angry. JuJtice must come. A hand
writing on the wall! The Nation had been
Darkness! Woe to the Northl Woe to
the South! Woe to the East! Woe to the
West! Death at the banquet!
4. have also to learn from the subject
that the destruction of the vicious and of
those who despise God will be very sud-
den. The wave of mirth had dashed. to
the highest point when that Assyrian
army broke through. 1t was unexpected.
Suddenly, almost always, comes the doom
of those who despise God and defy the
laws of men. How was it at the DeIuge?
Do you suppose it came through long
northeast storm, 80 that people for days
before were sure it was coming? No;
suppose the morning was bright; that
calmness brooded on the waters; that
beauty sat enthroned on the hills, whea
suddenly the Heavens burst, and the
mountains sank like anchors into the sea,
that dashed clear over the Andes and the
Himalayas.
The Red Sea was divided. The Egyp-
tians tried to cross it. There could be no
danger. The Israelites had just gone
through. Where they had gone why not
the Egyptians? Oh, it was such beauti-
full walking-place! A pavement of tinged
shells and pearls, and on either side two
great walls of water-solid. There can
be no danger. Forward, great host of the
Egyptians! Clap the cymbals and blow
the trumpets of victory! After them! We
will catch them yet, and they shall be de-
stroyed! But the walls of solidified water
begin to tremble. They rockl They fall 70
The rushing waters! The shrek of
drowning men! The swimming of the
war. horses in vain for the shore! The
strewing of the great host on the bottom
of the sea, or pitched by the angry waves
on the beach-a battered, bruised and
loathsome wreck! Suddenly destruction
came. One-half hour before they could
not have believed it. Destroyed, and
without remedy.
am just setting forth fact which you
have noticed as well as l. Ananias comes
to the apostle. The apostle says:
"Did you sell the land for 50 much"
He says, eyes"
It was lie.
Dead! AS quick as that!
Sapphire, his wife, comes in.
"Did you sell the land for so much?n
eyes"
1t was lie, and quick as that she was
dead! Gods judgments are upon those
who despise and defy him. They come
suddenly.
The destroying angel went through
Egypt. Do you suppose that any of the
people knew that he was coming? Did
they hear the flap of his great wingi No,
no. Suddenly, unexpected.he came.
Skilled sportsmen do not like to shoot
bird standing on sprig near by. If they
are skilled they pride themselves on TAX
ing it on the wing, and they will wait till
it starts. Death is an old sportsman, and |
he loves to take men flying under the
very sun. He loves to take them on the /
wing.
Are there any here who are unprepared |
for the eternal world? Are there any here
who have been living without God and !
without hope? Let me say to you that
you had better accept of the Lord Jesus
Christ, lest suddenly your last chance be
gone. The lungs will cease to breathe,
the heart will stop. The time will come
when you shall como more to the office, Or
to the store, or to the shop. Nothing will
be left but death, and judgment, and
eternity. Oh, fee to God this hour! If there
be one in this presence who has wandered
far away from Christ, though he may not
have heard the call of the gospel for many
a year, invite him now to come and be
saved. Flee from thy sini Flee to the
stronghold of the gospel!
To-day invite you to a grander ban
quet than any have mentioned. My Lord
the King, is the banqueter. Angels are
the oup-bearers. All the redeemed are the
guests. The halls Of eternal life