The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-03
The Pungent Anomalies of the
Church Of Notre Dame
DO Not Compare With the Per.
fumery of Christ's Robe.
Which Garry the Freshness of True
Religious Aroma.
A Sermon Laden With Beautiful Meta
phors-The Drowning Attributes
OF the Character of Christ
Superbly Presented.

~ DhOokLNNi ". l., dec. New men,
y bers were received ut the Tabernacle this
morning, making the commandment men,
bership 4,l02. Multtudes OF strangers
from all parts Of the earth were present,
and all together, led on by organ and cor
net united in singing William Cowper's
hymn:
"There Is n fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Emanucl's veins
Aud sinners plunge beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains"
The Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage d. D.,
preached an eloquent sermon on "The
Fragrance OF the Gospel" taking for his
text "All thy garments smell of myrrh,
and aloes, and eassia, out Of the ivory pal
aces. Psalms XIV, s. He said:
Among the grand adoinments Of the city
OF Paris is the Church OF Notre Dame,
with its great towers, and elaborated rose
windows, and sculpturing OF the last judg-
ment. with the trumpeting angels and
rising dead; its battlements Of quarter
foil; Its sacristy, with ribbed ceiling and
statues OF saints. But there was nothing
in all that building which more wildly
appealed to my plain republican tastes
than the costly yestmcnts which laid in
oaken presscs-robes that had been en-
broidered with gold, and been worn by
popcs and archbishops on great occasions.
There was a robe that had been worn by
Plus VII. at the browning Of the first Ma.
poleon. There was also vestment that
had been worn at the baptism OF Napoleon
III. As our guide opened the oaken
presses and brought out these vest
mcnts OF fabulous cost, and lifted
them up, the fragrance OF the pungcnt
aromatics in which they had been pre-
served, filed the place with q sweetness
that was almost oppressive. Nothing that
had been done in stone more wildly inn
pressed me than these things that had
been done In cloth and embroidery and
perfume. But today / open the drawer Of
this text, and / look upon the kingly
robes Of Christ, aud rs | lit them, fash
ing with eternal jewels, the whole house
u filled with the aroma Of these garments,
which smell OF myrrlr and Glocs, and cas-
sia, out Of the ivory palaces"
In my text the King steps forth. His
robes rustic and blnze us lie advances.
His pomp and power and glory oyerinastcr
the spectator. More brilliant is lie than
Queen Vushti, moving amid the Persian
Princes; than Marie Antoinctic ON tho day
when Louis XVI put upon her the neck
lace OF eight hundred diamonds; than
Anne Bocyn the day when Henry Ill
welcomed her TO his palace; all beauty and
NIL pomp forgotten while we stand in the
presence Of this imperial glory, King OF
Zion, King Of Earth, King Of Heaven,
King forcverl His garments not worn out.
not dust-bcdrngslcd; but radiant, and
jeweled and redolcnt. II seems ~ II they
must have been pressed a hundred years
amid the flowers Of heaven. Tho ward.
robes from which they have been taken
must have been sweet with clusters of
campfire and frankinccnsc; AMI all man.
nor Of precious wood. DO you not inhalc
the odos2 Ay. ay. They smell Of myrrh,
and alocs, ana cassia out Of the ivory pal
aces.
Your first curiosity IL TO know why the
robes Of Christ arc Odorous with myTrh.
This was a brightloaied Abyssinian
plant II was tfiioliaicd. The Greeks,
Egyptians, Romans and Jews bought aud
sold IL at u high price. The first present
that was ever given 10 CHRIST was n spfig
OF myrrh, thrown on His infantilc bed in
Bethlehem, and the last gift that Christ
o. had was myrrh pressed into the cup
OF Ills crucifxion. The natives would
take stone and bruisc the tree, and then
would oxudc gum that would saturatc all
the ground beneath This gum was used
for purposes of merchandise. One piece
OF Il, no larger than q chestnut, would
vhclm n whole room with odon. II was
put IN closets, in chests, In drawers, and
iia perfume adhered almost Unfortunately
% anything that was anywhere near IL. 30
when IN my text read that Christi gar-
mcnts smell OF myrrh, | Immediately con-
clude the exquisite sweetness Of Jesus.
know that TO many lie IL only like any
historical person; another John Howard;
another philanthropio Obcrlin; another
Coniuoius; u grand subject for painting,
hcro'c theme for a poem; q beautiful
form for statute; but 10 those who have
heard Ills voice, aud felt Ills pardon, aud
received His bencdicllon, lie Is music, and
light, and warmth, and thrill, aud eternal
fragrance. Sweet a. friend sticking 10
you when all else bctray. Lifting you up
wnilo Others try 10 push YOU down. Not
40 much like morning.glories, that bloom
only when the sun Is coming Mp, nor like
-four o'clocls," that bloom only when the
sun IL going down, but Ike myrrh, pcfpot.
ually aromatic-thc same morning, noon,
aud night-ycslorday today, forever.
II scoms a. u We cannot wear Him
out We put on Him all our bur
dcns, and aillict Him with all
our grieis, and set Him foremost in ell
Our battles, aud yet lie is ready 10 liz,
and 10 sympathize, and 10 help. We have
NO imposed upon Him that one would
think In eternal aiIronl lilo would quit
our soul, and yet today he addresses us
with the same tenderness, dawns upon IA
with The same smile, pitios us with the
eame compassion.
There Is no name like His for ~. II 10
wore imperial than Cuaars. more musical
thsn Bccihoycn's, moro conqucring than
Charlcmagnc'a, more eloquent than
Cicofo's. IL ihrobe with all NE. Il weeps
with al pa,hos. II groans With all paIn.
u tlpops with all condensation. Il
brcaIhcs with al perfume. Who like
Jesus 10 set q broken bone, 10 pitya home
less orphan. 70 nurse n sick man, 70 take a
prodigAl back without any scolding. 10
ilnminc cemetery all plowcd with
braves, % make queen unto God out Of
Inc lost woman Of the street, 10 catch The
teas OF human sorrow In a laohfymaiory