Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-12-18
THRILLING THOUGHTS ON A
GREAT THEME.
DIR. TALMAGE SPEAKS TO THE
CHRISTIANS AT JERUSALEM.
HIs SERMON SUNDAY. ETC. ssh.

JERUSALEM, December 8th.--At a large
meeting of Christian people iD this city to
day, the Rev. T. De Witt Tai rage, DID,,
of Brooklyn, was the preacher HIS text
was Matthew xxiii, 81: Jerusalem! Jerusa-
lem! A report of his eloqueut sermon is
appended.
as be came in sight of this greet city, and,
although things have marvellously changed,
who can visit Jerusalem to day without
having its mighty past roll over him, and
ordinary utterance must give place for the
explanatory as we cry, y Jerusalem,
Jerusalem! Disappointed with the Holy
Land many have been, and have heard
good friends say that their srdor about sa-
cred places had been so dampened that they
were sorry they ever visited Jerusalem.
But with me the city and it's surroundings
are rapture, solemnity, an overwhelm-
ing emotion. o Jerusalem, Jerusalem !!
The procession Of kings. couquarors, poets
and immortal men and women pass before
me as l stand here. Among tbs ihrong are
Solomon, David and Christ. Yes, through
these streets and amid these surroundings
rode Solomon, that wonder Of spieudor aud
wretchedness. 1t seemed as ii the world
exhausted itself on that man. Il wove it's
it's richest gems in his coronet. Is pressed
the rarest wine to his lips. 1t rcbed him in
the purest purple and brcidery. 1t
cheered him with the sweetest music in
that land Of harps. 1t greeted him with the
gladdest laughter that ever leaped from
mirth's lip. 1t sprinkled his cheek with
spray from the brightest fountai, 8. Royal
ty had no dominion, wealth no luxury, gold
no glitter, flowers no sweetness, song no
melody, light no radiance, upholstery no
gorgeousness, waters no CLEAN, birds no
plumage, prancing coursers no mettle,
architecture no grandeur but it was all his.
Across the thick grass of the lawn, fragrant
with tufts OF campfire from Eegedi, fell
the long shadows of trees brought from diff
ferent forests,
Fish pools, fed by artificial channels that
brought the streams from bills far away,
were perpetually ruffied with fins, and gold
en- scales shot from water cave to water cave
with endless dive and swirl, attracting the
paze of foreign potentates. Birds that had
been brought from foreign aviaries glanced
and futtered among the foliage, and called
to their mates far beyond the kea. From
their royal stables there came up the neigh
ing of twelve thousand horses, Standing in
blankets of Tyrian purple, che*ing their
bits over troughs of gold, waiting for tho
kings order to be brought out in front Of
the palace, when the Official dignitaries
would leap into the saddle for some grand
parade, or harnessed TO some of the fourteen
hundred chariots of the king, the fiery
chargers with Haunting mane and throbb-
ing nostril would make the earth jar with
the tramp Of hoofs and the thunder of
wheels. While within and without the
palace you could nottbink OF single luxury
that could be added, or OF q single speDdor
that could be kindled, down on the banks
of the sea the dry docks OF Ezion' geber
rang with the hammers OF the shipwrights
who were constructing larger vessels for a
still wider commerce., for all lands and
climes were to be robbed to make up Solo
mons glory. No rest till his keeis shall cut
every sea, his axemen hew every forest
his aIchers strike every rare wing, his fish
ermen wbip every stream, his meIchants
trade in every bazar, his name be honored
by every tribe; aud royalty shall have no
dominion, wealth no Injury, gold 10 glitter,
song 10 melody. light no radiance, waters
nc CLEAN, birds 10 plumage, pranclng
conrsers no mettle, upholstery no gorgeous
ness, architecture 10 grandeur, bns 1t was
all his.
"Wel]," you say, 'If there is any man
happy, he ought to be-" But L near hlm
coming out through the palace, and ace his
robes actually incrusted with jewels, as he
stands in the front ard looks out upon the
vast domain. What does he say? King Solo,
mon, great is your dominion, g;sat Is your
honor, great is yonr JOY? NO. While
standing here amidst all the splendor, tue
tears start and bis heart breaks and ne ex-