The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-02-13
JERUSALEM.
Sermon by Rev. r. Dewitt Tai
mage in the Holy City.
The Ancient Glory of Jerusalem Depicted
by a Series of Vivid Word Pictures
The Coming GIories of the
New Jerusalem.

While on his recent visit to Jerusalem
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage delivered the
following sermon, taking for his text
Jerusalem! Observation-Disclosures kill, 81
This exclamation burst from Christ's
lips as He came in sight of this great
city, and although things have marvel
ously changed, who can visit Jerusalem
to-day without having it's mighty past
roll over on him, and ordinary utter
ances must give war 90 the explanatory
as we cry: o Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
Disappointed with the Holy Land many
have been, and I have heard good
friends say their ardor about sacred
places had been so dampened that they
were sorry they ever visited Jerusalem.
But with me the city and its surround
tngs are rapture, solemnity, an over
whelming emotion. o Jerusalem, Jeru-
Salient The procession of kings, con-
querors, poets and immortal men and
women pass before me as l stand
here. Among them are Solomon,
David and Christ. Yes, through these
streets and amid these surroundings
rode Solomon, that wonder of splendor
and wretchedness. It seemed as if the
world exhausted itself on that man. 1t
wove its brightest flowers into his gar
land. 1t set its richest gems in his
coronet. 1t pressed the rarest wine to
his lips. 1t robed him in the purest pur-
pie and embroidery. 1t cheered him
with the sweetest music in that land of
harps. 1t greeted him with the glad
est laughter that ever leaped from
mirth's lip 1t sprinkled his cLeek
with spray from the brightest fountains.
Royalty 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 eoursers no mettle, architect
ure no grandeur but it was his. Across
the thick grass of the lawn, fragrant
with tufts of campfire from Engedi, fell
the long shadows of trees brought from
distant forests.
Fish pools, fed by artificial channels
that brought the streams from hills far
away, were perpetually ruffied with fins,
and golden scales shot from water cave
to water cave With endless dive and
swirl, attracting the gaze of foreign po-
tentates Birds that had been brought
from foreign aviaries glanced and f1ut-
tered among the foliage, and called to
their mates far beyond the sea. From
the royal stables there came up the
neighing of twelve thousand horses,
standing in blankets of Tyrian purple,
oh 4bai,. &c o7-o,. 4ro1,orbc Of GOLD
waiting for the 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 hun
dred chariots of the King, the fiery
chargers with Haunting name and
throbbing nostril would make the earth
jar with the tramp of hoofs and
the thunder of wheels. While within
and without the palace you could not
think of a single luxury that could be
added, or of a single splendor 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
chimes were to be robbed to make up
Solomon's glory. No rest till his keels
shall cut every sea, his axmen hew
every forest, his archers strike every
rare wing, his fishermen whip every
stream, his merchants trade in every
bazaar, his name be honored by every
tribe; and royalty shall have no domin-
ion, wealth no luxury, gold no glitter,
song no melody, light no radiance, wa
ters no CLEAN, birds no plumage, pranc-
ing coursers no mettle, upholstery no
gorgeousness, architecture no grandeur,
but it was all his.
'sWell," you say, "if there is any man
happy, he ought to be happy" But
hear him coming out through the pal
ace, and see his robes actually incrusted
with jewels, as he stands in the front
and looks out upon the vast domain.
What does he say? King Solomon,
great is your dominion, great is your
honor, great is your joy? No. While
standing here amidst all the splendor,
the tears start, and his heart breaks and
he exclaims; Vanity of vanities; all
is vanity" What! Solomon not happy
yet9 No, not happy. The honors and
the emoluments of this world bring so
nany cares with them that they bring
also torture and disquietude. Pharaoh
sits on one of the highest earthly emf
nenees, yet he is miserable because there
are some people in his realm that do
not want any longer to make bricks.
The head of Edward L aches under the
crown because the people will not paw
the taxes, and Llewellyn, Prince of
Wales, will not do him homage, and
Wallace will be hero. Frederick
William III. of Prussia is miserable be-
cause France wants to take the Prus-
sian provinces. The world is not large
enough for Louis XIV. and William III.
The ghastliest suffering, the most
shriveling fear, the most rending ieal.
ousies, the most gigantic disquietude,
have walked amidst obsequious court
iers, and been clothed in royal apparel,
and sat on Judgment seats of power.
Honor and truth and Justice can not
go SO high up in authority as to be be-
yond the range of human assault. The
pure and the good in all ages have been
execrated by the mob, who cry out:
Not this man, but Barabbas. Now.