Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-01-31
DREAD HANDWRITING
DIR. TALMAeE breaches A SERMON
ON BABYLoN,S FALL. 81;

|
ON BABYLON'S FALL. s3
II You Do Not Fear God You May. One
Day Expect to Soc the Handwriting on
the wall yourself-A Powerful Dis
I course. ,sSs'
BsooNYN, Jan. 25.-Dr. Talmags
preached the following sermon this
morning in the Academy of Music IN
this city, and be repeated it tonight ct
The Christian Herald service in the
New York Academy of Music. Histext
was Daniel v, 30: SIN that night was
Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeanss,S
slain. :"
After the site of Babylon had been
selected, two million of men were ems
ployed for the construction of the Wa5f
and principal works. The walls of the
city were sixty miles IN circumference
They were surrounded by a trench, sous
of which had been dug the material sfcs
the construction of the city. TheEs
were twenty-five gatesiof solid brass on
each side of the square city. Between;
every two gates great watch tower
sprang up into the heavens. II
From each of the twenty-five gates
on either side o street ran straight
through to the gate on the other side
so that there were fifty streets, each
fifteen miles long, which gave to the
city an appearance of wonderful regu=
larity. The houses did not join each
other on the ground, and between
them were gardens and shrubbery.
From housetop to honsetop bridges
swung, over which the inhabitants
were accustomed. to pass. a branch OF,
the Euphrates went through the city,
over which bridge of marvellous
structure was thrown and under
which tunnel ran. To keep the
river from OVERLOOKING the city in times
of freshet great lake. was arranged to
catch the surplus, in which the water
was kept as in q reservoir until times OF
drought. when it was sent streaming
down over the thirsty land. !.
A palace stood at each end of the
Euphrates bridge; one palace mile
and three-quarters in compass, and tie
other palace seven and half miles
in circumference. The wife of Nebu-
clladnezzar, having been brought up
among the mountains Of Media, could
not stand it in this fat country of
Babylon, and so to please her Nebuchad-
nezzar had mountain four hundred
feet high built in the midst of the city
This mountain was surrounded by ter
races, for the support of which great
arches were lifted. On the top Of these
arches fat stones were laid then layer
of reeds and bitnmen; then two rows Of
bricks, closely cementcd; then thick.
sheets of lead. upon which the soil was
placed.
The earth here deposited was SO deep
that the largest trees had room to
anchor their roots. All tho glory ofthe
nowery tropics was spread out at that
tremendous height, until it must haYe
seemed to one below as though the
clouds were all in blossom. and the
very sky leaned on the shoulder of the
cedar. At the top an engine was con-
structcd which drew the water from
the Euphrtes, far below, and made it
spout up amid this garden OF the skies.
All this to please his wifel l think she
must have been pleased.
A CITY OF REvELINGs.
In the midst of this city stood also
the temple of Belus One of its towers
was one-eighth of mile high, and on
the top of it an observatory, which gave
the astronomers great advantage, as,
being at SO great u height, one could
easily talk with the stars. This temple
was full Of cups and statues and cen
sers, all of gold. One image weighed
thousand Babylonish talents, which
would be equal to tifty-two million dol
lars. All this by day; but now night
was about to come down on Babylon.
The shadows of her two hundred and
fifty towers began to lengthcn. The
Euphrates rolled on, touched by the
fiery splendors of the setting sun, and
gates of brass FURNISHED and glittering,
opened and shut like doors of flame.
The hanging gardens of Babylon,
wet with the heavy dew, began to pour
from starlit flowers and dripping leaf q
fragrance for many miles around. The
streets and squares were lighted for
dance and frolic and promenade. The
theatres and galleries of art invited the.
wealth and pomp and grandeur of tho
city to rare entertainments Scenes of
riot and wassail we're mingled in every
street; goddess mirth, and outrageous
excess, and splendid wickednesscame to
the kings palace to do their mightiest
deeds of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings
palacel Rushing up to the gates arr
chariots, upholstered with precious
cloths from Dedan, and drawn by ti1fe
eyed horses from Togarlnah, thatsrear
and neigh in the grasp of the chariot
eers, while thousand lords dismoEI,;s,
and women dressed in all the spleh-
doris of Syrian emerald, and the color
blending of agate, and the chasteness
Of coral, and the somber glory of Ty-
rian purple, and princely embroideries
brought from afar by camcls across the
desert, and by ships of Tarshish across
the sea-
Open wide the gates and let the
guests come in. The cha1nberlains and
cup bearers are all ready. Hank to the
rustic of the robes, and to the carol of
the music! SEQ the blaze of the jewelsl