The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-02-04


from Its Fall.
BROOKLYN, Jan. 25.-Dr. Talinasc
preached the following sermon this
morning in the Academy OF Music il
this city, and he repeated 1t tonight
at The Christian Herald service IN the
New York Academy of Music. His
text was Daniel. V, so: In that night
was BelshaZZer. the king Of the Cual-
deans, slain.
After the site Of Babylon had been
selected. two million Of men were en-
ployed for the construction Of the wall
and the principal works. The walls OF
the city were sixty miles in circGmier-
ence. They were surrounded by 4
trench. out CT which had been dug the
material for the construction Of the
city. There were twenty-five gates OF
solid brass on each SIDE of the square
city. Between every two gates great
tower sprang up into the heavens.
From each of the twenty-five gates on
either side astreet 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 regularity.
The houses did not join each other
on the ground, and between them were
gardens and shrubbery. From house
top to housetop bridges swung, over
which the inhabitants were accustomed
to pass. A branch Of the Euphrates
went through the city, over which a
bridge Of marvellous structure was
thrown, and under which tunnel ran.
70 keep the river from overtioWlng the
city in time of freshet. a great lake
was arranged to catch the surplus, in
which the water kept as in a 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 a
mile and three-Quarters in compass,
and the other palace seven and half
miles in circumference. The wife Of
NebuchadneZZar, having been brought
up among the mountains of Media,
could not stand it in this flat country
of Babylon, and so to please her Nebu-
chadneZZar had a mountain four hun
dred feet high built in the midst Of
the city.
This mountain was surrounded by
terraces, for the support OF which
great arches were lited. On the top Of
these arches fat stones were laid; then
a layer OF reeds and bitumen; then two
rows of bricks, closely cemente6; then
thick sheets OF lead, upon which the
soil was placed. The earth here de-
posted was so deep that the largest
trees had room TO anchor their roots.
All the glory Of the tlowery tropics
was spread out at that tremendous
height, until it must have 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 constructed which
drew the water from the Euphrates, far
bslow, and made it spout up amid this
garden OF the skies AL this to please
his wlfel l think she must have been
pleased.
In the midst of this city stood also
the temple of BeluS. One of it's towers
was one-eighth of 4 mile high, and on
the top Of it an observatory, which
gave the astronomers great advantage,
as, being at so great height, one
could easily talk with the stars. This
temple was full of cups and statues and
censers. all OF gold. One figure weighed
a thousand Babylonish talents, which
would be equal to ffty-two million
dollars. Al this by day: but now night
was about to come down on Babylon.
The shadows OF her two hundred and
City towers began to !engthen. The
Euphrates rolled on, touched by the
fiery Splen6orS of the setting sun, and
gates of brass, FURNISHED and glitter
ing, opened and shut like doors Of
fame. The hanging gardens Of Baby
Ion, wet with the heavy dew, began to
pour from starlit flowers and dripping
leaf fragrance Tor many miles around.
The streets and squares were lighted
for dance, and froIic and promenade.
The theatres and galleries OF art IN
yited the wealth aud pomp and gran
Geur of the city to rare entertainments.
Scenes Of riot and wasSail were mingled
in every street; goddess mirth, and out
rageoGS excess, aud splendid wicked
Gess came to the kings palace to Go
their mightest deeds of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings
palace! Rushing up to the gates are
chariots, upholstered with precious
cloths frem Dedan and drawn by fire
eyed horses from Togarmah. that rear
and neigh in the grasp of the chariot,
seers, While thousand lords dlsmount-
and women dressed in all the splen-
sdors of Syrian emerald, and the color
blending of agate, and the chasteness
of coral, and the princely embroideries
brought from afar by canes across
the desert, and by ships from TarShish
across the sea.
Open wide the gates and let the
guests come in. The chamberlains
and cup bearers are ali ready Hark
to the rustic of the robes and to the
carol of the music! See the blaze of the
Jewels! Lift the banners. Fill the
cups. Clap the cymbals. Blow the
trpmpets. Let the night go by with
song and dance and ovation; and let
that Babylonish tongue be palsied that
will not say. "Oh, King BslshezZa::,
1--we forever!''
5 All! my friends, i. was not any COM
mon banquet to which these great peo-
pie came. AL parts Of the earth had
sent their richest viands to that table
Brackets and chandeliers flashed their
light upon tankards Of FURNISHED gold.
Fruits, ripe and IL sciouS, IN baskets Of
silver, entwined with leaves, plucked
from royal conservatoTies. Vases, in
laid with emerald and ridged with ex-
suisite, traceries, filled with nuts. that
were thrashed from forests of distant
lands. Wine brought from the royal
vats, foaming in the decanters and
bubbling in the chaliceS. TUFTS Of
cassia and frankincsDse waiting their
swestness from wall and table. Cor
geaus banners unfolding in the breeze
that came through the opened window,
bewitched with the perfume of hang
ing gardens. Fountains rising up
from Enclosures Of ivory in Jets of cryS-
tai, to fall in ela5tering rain of dia-
a.