Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-05-11
A WEDDING INVITATION.
SERMON PREACHED BY DR.. TAI
MAGE on SUNDAY, MAY 10.

II was Preceded by the Baptism by the
Doctor Of Number of Infants with
water Brought from the River Jor-
dan.
BROOKLYN, May 10.--An interesting cere
mony was performed this morning in the
Brooklyn tabernacle before the sermon was
preached. A number of infants who had
been brought there by their parents were
baptized The water used was some OF
that which was brought by DIR. Talmage
from the river Jordan. The main audito-
rum of the Tabernacle and the adjoining
rooms were crowded by an audience OF
seven thousand persons. The subject OF
DR.. Talmage's sermon was Invitation to
Wedding" and the text Luke xiv, H.
"Come, for all things are now ready"
Holy festivities today We gather other
sheaves into the spiritual garner. Our JOY
is like the Joy Of Heaven. Spread the ban
uuet, fll all the chalices We are not to
day at the funeral of dead Christ; we are
celebrating the marriage OF the kings son.
AN EXCITING TIME.
Il was an exciting time in English history
when Queen Elizabeth visited Lord Leices-
ter at Kenilworth castle. The clocks In all
the towers and throughout the castle were
stopped at the moment of her arrival, so
continuing to point to that moment as the
one SURPRISING all others in interest.
The doors of the great banqueting hall
were opened. The queen marched In to
the sound OF the trumpets. Four hundred
servants waited upon the guests. 1t was a
scene that astonished all nations when
they heard of It. Five thousand dollars a
day did the banquet cost as it went on day
after day. She was greeted TO the palace
gates with floating islands and torches and
the thunders of cannon and fireworks that
set the night ablaze, and burst OF music
that lifted the whole scene into enchant-
ment. Beginning in that way, 1t went on
from joy to Joy and from excitement to ex-
element and from rapture to rapture.
That was the great banquet that Lord
Leicester spread in Kenilworth castle
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the French
ambassadors In Hampton Court The best
cooks of all the land provided for the table.
The guests were kept hunting in the parks
all the day, so that their appetites might be
keen, and then in the evening hour they
were shown into the banqueting hall,
with table aglitter with imperial plate and
abush with the very costliest wines, and
the second course of the feast was made
of food In all shapes, of men and birds and
beasts, and dancing groups, and jousting
parties riding upon each other with up
lifted lances. Lords and princes and am
bassadors, their cups cleaning to the brim,
drank first to the health of the king of
England, and then to the health of the em-
peror OF France That was the banquet
that Cardinal Wolsey spread in Hampton
Court.
A eRANDER ENTERTAINMENT.
I1,.t hrN har nd /
vite you to grander entertainment. My
Lord, the king, is the banqueter. Angels
OF God are the cupbearers, all the redeemed
are the guests; the halls of eternal love
frescoed with light and paved with joy and
curtained with unfading beauty are the
banqueting place, the harmonies of eternity
are the music, the chalices of God are the
plate and am one of the servants come
out with invitations to all the people, and
oh that you might break the seal OF the In
yitation and read In ink of blood, and with
the tremulous hand OF dying Christ,
"Come, come, forall things are now ready
Sometimes there have been great disap-
pointments at banquet. The wine has
given out, or the servants have been rebel
lious, or the lights have failed; but walk
all around the banqueting table OF my
Lord today, and | find everything com
plete, and | swing open the door OF this
banqueting house and | say, "All things
are now ready"
Illustrating my text go on, and in the
first place say that the Lord Jesus Christ
IL ready Cardinal Wolsey did not come
into the banqueting hall until the second
course OF the feast, and when he entered
booted and spurred, all the guests aros'
and cheered him; but | have to tell you
that our banqueter, the Lord Jesus Christ
comes in at the beginning OF the feast. Ay
he has been waiting for his guests, waiting
for some OF them 1891 years, waiting will
mangled feet, waiting with hand on th'
punctured side waiting with hand on th'
lacerated temples. waiting waitingl
Wonder il is that the banqueter did moi
get weary aud say, "Shut the door, and LEI
The laggards stay out" No, he has beer
waiting How much he is IN earnest
Shall show your gather up all the tear
that flooded his cheek In sympathy, all th'
blood that channeed his brow and bach
and hand and foot to purchase our 70
dsmption gather up all the groans com
ing from midnight chill, and mountain
hunger, and desert loneliness, and pu
them into one bitter cry. | gather up al
the pangs that shot from cross and spik
aud spear Into one groan. | take one drol
OF sweat on his brow, aud put II under TIN
glass OF the gospel. and il enlarges to lake
OF sorrow. 90 oceans OF agony. That Chris
today, emacated and worn and weary
comes here, and with pathos In whicl
every word Is heartbreslk and every sen
tence martyrdom, he says to you, and h'
says TO me. "Come. come, for all things ar
now ready"
AN EVERLASTING FEAsr
Ahasuerns made feast that lasted IL
days. This lasts forever Lords an'
princes were invited 10 that. You and
are invited % this. Yes, he has beei
waiting--he is waiting now. Other king
wrap themselves in robes OF beauty an'
power before they come into n banquet
So does Christ Oh, he Is the fairest OF th
fair. In his hand is the omnipotent sur
gerry that opened blind eyes aud straight
ened crooked limbs and hoisted the pillar
OF heaven, and swung the twelve gate
which are twelve pearls oh, what
Christ--a Christ oi beauty, a Christ
power
There are not enough cups on earth :
dip up this ocean OF beauty. There Ar
not ladders ~ scale these heights Of love
Oh, thou flower OF eternlty, thy breath
the perfume OF heaven. oh, thou day
break OF the soul. let all nations clap thei
hands In thy radlAnes ChOrusl Com
men and angels aud eherubim aud sers
phim aud archRngcl, all heights. al depths
ALI limmensitics. Chorusl Roll 0R throng
the heavens Ia chariot OF unlvenaal ~
claim. over bridges OF hosanna nnds
arches 81 coronation. by the towers chift
ing wifh cirrnA jubilee. Chornsl Unt
him that loVei rs aud washed ns from ou