The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-27
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINES SUN
H.. tDAY SERMON.
Subject: "Invitation to a wedding.'

rendy"-Luke xiv, II.
Holy festivities to-day. We gather other
sheaves into the spiritual garner. Our joy
is like the joy of Heaven. Spread the ban
quet, fill all the chalices. We are not to-day
at the funeral of dead Christ; we are cele-
brating the marriage Of the Kings Son.
1t 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, 80
continuing to point to that moment as the
one surprising all others in interest.
The doors Of the great banquetiug hall
were opened. The queen marched in to the
sound of the trumpets. Fourteen hundred
servants waited upon the guests. 1t was
scene that astonished all nations when they
heard of it. Five thousand dollars 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 enchantment Beginning
in that way, it went on from joy to joy and
from excitement to excitement and from
rapture to rapture. That was the great
banquet that Lord Leicester spread in Kenil-
worth castle.
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the French
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 ablush
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 uplifted lances. Lords
and princes and ambassadors their cups
cleaning to the brim, drank first to the
health Of the king Of England, and then to
the health of the emperor of France. That
was the banquet thst Cardinal Wolsey
spread in Hampton Court.
But to-day, my brothers and sisters I in
vite you to a grander entertainment. My
Lord. the King, is the banqueter. Angels Of
God are the cupbearers, all the redeemed are
the guests; the balls 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 o. God are the plate, and
am one Of the servants come out with in
vitations to all the people, and oh that you
might break the seal of the invitation and
read in ink Of blood, and with the tremulous
hand of a dying Christ. Come come, for
all things are now ready"
Illustrating my text go on, and in the first
place sag that tie Lord Jesus Christ is ready.
Cardinal Wolsey did not come into the ban.
quoting hall until the second course of the
feast, and wnen he entered, booted and
spurred, all the guests arose and oheered him;
but have to tell you thas our banqueter, the
Lord Jesus Chris, comes in at the beginning
Of the feast, Ay, he has been waiting for
his guests waiting for some of them 1891
years, wit1ng with mangled feet, waiting with
hand on the punctured side, waiting with
hand on the lacerated temples, waiting. wait
ing!
Wonder it is that the banqueter did not get
weary and say, s'Shut the door. and let the
laggards stay out" No, he has been waiting.
How much lac is in earnest. Shall l show
you? gather up all the tears that flooded
his cheek in sympathy, all the blood that
ehanneled his brow and back end hand aud
foot to purchase our redemption. I gather
up all tho groans coming from midnight chill,
and mountain hunger, and desert loneliness
and put them into one bitter cry. gather
up all the pangs that snot from cross and
spike and spear into one groan. take one
drop of sweat on his brow, and I put it under
the glass of the gospel. and it enlarges to
lakes Of sorrow, to oceans Of agony. That
Christ to-day, emac.ated and worn and weary,
comes here, and with pathos in which every
word is hesrtbreak and every sentence q
marty rdonn. LIE says to you. and he says to me,
"Come, come, for all things are nov ready
A there is one word OF five letters that
would like to write, but have no sheet fair
enough to write it on. aud no pencil good
enough to inscribe it. Give me q sheet from
the heavenly records, and some pencil used by
angel in describing victory, and then with
hand struck with supernatural energy, aud
with pencil dipped in everlasting morning, l
will write it ont in capitals of love, JESUS,
Jesus! 1t is this One that is waiting for you
all for me, for we are on the same platform
before God How long he waited for me!
How long he has waited for you! Waiting as a
banu,leter waits for his delayed guests, the
meats smoking, and the beaksr5 brimming,
and the minstrel with his finger on still string
ready to strike at the first clash of the hoofs at
the gateway. Waiting as a mother waits for
boy that ten years ago went off dragging her
bleeding heart after him. Waiting On, can
YOU not give me some comparison intense
enough, importunate enough, high as heaven,
deep as hell, and vast as esnity! Not ex-
pecting that you can help me with such CON-
psrison, simply say he is waiting as only an
all sympathetic Christ knows how to wait for
q wandering soul.
DO you know what 1t Was that saved Martin
Luther2 It was that one verse, "The just
shall live by faith" Do you know what it waa
that brought Augustine from his horrible dis
sipatiena? 1t WAS that one verse, "Put ye or
tho Lord Jesus Christ, and make DO provislor
for tho fesh to fuldll the lusts thereof" Do
you know what it was that saved Hedley
Wears. the celebrated soldier? II was the one
passage. 'tBelieve in the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved" Do you know what
it was that brought Jonathan Edwards tc
Chris? It was the one passage, "Now unto
him be glory forever and eve."
H~a rl-o ,f,,;p e..
read my text, ''Oh. give thanks unto the Lord,
for he is good" and young man stood in the
gallery and ssid to himself: 81 have never
rendered one acceptable Offering Of gratitude
to God in all my life. Here, Lord, am thine
forover.' By that one passage Of Scripture he
was brought into the kingdom, and if might
II my own experience l might tell how one
Slbbath afternoon was brought to the peace
OF the gospel by reading Of the Syro-Pheni-
clans cry to Christ, where ne said: Even the
| do "a eat of the crumbs that fall from ths mas
| ter's table" Philoso2hic sermons never saved
anybody. Metaphysical sermons never saved
anybody. An earnest plea going right out Of
the heart bl.ssei OF the Holy Ghost, that is
what saves, that tis what brings people int the
kingdom Of Christ.
Suppose the world thought that Thomas
Chalmers preached great sermons in his early
ministry but Thomas Chalmers says he never
preached ut all until years after he had occu-
pied pulpit he came ont of his sick room, and,
weak and emaciated, he stood and trld the
story of Christ to the people. And in the great
day Of eternity it will be found that not so
much the eloquent sermons brought msn to
Christ rs the story told perhaps by those who
We're unknown on earth, the simple story OF
the Saviour's love ana mercy, sent By e pow
er OF the roly Ghost straight 10 the heart.
come, Holy Ghost. Ay. He is hare this morn
| ing. He fills all thu place. tell you the
Holy Ghost is ready.
Then I 90 on and tell yor the church is
ready. There are those h re who say, "No
on. cares for my SOUL" We do caro- for it.
You see q man boWng bis head in PRAYER.