The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-05-13

The subject of DR.. Talmage's sermon
last Sunday was Invitation to a We'd
ding, !" and the text Luke xiv, IT: "Come,
for all things are now ready" The
eloquent preacher spoke as follows:
Holy festivities to-day. We gather
other sheaves into the spiritual garner
Our joy is like the joy of heaven.
Spread the banquet, fill all the chalices.
We are not to-day at the funeral of a
dead Christ; we are celebrating the
marriage Of the Kings son.
1t was an exciting time in English
history when Queen Elizabeth visited
Lord Leicester ut Kenilworth Castle.
The clocks in all the towers and
throughout the castle were stopped at
the moment Of her arrival, SO continu-
ing 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. II was scene that astonished
all nations when they heard of it. Five
thousand dollars day did the banquet
cost as 1t went on day after day. She
was greeted to the palace gates with
hoating 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 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 appetite 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 up
lifted laDces. 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 that Cardinal Wolsey
spread in Hampton coart.
But to-day, my brothers and sisters,
invite you to grander entertainment.
My Lord, the king, is the banqueter.
Angels of God are the cupbearers, all
the redeemed are guests; the halls of
eternal love frescoed with light, and
paved with joy, and curtained with un-
fading 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 ont with
invitations TO all the people, and o, that
you might break the seal Of the invita-
ton and read in ink of blood, and with
the tremulous hand Of dying Christ:
"Come, come, for all things are now
ready"
Sometimes there have been great dis
appointments at a banquet. The wine
has given out, or the servants have been
rebellious, or the lights have failed; but
walk all around the banqucting table
OF my Lord to-day, and find every
thing complete, 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 is 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 arose and cheered him. but
have to tell you that our banqueter, the
Lord Jesus Christ, comes in at the be-
ginning of the feast. Ay lie has been
waiting for IIisguests, waiting for some
Of them 1891 years, waiting with man
gled feet, waiting with hand on the
punctured side, waiting with hand on
the hcerated temples, waiting, wait
ing! Wonder IL is that the banqucter
did not get weary and say: "Shut the
door and let the laggards stay out"
No, He has been waiting How much
He is in earnest! Shall show you?
gather up all the tears that flooded His
cheek in sympathy, all the blood that
channeled His brow and back and hand
and foot, 10 purchase our redemption. /
gather up all the groans coming from
midnight chill and mountain hunger
and desert loneliness, and put them
into one bitter cry-I gather up all the
pangs that shot from cross and pike and
spear, into one groan-I take one drop
OF sweat on His brow, and put IL un-
der the glass Of the gospel and IL en-
larges 10 lakes Of sorrow, 10 oceans of
agony. That Christ to-day, emaciated
and worn and weary, comes here, and
with pathos in which every word is
heartbreak, and every sentence q mar
tyrdom, He says TO you and He says TO
me; "Come, come, Tor all things are
now ready"
Ahasuerus made feast that lasted
1870 days. This lasts forever. Lords
and princes were invited TO that You
and are invited TO this Yes, he has
been waiting, he is waiting now. Other
kings wrap themselves in robes Of
beauty and power before they come into
banquet So does Christ. o, he is
the fairest Of the fair. In His hand is
the omnipotent surgery that opened
blind eyes and Strengthened crooked
limbs and hoisted the pillars of
heaven, and swung the twelve gates