The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-05-21
SERMON BY DIR, TALMAGE
SUBJECT OF THE DISCOURSE, "lNvl-
TATloN TO A WEDDlNe.'

All Things Are Ready-wiii You Come?
Jesus Asks You, the Holy Spirit Asks
You, the Church Asks You-Are You
Ready?-Then Come.
BROOKLYN, May 10,~-An interesting
ceremony 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 We're baptized, The water
used was some of that which was
brought by DR.. Talmage from the river
Jordan. The main auditorium of the
tabernacle and the adjoining rooms
were crowded by an audience of seven
thousand persons, The subject of DIR.
Talmage's sermon was, Invitation to
Wedding" and the text Luke xiv, II,
"Come, for all things are now ready"
HOLY FESTIVITIES.
Holy festivities today. 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 today 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 at Kenilworth castle.
The clocks in all the towers and through
out the castle were stopped at the mo-
ment of her arrival, so continuing to
point to that moment as the one sur
passing all others in interest.
The doors of the great banqueting
hall was opened. The queen marched
in to the sound of the trumpets, Four
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 a burst of
music that lifted the whole scene into
enchantment. Beginning in that way
il 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
kenilwortll 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 We're shown
into the banqueting hall, with table
a-glitter with imperial plate, and
a-blush with the very costliest wines and
the second course of the feast was made
Of food in all shapes, of men and birds
AMI beasts, and dancing groups, and
jousting parties riding upon each other
with uplfted lances. Lords and princes
and ambassadors, their cups cleaning
to the b:in, 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 court.
A GRAND ENTERTAINMENT.
But today, my brothers and sisters, !
invite you to grander entertainment.
Ny 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
pavel with joy and curtained with TN
faliAg b2auty are the banqueting place,
the harm onies of eternity are the music,
the chaices of God are the plate, and ]
all one OF the servants come out with
invitations 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 dying
Christ, Come, come, for all things are
now ready"
Sometimes there have been great dis
appointments at banquet. The wine
has given out, or the servants have beer
rebellious, or the lights have failed
but walk all around the banquetine
table of my Lord today, and | find
everything complete, and swing oper
the door of this banqueting house anC
say, "All things are now ready"
Illustrating my text go on, and il
the first place say that the Lord jesus
Christ is ready Cardinal Wolsey die
not come into the banqueting hall un
til the second course of the feast, anC
when he entered booted and spurred
all the guests arose and cheered him
but | have to tell you that our ban
queter, the Lord Jesus Christ, comes il
at the beginning of the feast. Ay, HI
has been waiting for his guests, waiting
for some of them 1891 years. waiting
with mangled feet, waiting with hant
on the punctured side, waiting will
hand on the lacerated temples, waiting
waiting!
Wonder it is that the banqueter di(
not get weary and say, Shut the doc
and let the laTgards stay out" No, h
has been waiting. How much he is il
earnestl Shall | show you? | gathe
up all the tears that flooded his cheel
in sympathy, all the blood that chan
neled his brow and back and hand ant
foot, to purchase our redemption.
gather up all the groans coming iron
midnight chill and mountain hunger an,
desert loneliness, and put them into on
bitter cry-I gather up all the pangs tina
shot from cross and pike and spear int
| one groan-I take one drop of sweat OF
his brow, and put it under the glas
of the gospel, and it enlarges to lake
Of sorrow, to oceans of agony. Tha
Christ today, eniaciated and worn an
weary, comes here, and with patho
IN which every word is heartbreal
and every sentence martyrdom, h
says to you and he says to me, Come
sornc; for all things are now ready"
Ahasuerus made feast that Taste
one hundred and eighty days. Thi
lasts forever. Lords and princes wer