Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-05-15
REV. DR.. TALMAGH.
The Eminent Brooklyn Divine's Sun
day Sermon.
Subject. "Invitation to Wedding"

FchUy. -l4dAe Nif.s IL
Holv festivities to- lay We gather other
sheaves into tue spiritual garner. Our JOY
is like the Joy of Heaven. Spread the ban
quet. fill all the chaices We are not to-day
at the funeral of dead Christi we are cele-
brating the marriage of the Kings Son.
1t was an exciting time in English history
when Queen Elizabeth visitel Lord Leices-
ter at Kenilworth castle. The clocks in all
the towers AMI 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. Fourteen hundred
servants waited upon the guests. 1t was a
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 pl.ace gates with
floating islam Is AMI torches and the thun iers
of cannon and fireworks that set the night
ab.aze, and burst of music that lifted the
whole scene into enchantment. BEGINNING
in tnat way, it went on from JOY to JOY and
from excitement TO excitement and from
rapture 10 rapture That was the great
banquet that Lord Leicester spread in Kenil-
worth castle
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the French
ambassadors in HamT xsu Court. The best
COOKS of all the land provided for the table.
The guests were kept hunting in the parks
all the day 50 that their aOpetiteS might be
keen, and then in the evening hour they
were shown into the banqueting hail. with
table aglitter with imperial plate and abush
with the very costiiest wines, AMI the second
course of the feast was made Of fool in all
shapes. of men and birds and beasts, and
dancing groups. and jousting parties riding
upon each other with uplifte1 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 that Cardinal Wolsey
spread III Hampton Court.
But to-day, my brothers and sisters ] in
vite you to a grander entertainment. My
Lord, the King, is the banqueter Angels of
God are the cupbsarers all the redeemed are
the guests: the halls of eternal love frescoed
with hight and paved with joy and curtainel
with unfading beauty are the banqueting
pace, the harmonies of eternity are the
music the chalices of God are the plate, and
| am one of the servants come out with in
vitatiOns to ali 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
Illustrating my text 80 on, and in the first
p.ac, say that Il Lord Jesus Christ is ready.
Cardinal WOlsey did not come into the BAN
quoting hall until the second course of the
feast, and when he entered. booted and
spuired. all thu Cilests arose and cheered HIM
but have TO IN You tha. our bsnqueter, the
Lord Jesus Chris comes in st tho beginning
of the fess'. Ay. lie has besA waiting for
his 3 tests, whiting for soma of them 1921
years, wiling with manglsd feet waiting with
band Oh the punctufed side, waiting with
hand on the lacerated temples, waiting, wait
ing
Wonder it is that the banque,eT did not get
weary snd say. "Shut the door, and let the
laggards stay ont. No he has been waiting.
How much he is in earnest. Shall | show
you; gather up ell the tears that flooded
his cheek in sympathr, all the blood that
cAanne,e1 hs brow and back and hand and
foot to purchase oar redemption | gather
up all the gr Ians coming from midnight chill.
Gnd mountain hunger. and desert Loneliness,
and put them into one bitter cry. gather
up all the psngs that shot from cross and
spike and 81 ear into one groar. | take one
drop Of sweat on his brow, ana put 1t under
the glass of the gospel. and il enlar5es 10
lakes Of sorrow. T. oceans of agony Thai
Christ to-day mac ated and worn and weary,
comes here, and with pa;hOs in which every
word is a hearibreak and every sentence
martyriom. lie says to you. and he says 10 me,
Come, come, for all things are nov ready
A., here is one word OF five letters that
would like to write, but have no shee. fair
enough to write it Oh. AID no pencil good
enough to inscribe IT, Give me a sheet from
the he evenly records, aud some pencil. uSedby
angel in describing a victory and then with
hand struck with supernatural energy, aud
with pencil dipped in everlasting morAmg,
vii write it out in capitals of love, JESUS.
Jesus. Il Is this One that is waiting for yOu
an for me, for We are on the same platform
before God How lonE he waited for me-
How lons ne has waited for you, Waiting as
banquster waits for his delayed guests. the
meats smoking, aud the bsak.rs trimming,
and the minstrel with his finger Oh stiff string
ready to strike az the first clash OF the hOOis at
the gateway. Waiting as mother waits for
a boy that ten ', ars ago went of dragging her
bleeding heart after him. Waiting On. can
you not give me some comparison intense
enough. impOrtunstC enough, nigh as heaven,
deep s hell, and vast as eternity: Not e.
reciing that you can help me with such COM
psrisop, simply say he IS waiting az only an
all sympatr etc Chr st knows how to wat for
a wandering soul
Do you know what it was that saved Martin
Luther? It was that one vsrse, "rle just
shall live by faith" Do you know what it was
that brought Augustine from his horrible di
tipat ons? II was that one verse, Put We on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no prov sion
for the flesh, to fulfil! the lusts thereof Do
Won know what it was that saved Hcd.ey
Wears, the celebrated solder: 1t was the one
passage. "Beleve in tie Lori Jesus Chris,
and thou shalt be savel.' Do You know what
il was that brou ,ht jonathan Edwar Is to
Chris It was the one passage, "Now uItI
him be clo-y forever and eve ="
one Thanks Giving m rning II church |
real my text. oh give thanks unto the Lord,
for he IS cool, an | Young MAJ stool in the
gallery an said to himseif; 81 have never
rendered one acceotlbe ofsring OF giatitub
TO Col in all my life. Here, Lord. | am thlns
for sver By that one p ssly If Scripture h,
was brought into the king | IN. and IL might
II my own exp ,rience. | might tell how one
Sibb lth aftern, o / wa bro lghi to the peace
Of the gospel by rea ling Of the Syro-Phe1i-
clans c;y to Cdris', where ne said: Even the
do IS eat of the crumbs that ial from the MAJ.
ter's table" Phil so0hic serm )n5 reyer saved
anyboly. Metaphysical ser nonI never saved
anybOl y. An earnest p.eI gazing rig 1t out of
tn heart bl $50 o. the Holy Ghost. that is
what saves, that's what brings pc )ple int the
kingdom Of Christ.
SUPPOSE the VOID thought that Thonl9
Chalmers preached great sermons in his early
ministry. but fh Dmis Chalmers sly' he never
preached az all until years after he hal Occu.
pied pulp. n clne olt Of his SICK room, and,
weak and en- Glazed. h3 stool all { id the
sto.y OF Christ & ih5 people. And in the great
day of eternity it will be founl that not 50
much the Go Iu3nt 50 mons brOu Iht men to
Christ az the story tod perhaps by those who
wers unknown on earth, the simple story OF
tde Slyiour's love an merc'. sent b. e pow
Ar of the oily Ghost Straight 10 the heart.
Come Holy Ghost. Ay, Heis hero this morn.
ing. He fills all tn, place. tall yol the
Holy Ghoit is ready.
Then 90 on and tell You the church il
reldy. There are those here who say, "No
on cares for my soul" We do care for it.
You see man bowling bis head 10 PRAYER,
AMI yoa say, That man is Indifferent" That
man bows his heal in prayer that tho truth
may go to evsry hssrt. The air Is full OF pray
era. They are going up this morning from
this assembly. Hun Ia OF prayers Straight
to the tlirons of listening Gol. The air il
full of prayers prayers ascending noon by
noon from Fulton street prayer meeting, FIJI
dav night by Friday night all over this land,
going up from praying circ'es. Yea, there is
no. minute Of an hour of any day tia, there
are not applications ascending to the throne
of mercy The church is ready. AID if you
should this morning start for your Fathers
house there would be hundreds and Thousands
in this assemblage who would sag ifthey knew