The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-26
KILLING OF BELSHAZZAR.
TALMAGE ON THE DEATH OF THE
KING OF THE CHALDEANS.


The Building of the Walls of Babylon
by 100000 Men-The Feast at the
Kings Palace and the Writing on
the Wall by a Finger of Fiery Ter
ror.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Jan. 25.-Dr. Talmage
preached the following sermon this morn
ing in the Academy Of Music in this city.
and he repeated it tonight at the Christian
Herald service in the New York Academy
of Music. His text was Daniel ", 80: "Iu
that was Belshazzar, the King of the
Chaldeans slain"
After the site Of Babylon had been Sc
lected, two million of men were employed
for the construction of the wall and prinoi-
pal works. The walls of the city were sixty
miles in circumference They were sur
rounded by a trench, out Of which had been
dug the material for the construction of the
city. There were twenty-five gates Of solid
brass on each side of the square city. Be
tween every two gates a great watch tower
sprang up into the heavens. From each
of the twenty-five gates, on
either side. a street ran straight
through to the gate On the other side $50
that there were fifty streets, each fifteen
miles long, which gave to the city an ap-
pearance of wonderful regularity. The
houses did not join each other on the
ground, and between them were gardens
and shrubbery From housetop to to house
top bridges swung, over which the in
habitants are accustomed TO pass. A
branch of the Euphrates went through the
city. over which . bridge Of marvellous
structure was thrown, aud under which a
tunnel ran. To keep the river from ever
flowing the city in times Of freshet great
lake was arranged to catch the surplus,
In which the water was kept as In
a reservoir until times Of drought, when
it was sent streaming down over the thirsty
land. A palace stood at each end of the
Euphrates bridge; one palace, mile and
three quarters in compass, and the other
palace, seven and a half miles in circumfer-
ence. The wife of Nebuchadnezzar, having
been brought up among the mountains of
Media, could not stand IL in this fat country
of Babylon, and so, to please her, Nebuchad-
nezzar had mountain four hundred feat
high built in the midst OF the city. This
mountain was surrounded by terraces, for
the support Of which great arches were
lifted. On the top of these arches fat
stones were laid; then q layer of reeds and
bitumen then two rows of bricks, closely
cemented then thick sheets Of lead. upon
which the soil was placed. The earth hore
deposited was so deep that the largest trees
had room to anchor their roots. All the
glory of the fiowery tropics was spread out
at that tremendous hight, until it must have
seemed to one below as though the clouds
were all in blossom. and the very sky leaned
on the shoulder Of the cedar. At the top an
engine was constructed, which drew the
water from the Euphrates, far below. aud
made 1t spout up amid this garden az the
skies. All this to please his wlfel think
she must have been pleased.
In the midst Of this city stood also the
temple OF Belus. One of its towers was one
eighth of mile high. and on the top of it
great advantage, as Being at SO great a
hight one could easily talk with the stars.
The temple was full of cups, and statues,
and censers, all of gold. One image
weighed q Thousand Babylonish talents,
which would be equal to ffty-two million
dollars All this by day, but now night
was about TO come down on Babylon. The
shadows of her two hundred
and fifty towers began to lengthen.
The B1phrates rolled on, touched
by the fiery splendors of the setting sun,
and gates OF brass, FURNISHED and giittering,
opened and shut like doors of fame. The
hanging gardens of Babylon, wet with the
heavy dew, began TO pour, from starlit
flowers and dripping leaf, a fragrance for
many miles around. The streets and
squares were lighted for dance, and frolic
and promenade. The theaters and galleries
OF art invited the wealth and pomp and
grandeur Of the city to rare entertainments.
Scenes Of riot and wassail we're mingled in
every street; goddess mirth and outrageous
excess and splendid wickedness came to the
kings palace to do their mightiest deeds of
darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings palace |
Rushing up to the gates are chariots. up
holstered with precious cloths from Dedau,
and drawn by flre-eyed horses from Togar-
nah. that rear and neigh In the grasp of the
charioteers; while Thousand lords dis
mount, and women, dressed in all the spien-
dors of Syrian emerald, and the color-blend-
ing Of agate and the chasteness of coral, and
the somber glory Of Tyrian purple, and
princely embroideries. brought from afar
by camels across the desert, and by ships of
Tarshish across the sea.
Open wide the gates, and let the guests
come In. The chamberlaius and oup-
bearers are all ready. Hark to the rustic of
the robes, and 10 the carol of the music |!
See the blaze of the jewels! Lift the ban
ners. Fill the cups. Clap the cymbals.
Blow the trumpets. Let the night go by
with song, and dance, and ovation; and let
that Babylonish tongue be palsied that will
not say, 30. King Belshazzar, live for
everln
All my friends, it was not any common
banquet to which these great people came.
All parts of the earth had sent their richest
viands to that table. Brackets aud chande-
liers flashed their light upon tankards of
FURNISHED gold. Fruits. ripe and luscious,
In baskets of silver, entwined with leaves,
plucked from royal conservatories. Vases,
inlatd with emeral and ridged with exqui-
site Jraceries, filed with nuts that were
threshed from forests of distant lands. Wine
brought from the royal vats, foaming in
the decanters and bnbbling in the chalices.
Tufts of cassia and frankincense waiting
their sweetness from wall to table. Cor
geous banners unfolding in the breeze that
came through the opened window. be-
witched with the perfume Of hanging gar
dens. Fountains rising up from Enclosures
OF ivory, In jets of crystals, to fall in clat-
tering rain of diamonds and pearls. Statues
OF mighty men looking down, from
piohes in the wall. upon crowns
and shields brought from sub
dued empires. Idols of wonderful
work, standing on the pedestals Of precious
stones. Embroideries stopping about the
windows, and wrapping pillars Of cedar,
and drifting oa floor inlaid with ivory and
agate. Music, minglIng the thrum of
harps. and the clash of cymbals, and the
blast of trumpets in one wave of transport
that went ripping along the wall, and
breathing among the garlands, and pouring
down the corridors, and thrilling the souls
OF thousand banqueters The signal is
given, aud the lords and ladies, the mighty
n -