Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1891-02-05
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BRooKLN DIvINE's SUNDAY
SERMON.
Subject: "wonders of Babylon

", 30. scr" i>anit
After the sight Of Babylon had been GO
secteu' Two million OF men were employees
for the construction of the wall and nri;c;
pal works. The walls of the city were siyt,
miles IN circumference. They were snr
rounded by trench, out of which had hoo,
aug the material for the construction of th
city. There were twenty-five gates of soil,
brass on each side of the square CITY. Re
tween every two gates great tower spranf
up INTO the heavens. From each Of the TWEEN
oy-nse gates on either side a street RAJ
slraIght through to the gate on the other side
SO that there were fifty streets, each tifteer
miles long, which gave to the city an an
pearance OF wonderful regularity.
Inc houses did not join each other on thu
ground, and between them were gardens and
shrubeery. From housetop to housetor
bridges swung, over which the inhabitants
were accustomed to pass A branch of the
Eupnrates went through the city, over which
bridge OF marvellous structure was thrown.
ana under which a tunnel ran. To keep the
river from overftowing the city in time of
iresnet, great lake was arranged to catch
the surplus, IN which the water was kent as
IN reservoir until times of drought when
II was sent streaming down over the thirsty
land. A palace stood at each end of the
Euphrates bridge; one palace a mile and
tnree-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
or Babylon, and SO to please her Nebuchad-
nezzar had mountain four hundred feet
nigh built in the midst of the city.
This mountain was surrounded by ter
races, Tor the support of which great arches
were lifted. On the top of these arches fat
stones We're laid; then a layer of reeds and
pitumen; then two rows of bricks closely
cemented; then thick sheets Of lead, upon
which the soil was placed. The earth here
deposited was SO deep that the largest trees
had room to anchor their roots. All the
glory OF the howery tropics was spread out
at that tremendous height, until it must hav q
seemed to one below as though the clouds
were ali IN blossom, and the very sky leaned
ON the shoulder of the cedar At the ton an
engine was constructed which drew the water
from the Euphrates, far below, and made il
spout up amid this garden of the skies. Ali
this to please his wife / 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 an
observatory, which gave the astronomers
great advantage. as, being at so great a
height, one could easily talk with the stars
This temple was full OF GUYS and statues and
censers all of gold. One image weighed a
thousand Babylonish talents, which would
be equal to fifty 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 EuphrateS rolled on touched by the
fiery splendors of the setting sun, and gates
OF brass FURNISHED and giittering, opened
and shut like doors Of flame. The hanging
gardens of Babylon, wet with the heavy
dew, began to pour from starlit flowers and
dripping leaf Il fragrance for many miles
around. The streets and squares were
lighted for dance and frohc and promenade.
The theatres and galleries of art invited the
wealth and pomp and grandeur of the city to
rare entertainments. Scenes of riot and
wassan were mingled in every street; goddess
mirth, and outrages excess, and splendid
wickedness came to the kings palace to do
their mlghtiest deeds of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings palace
Rushing up to the gates are chariots, up
holstered with precious cloths from Dedan
and drawn by fire eyed horses from Togar-
NAH, that rear and neigh in the grasp of the
characters, while thousand lords dismount,
and women dressed in all the splendors of
Syrian emerald, and the color blending of
agate, and the chasteness of coral, and the
somber glory of Syrian purple, and the
princely embroideries brought from afar by
camels across the desert, and by ships from
Tarshish across the sea.
Open wide the gates and let the guests come
In. The chamberlains and cup bearers are
all ready. Hank to the rustic of the robes
and to the carol of the music See the blaze
of the jewels! Lift the banners. Fill the
cups. Clap the cymbalS. Blow the trumpets
Let the night go by with song and dance and
ovation; and let the Babylonish tongue be
palsied that will not say, "Oh, King Bel
shazzar live foreverw
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 and chande-
iers flashed their light upon tankards of
FURNISHED gold. Fruits ripe and luscious, in
baskets of silver, entwined with leaves,
plucked from royal conservatories Vases,
tnlaid with emerald and ridged with exquis-
lite traceries, filed with nuts that were
thrashed from forests of distant lands
Wine brought from the royal watts, foaming
In the decanters and bubbling in the chat
ices. Tufts of cassia and frankincense
waiting their sweetness from wall and table
Gorgeous 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 crystal, to fall in clatter-
ing rain of diamonds and pearls. Statues of
mighty men looking down from inches in the
wall upon crowns and shields brought from
mbdued empires. Idols of wonderful work.
standing on pedestals of precious stones.
Embroideries dropping about the windows
aud wrapping pillars Of cedar, and drifting
on floor iniaid with ivory and agate. Music.
mingling thethrum of harps and tue clash
OF cymbals and the blast of trunpets IN one
wave OF transport that went ripping along
No wall, and breathing among the gailands'
Inc xoarlng down the corridors. and thrill
II @s seuis Of Thousand bnnqncters.
ne nEA.A Is given, aud the lords an.,
,aulss, .no n~xhty men and wonscn Of ~ q
tand come arunnd thetahle Pour s,.,f ~
WINE. Let foam and bubble kiss the rins
Hoist every one his cup, and drink To Ma
sentiment: ''Oh. King BelShazznr live for
everr bestarrei heafihandg and carcanes nf
royal beauty gleam 10 the npliftsd chalices
as again and again and AGAIN they ara en,n-
tied. Away with care fromsthe paiaoes Tear
royal dignity 10 tatters PosirI out more wine
Give us more light wilder musln, sweeter
perfume. Lord shouts 10 lord. captaln oeies
TO captain Goblets clash. decauiors rattle.
There comes in the vile song, and theerunken
hiccough, aud the slavering Lip, aud tbs guf-
faw Of idlotic laughter, harstiag from the
lips OF princes. flushed. reeiing, bloodshot:
while mingiing with II all | hear f''Iiuzza
hnzzai for great BalshaxzArf'
What il that on the plssteripg of.the wall
Is It spiriti Is it a phantomg Is il God
Out OF tho black sleeve ~ the darkness 1
finger OF fiery terror trembics through tn,
air and comes 10 tho wall. circaiuR abou
o. though II would WRITE and than. Will
sharp tap OF hamo engraves ON tho.pLasterinl
the doom Of the king. The muSinsaops- tn
Eel.