Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-30
BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST.
DIR. TALMAGE breaches ABOUT
BABYLON AND ITS SIN.
"A brilliant Description OF che Glory
OF the ancient City and the ReveIs
Held Therein. - Lessons Deduced
Tor the Use Of Everyday People.

BEooKLYN. Jan. %. - DIR. Talmag
preached the following sermon this morn
ing in the Academy of Music in this city
and he repeated it tonight in the Ney
York Academy OF Music. His text wa
Daniel $50: SIN that night wa
Belshazzar, the king Of the Chaldean
slain"
Alter the site of Babylon had bee,
selected. two million of men were employee
Tor the construction of the wall and princi
pal works. The walls OF the city wer,
sixty miles in circumference. They were
surrounded by trench. out of which hac
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. Between every two gates a great
| watch tower sprang up into the
heavens. From each of the twenty-five
gates, ON either side, street ran straight
through to the gate on the other SIDE so
that there were fifty streets, each fifteen
miles long, which gave 10 the city an
appearance of wonderful regularity The
houses did not join each Other on the
ground, and between them were gardens
anu shrubbery. From house-top TO house,
top bridges swung. over which the inhab-
itahts were accustomed 10 pass. A branch
oil the Euphrates went through the city.
over which "a bridge of marvellous structure
was thrown, and under which "A tunnel
ram TO keep the river from OVERLOOKING
the city IN times of freshet. great lake
was arranged TO catch the surplus. in
Whlch the water was kept as in reservoir
until times Of drought, when IL was sent
siren f1in,y Jo,,-,, 81.
palace stood at each end of the Euphratcs
bridge; one palace, mile and three
quarters In compass, and the other palace
seven and half miles in circumference.
The wife of Ncbuchadnezzar. having
been brought up among the mountains of
OF Media, could not stand it in this fat
country of Babylon, and so, to please her.
observation-disclosures had "a mountain. four
hundred feet high, built in the midst of
the city. This mountain was surrounded
by terraces, for the support of which great
arches were lifted. On top of these arches
fiat stones were laid; then a layer of reeds
and bltumen; 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 ilowery tropics was spread
out at that tremendous height, 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.
AL the top an engine was constructed
which drew water from the Euphrates.
Tar below. and made it spout up amid this |
garden OF the skies. All this TO please his |
wife. L think she must have been
pleased.
In the midst of this city stood also the |
emple OF Belus. One of its towers was
'ne-eighth Of mile high. and on the top
u IL an observatory, which gave the as
ronomers great advantage, as, being at so
'reat height. one could easily talk with
ne stars. This temple was full of cups.
ma statues. and censers, all of gold One
mage weighed thousand Babylonish tai
nts, which would be equal TO fifty-tyo
million dollars All this by day. but now
light was about 10 come Gown on Babylon.
nc shadows Of her two hundred and fifty
overs began to lengthen. The Euphrates
oiled on, touched by the fiery splendors of
ne scttng sun, and gates of brass, bur-
lshed anu gllttcring, opened and shut like
oors OF flame The hanging gardens of
'aby4on, wet with the heavy dew. began
pour. from starlit flowers and drippinp
'ai, a fragrance for many miles around. |
ne streets and squares were lighted for
ancc, and frolic, and promenade. The
leatrcs ana galleries of art invited the ,
ealth, and pomp, and grandeur Of the I
ty TO rare entertainments. Scenes OF
OF and wasslil were mingled in every !
rect; goddess mirth. and outrageous ev- }
IS, and splendid wickcdness came To the ,
hg 5 palace, 10 do their nigh hest de1is (,
darkness. !,
a royal feast tonight at the kings palacel
ushing up TO the gates arc charots. uD- Z
'lstcred with precious cloths from Dedan. n
Id oraWn by hrc-eyed horses from To- 8
'rinah, that rear and neigh in the grasp :
the ch&riotecrs, while thousand lords 7
smount, and women dressed in all the h
lendors of Syrian emerald, and the color Il
ending OF agate and the chasteuess Of :,
raj and the somber glory of Tyrian pur- Il
?, and prlncely embroideries brought Il
pm afar by cancls across the desert and ~
snip of Tarshlsh across the sea. ~
open wide the gates and let the guests T,
me in. The chamberlans and cup-bear- h,
are all ready. Hark TO the rustic of
robes. and TO the carol of the musici a,
the blaze OF the jewels! Lift the BAN st
rs FIJI the cups. Clap the symbals 90
DIV the trumpets. Let the night GO by
Ia song and dance and ovation. and let =,
II Babylonish tongue be palsied that will No
say, 80. King Belshazzar. live for M
II" Away with care from the palace, m
ar royal dignity TO :a.ters Pour ONT nj
re wine! Give US more light. wilder am
SIC, sweeter perfume! Lord shouts 70 l,r
4. captain ogles TO captain. Goblets flo
sh, decanters rattle. There come in the IN
song and the drunken hiccough. and 10
slavering lip, and the guffaw of iliotic NJ
ehter, bursting from the lips of princes. n ,
he'd, reeling. boodshot; while minglipp voc
n II all | hear, 'Huzza. huzza, for ~,
at Belshazzarr' -.
what Is that on the plastering of the
u? Is IL spirit? Is il phantomp Ia mo
sod? Out of the black sleeve OF the sb,
hness finger Of fiery terror .relnbles n !
'ugh the air and comes to the wall in
ing about as though il would write ON,
thcn' with sharp tip of fame. en- An
res on the plasterlng the doom of the wi,
:. The music stops. The goblet falls mi
. the nerveless grasp. There is a we
H. There is a start. There is a vor
iS1ud-YOcCl shrek ~ ho-ro, r.,