Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-05-15
A WEDDING INVITATION
SERMON PREACHED BY DIR. TAIL
MAGE.
1t Wa. Preceded by the Baptism BY the
Doctor Of Number OF Infants with
Water Brought from the River Jordan.


In the Brooklyn tabernacle before the
fants who had been brought there by
their parents were baptized. The water
used was some of that which was brought
by DIR. Talmage from the river Jordan.
The subject of DR.. Talmage's sermon
was "lnvitation to Wedding" and tho
text Luke xiv, II, s'Come, for all things
are now rcady.''
Holy Festivities to-day. We gather
other sheavcs into the spiritual garner.
Our JOY is like the JOY of heaven. Spread
the banqnet, fill all the chaliccs, We
arc not to-day at the funeral of q dead
Christ, we are celebrating the marriage
of the kings son.
twas an exciting time in English
history when Queen Elizabeth visited
Lord Leicester at kenlworth castle.
Inc clocks in all the towers and
throughout the castle were stopped at
the moment 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
We're opened The queen marched i'm to
the sound of the trumpcts -Four hun
dred servants waited upon the guests. 1t
was scene that astonished all nations
when they heard of it. Five thou
sand dollars Il 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 thundels of
cannon and fireworks that set the night
ahlazn, and burst OF music that lifted
the whole scene into enchantment. Be-
ginning in that way, it went on from 10y
to JOY and from excitement to excite
mcnt and from rapture to
rapture. That was the great BANQUET
that Lord Leicester spread in kcnil-
worth 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
i'll the evening hour they were shown into
the banqueting hall, with table aglitter
with imperial plate and ablush with the
very costliest wines, and the second
course of the feast was made of food in
all shapes, of men and birds and beasts,
and dancing groups, and jousting par.
ties riding upon each other with lpliftcd
lances. Lords and princes and ambas-
sailors, their cups cleaning to the brim
|
England, and then to the health of the
Emperor of Franco. That was the ban.
quot that Cardinal Wolsey spread ir
Hampton Court.
But to-day, my brothers and sisters,
invite you to grandcr entertainment
My Lord, the King, is the banqucter
Angels of God are the cupbcarcrs, all thu
redeemed are the guests: the halls O.
eternal love frcSeocd With light and paved
with JOY and curtained with unfadins
beauty are the banquetimg place, thu
harmOnieS OF eternity are tho music, til,
chaliccs of God are the plate. and l an
one OF the servants come out with invita-
tions to all the people, and oh that yol
might break the seal of the Invitation
and read in ink of blood, and with TIN
tremulous hand of dying Christ, sComa
come. for all things are now ready.
Sometimes there have been great dis
appointments at banquet. The win
has given out, or the servants have bee
rebelliouS. or the lights have failed, blu
l walk all around the banqucting tabl
OF my Lord to-day, and find cvcrythin;
complete, and l swing open TIL
door of this banqueting house and say
''All things are now ready"
Illustrating my text 90 on, and il
the first place say that the Lord Jesu
Christ is ready Cardinal Wolsev die
not come into the banamcting hail unti
the second course of the FEAST and whc,
he entered. booted and spurled, all thu
guests arose and cheercd him, but have
to tell you that our banquctcr. the Lore
Jesus Christ, comes in ut the bcginnn.
of the feast. Ay, He has been waiting
for His guests, waiting for some of then
1891 years, waiting with mangled feet
waiting with hand on the punctur.d side
waiting with hand on the lacera tee
temples, waiting, waiting!
Wonder it is that the banquetcr die
not get weary ard say, ''Shut the door
and let the laggards stay out" No, He
has been waiting. How much He is il
earnest! Shall l show you? l gather
up all the tears that flooded His cheek il
sympathy, all the blood that channelcd
His brow and back and hand and foot tc
purchase our redemption. gather W
all the groans coming from midnight
chill, and mountain hunger, ard desert
loneliness, and put them into one bitter
cry. l gather up all the pangS that sho,
from cross and spike and spear into one
groan. l take one drop of sweat on His
brow, and put it under the glass Of the
, |
to oceans OF agony. That Christ to-day
emaciated and worn and weary. comes
here, and with Il patEos i'll which every
word is a heartbreak and every sentence
martyrdom, he says to you, and He
says to me, ''Comc, come, for all things
are now ready"
Ahasuerus made feast that lasted 1sC
days. This lasts forever. Lords and
princes We're invited to that. You and
are invited to this. Yes, He has been
waiting-He is waiting now. OtIier kings
wrap themselves in robes OF beauty and
power before they como into a banquet.
So does Christ Oh, He is the faire>t OF
the fair. In His hand is the omnipotcnt
surgery that opened blind eyes and
Strengthened crooked limbs and hoisted
the pillars Of Heaven, and swung tho
twelve gates which are twelve pearls.
Oh, what Christ-a Christ of beauty,
Christ of Power.
There arc not enough cups on earth to
dip up this ocean OF beauty. There are
no ladders to scale these heights OF love.
Oh, thou flower of eternity. thy breath
is the perfume of Heaven. Oh, thou day.
break of the SOUL let all nations clap
their hands in thy radiance. Chorus
Come men and angels and cherubian and