The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-05-20

Weddins"-The Lc }, the Host; the Re
deemed, the Guests; and the Angels, the
Cup-Bearers.
BROOKLYN. May l0.-The subject OF
Dr.. Talmase's sermon To-Day was ''1n-
vitation to Wedding" and the text
Luke xiv, l.: Come for all things are
now ready
Hoy festivities to-day. We ea.ner
other sheaves INTO the spiritual garner.
Our Joy is like the JOY of Heaven.
Spread the banquet, spread all the chali-
ces. We are not to-day at the funeral
of dead Christ; we are celebrating the
marriage of the Kings son.
1t vas an exciting time IN English
history when Queen Elizabeth visited
Lord Leicester at Wentworth castle.
The clocks in all the towers and through
out the castle were stopped at the mo-
nent of her arrival, so continuing to
point to that moment as the one surpass-
ine.all others in interest. The doors OF
the great banqueting hall were opened.
The queen marched in to the sound OF
the trumpets. Four hundred servants
waited upon the guests. It was scene
that aston;shed all nations whea they
heard of it. Five thousands dollars a
cay 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 thunder Of cannons, and
fireworks that set the night ablaze, and
a burst of music that lifted the whole
see, e into enchantment. Beginning IN
that way, it went on from Joy to JOY.
and from excl ement to excitement, ana
from rapture to rapture. That was the
great banouetthat Lord Leicester spread
IN Kenllworth 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
in the evening hour they were shown
into the banqueling hall, with table
aglit,er with imp ,rial plate, and aoIush
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 loustlns
parties riding ul'on each other Win up,
lifted 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
ofthe emperor of France. That was the
banquet that Cardinal Wolsey spread IN
Hampton court.
But to-day, my brothers and sisters, l
invite YOU to a grander entertainment,
Ny Lord. the King. is the banqueter;;
Angels of God are the cup-bearers, all
the redeemed are the guests; the halls o,
eternal love frescoed with hight, and
paved with JOY, and curtajned with un'
fading beauty are the ,banquetlng place,
the harmonies Of etel nifty are the music,
the chalices of God are the plate, and
am one of :he servants come out with
invitations to all the people, and oh,
that YOU might break the seal OF the IN
yltation snd read 10 ink Of blood, ano
with the tremulous hand of dying
Christ: Come. come, fol all things are
now ready" -
Sometimes there have been great dis
appointments at a banquet. The WINE
has given out, or the servants have been
rebellious, or the lights have tailed; but
I walk all around the banqueting table
of my [, I'd to-day, and I find everything
complete, and I swing open the ooor o.
this banqueting house and [ say: "Al.
things are now ready"
Illustrating my text, I 60 on and II
the first place say that the Lord Jesus
Christ is ready. Cardinal Wolsey dc
not come into the banQueting hall unit
the second course of the feast, and wher
he entered booted and spurred, all the
guests arose and cheered MIN; but have
30 tell YOU that our baIQueter, the Lore
Jesus Christ comes in at the beginning
ofthe feast. Az. he has been waiting
for his guests, waiting for some OF then
1891 wears, waiting with mangled ttet
waiting with hand on the puuctured sides
waiting with hand on the lacerated tenn
olcs. waiting, waiting! Wonder 1t lS
that the banqueter did not get weary
and say: '.Shut the door and let The
lagsards stay out" No, he has beer
WAITING: How much he is in earnest
Shal! I show you? I gather up all The
tears that flooded his cheek in sympathy
all the blood that channel!ed his brow
and back andha and foot, to purchase
our redemption. I gather up all tins
eroans coming from midnight chill ant
mountain hunger and desert loneliness
and I put them into one bitter cry
gather up all the pangs that shot from
cross and spike and spear, into one groaI
Il take one drop of sweat Oh his brew
and I put it under the glass Of The Cos
pei. and it enlarees to lakes Of sorrow
to oceans ofagony. That Christ to-day
emaciated and worn and weary, come:
here, and with pathos ID which ever,
word is a heartbreak and every sentence
amartyrdom, he says to you and says t
me: Come, come, for all things ar
now ready. 80,
Ahasurus made feast that lasted Isl
davs, This lasts forever. Lords an'
princes were invited TO that. You ant
i are invited to this. Yes. he has beel
waiting. he is waiting now. Other King
wrap themselves IN rohes OF beauty AM
power before they come into banquet
So does Christ. Oh. lie is the !alfest 0
the iair. In his hand is the omnipo;en
surgery that opened blind eyes an
straishtened crook limbs and Eoiste
the pillars OF heavens, and swung th
twelve gates which are twelve pearls
Oh, what Christ-a Christ OF beauty,
Christ Of power. There are not enous
cups on earth to dip up this ocean G
beauty. There are not ladders to seal
these heights Of love. Oh, thou tiowe
of ct rnity, thy breath is the periome
Leaven. Oh, thou daybreaS OF tn
soul, let all nation clap their hands i
thy radience. Chorus. Come me
and angels and cherubim and seraphil
and arclangel, all heights, all depths, a