The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-01-28
SLAIN AT TH FEAST.
How Belshaz, 4, King of the Chal-
deap1Met His Death.
The terrible Handwriting ON the Wall
N SForctelling His Doom-Rev. DR.. Tai
mage Draws Several Lessons from
the Story OF the Tragedy.

Rev. t. Dewitt Talmage recently
preached the following sermon from
the text, Daniel, ", 80: SIN that night
was Belshazzar, King of the Chaldeans,
slain" He said:
After the site Of Babylon had been
selected 100000 Of men were employed
for the construction of the wall and
principal works. The walls of the city
were sixty miles in circumference. They
were surrounded 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. Between
every two gates 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 to the city an appearance of
wonderful regularity. The houses did
not join each other on the ground,
and between them were gardens and
shrubbery. From house-top to house
top bridges swung, over which the in
habitants were accustomed to pass. A
branch Of the Euphrates went through
the city, over which bridge Of mar
velous structure was thrown, aud under
which tunnel ran. To Ike ep the river
from overhowing the city in times of
freshet, great lake was arranged to
catch the surplus, in which the water
was kept as in reservoir until times OF
drought, when II was sent streaming
down over the thirsty land. A pal
ace stood at each end OF the Euphra-
tes bridge; one palace mile and
three-quarters In compass, and the other
palace seven and half miles in circum-
ference. The wife of NebuchadnezZar.
having been brought up among the
mountains OF Media, could not stand IL
in this fiat country of Babylon, and so,
to please her, Nebuchadnezzar 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 the top of these arches fat
stones were laid; then 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 here deposited was so deep
that the largest trees had room to anchor
their roots. All the glory of the flowery
tropics were spread out at that tremen-
dous 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. At the
top an engine was constructed, which
drew the water from the Euphrates, far
below, and made II spout up amid this
garden of the skies. All this to please
his wifel | think she must have been
pleased.
In the midst OF this city stood also the
the temple Of Belus. One of its towers
was one-eighth Of mile high, and on
top Of It was 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 cups, and statues, and cen
sers, all of gold. One image weighed q
thousand Babylonish talents, which
would be equal 10 fifty-two million dol
lars. All this by day, but now night
was about 10 come down TO Babylon.
The shadows OF hert two hundred and fifty
towers began 10 lengthen. The Eu.
pirates rolled on, touched by the fiery
splendors of the setting sun, and gates
OF brass, FURNISHED and glittering,
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,
a fragrance for many miles around.
The streets and squares were lighed 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 were mingled in every
street; goddess mirth, and outrageous
excess, and splendid wickedness came
TO the king'spalace TO do their mightiesi
deeds of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings
palacel Rushing up TO the gates are char.
lots, upholstered with precious cloth from
Dedan, drawn by fire-eyed horses from
Togarmah, that rear and neigh in the
grasp Of the chariotcers; while thou.
sand lords dismount, and women.
dressed In all the splendors Of Syriar
emerald, and the blending Of agate
and the chasteness OF coral, and the
somber glory Of Tyrian purple, an6
princely embroiderie', brought from
afar by camels across the desert, and
by ships OF Tarshish across the sea.
Open wide the gates and let the guests
same in. The chamberlains and the
cupbearcrs are all ready. Hark TO the
rustic Of the robes, and TO the carol OF
the mulic See the blaze Of The jewels;
Lat tic banners. Fill the cups Clap
the ,y;ntals. Blow the trumpets. Let
the night go by with song, and dance,
and ovation; and let that Babylonish
tongue be palsied that win not say, 20
King Belshazzar, live foreverr
Ahl my friends, II was not any com.
mon banquet TO which these great peo-
pie came. All parts Of the earth had
sont their richest viands TO that table.
Brackets and chandeliers flashed their
liyht upon tankards Of FURNISHED gold.
Friits, ripe and lusci ius, in baskets OF
silver, entwined with leaves, plucked
from royal conservatories. Vases, In
laid with emerald, and ridged with ex.
quisite tracerics, filled with nuts that
were threshed from forests OF distant
lands. Wine brought from the roYal