Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-09-29
SERMON ON PALACES.
The Spider Used for an Object Lesson
by DR.. Talmage in His Farewell
Sermon.
Exouisiteness of the Divine Mechan'
ism Shown in the Construction
of This Lowly Insect.

LoSpoS,-The closing week OF
Rev. DR.. Talmase's preaching tour
was marked by several gatherings
which in magnitude and enthusiasm
eclipsed all that had preceded them.
Before the sermon DIR. Talmage was
entertained at banquet in the large
banqueting nall OF the Crystal Palace,
by 100 distinguished clergymen and
laymen OF every denomination and
from every continent, even including
Australia.
DR.. Talmage was then presented, IN
behalf OF his English admirers, with a
beautiful costly gold watch OF unique
design, inscribed: "Presented to Rev.
DR.. Talmage, at Crystal Palace, Lon
don. in commemoration OF his preach
ing tour through England, III the sum-
mer of 1892" DR.. Talmage was then
escorted to the great hall where the
vote OF thanks 5 unanimously IN
dorsed and ratlLed by the entire
audience.
He then preached his farewell ser
mon and shook hands with hundreds
at the close. This was the second
sermon ever preached in the Crystal
Palace, the first having been deliver
ed by Pastor Spurgeon 35 years ago
on the Crimean War. The text select
ed is from Prov. xxx, IS; The spi-
der taketh hold with her hands and is
in kings palaces
Permitted as was a few days ago
to attend the meeting OF the British
Scientific Association, at Edinburgh,
found that no paper read had eNclt'
ed more interest than that by Rev.
DR.. McCook, of America, on the subject
OF spiders, 1t seems that my talented
countryman banished from his pulpit
for short time by ill-health had in
he fields and forests given himself to
the study OF insects. And surely If 1T
is not beneath the dignity OF God to
make spiders, it is not beneath the
dignity OF man to study them.
1t is not very certain what was the
particular species OF insect spoken OF
in the text, but l shall proceed to
learn from it the exquisiteness OF
THE DIVINE MECHANISM.
The kings chamberlain comes into
the palace, looks around and sees the
spider on tile wall, and says: "Away
with that intruder" and the servant
Of Solomons palace comes with a
broom and dashes down the insect,
saving: "What loathsome thing it
is" But under micro copic inspec-
ton find it more wondrous OF con-
struction than Il he embroideres OF the
palace wall, and the upholstery about
the windows. All the machinery Of
the earth could not make anything so
delicate and beaut. ! as the prehen-
sile with which that 81, Ger clutches its
prey, or rs any OF its eight eyes.
Again, my text teaches me that III
significance is no excuse for inaction.
This spider that Solomon saw on the
wall might have said: II can't weave
O. web worthy OF this great palace;
what can do amid all this gold en-
broidery? I am not able to make
anything for so grand place, and so
I will not work my spinning jenny"
Not so with the spider. "The spider
taketh hold with her hands" Oh,
what a lesson that is
| FOR YOU AND ME.
Again, my text teaches me that re-
pulsiveness and loathsomeness will
sometimes climb up into very elevated
places. You would have tried to have
killed the spider that Solomon saw.
You would have said: "Tnis is no
place for it. If that spider is deter
mined to weave q web, let it do so
down in the cellar OF this palace, or in
some dark dungeon" All! the spider
OF the text could not be discouraged.
1t clambered on, and climbed up,
higher, and higher, and higher, until
after while it reached the kings
vision, and he said: "The spider
taketh hold with her hands, and is in
kings palaces" And so it often is
now that things that are loathsome
and repulsive get up into very elevated
places.
The Church OF Christ, for instance,
is a palace. The king OF heaven and
earth lives in it. According to the
Bible, her beams are of cedar, and her
rafters OF fir, and her windows of
agate, and the fountains of salvation
dash rain OF light. 1t is a glorious
| He1lASC -CllO S1lIilCu VI NOu Is, dIlu yet,
sometimes, unseemingly and loath.
some things creep up into it-evil
speaking, and rancor, and Islander,
and backbiting, and abuse, crawling
up on the
WALLS OF THE CHURCH.
spinning web from arch to arch, and
from the top Of one communion tank
ard to the top OF another commun-
ion tankard. Glorious palace in which
there ought only to be light, and love,
and pardon and grace; and yet spi-
der in the palace.
Again my text teaches me that per.
severance will mount into the kings
palace. 1t must have seemed LONG
distance for that spider to climb in
Solomon's splendid residence, but Il
started at the very foot Of the wall
and went over the panels of Leba-
non cedar, higher and higher until it
stood higher than the highest throne
in all the nations-the throne of Solo.
mon. And SO God has decreed it that
many of those who are down in the
dust of sin and dishonor shall gradu.
ally attain
TO THE KINGS PALACE.
| W. ooo &c., rro,,lll-, IL wv, ,.