Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-02-19
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: Sinking to the Level of
Brutes"

Colonel Rawlinson. the oriental traveller
says that the exhumed bricks not only of
Babylon, but of hundred towns in an area
of one hundred miles in length and thirty in
breadth, are inscribed with the name OF
Nebuchadnezzar. He was a great warrior
and at the glance OF his sword nations pros
trated themselves. He was a great king
and built city reservoir ninety miles in cir
cumference and one hundred and twenty
feet deep, and constructed hanging garden
four hundred feet square and seventy-hve
feet high, some say TO please Amuhia, his
wife. who had been born among the hills,
and others say to get a pleasure ground free
from the mosquitoes, which aff1lct the levels.
I think from his character the latter
reason may have impelled him as much as
the former. When he conquered King Zed-
ekiah, SO as to have no more trouble with
him, he put his eyes out-a most barbarous
way of incapacitating an enemy. But Babylon
was a great place, the houses surrounded by
gardens and the housetops were connected
with each other by bridges and one day
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS walked out On those sus-
pension bridges and showed, perhaps to
royal visitor, the vastness of his realm as
the sun kindies the domes with glistenings
almost lnsufferable and the great stree
thunder up their pomp into the ear of the
monarch, and armed towers stand around
adorned with spoils of conquered empires.
Northumberland waves his hand above the
stupendous scene and exclaims, SIS not this
great Babylon that l have built for the
house OF the kingdom by the might of my
power and for the honor of my majesty"
In other words: "What great man / am
Babylon was not anything until I adorned
1T. See those water works; see those gar
dens; see those forts. did all this. [ shall
never be forgotten. Why. my name is on
every brick in all those walls. Just look at
me. | am more than man."
But in an instant all that SplendOr is gone
fHS<RyH vicICNy f<y. F.I
heaven, saying, 80 King ACKNOWLEDGMENT,
to thee it is spoken: the kingdom is departed
from thee and they shall drive thee from
men and tly dwelling shall be with the beasts
of the fields; they shall make thee to eat
grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass
over thee until thou know that the Most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men and
giveth it to whomsoever He will"
One hour from the time he had made the
boast he is on his way to the fields maniac
and rushing into the forests he becomes as
one of the beasts. and is after awhile COW
cred with eagles feathers for protection
from the cold, and his nails grow to look like
birds claws, in order that he may dig the
earth for roots and climb the trees for nuts.
The. mental disaster that seized him was
what the Greeks called Iycanthropy, by
which man imagines himself beast and
prefers to go out and mingle with brutes. He
who had been eating pomegranates and april
cots off of plates of gold inaid with
amethyst and diamond, and drinking the
richest wines from the royal watts, now brow
sing on grass. and struck by the horn of the
OK as he contends for a better tuft of the
pasturage, and instead of an orchestra on
benches of ivory playing the national airs,
now listening to the moan and below and
grunt of the beasts This is not hard for me
to believe, for the forms Of dementia are in
Vulnerable.
A few years ago. arriving in city on
summer afternoon, while waiting for my
engagement in the evening sauntered forth
into what seemed to be park in front of
large public building, the use of which l knew
not. l met gentleman, with whom fell into
delightful conversation, ard he seemed intel
lgent on all subjects. After awhile said,
LET us sit down on this bench and rest
awhile and enjoy the scene of verdure and
fountains" No" said he. ''You sit down.
but | cannot. [ am made of glass; and if 1
should sit down 1 would break to pieceS''
Then | saw that he was insane and belonged
to the large building just behind us.
After such an interview as that can easily
believe this account of my text. Here is
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS on all tours. He once
prided himself on being more than a
man, and now he turns out less than man.
The courtiers look out of the windows upon
him as he moves among the royal herds and
Cry, "A beastw Seven years pass when sud-
denly his reason returns and he comes back
to Babylon a humble worShiper of the God
of heaven.
What must have been the excitement in
in the roy al court as this restored maniac
emperor walks into the palace. What time
they had in cutting his nails and his hair,
which had grown for seven years without
being interfered with by any shears. What
a scrubbing down must have taken place in
the imperial baths. What Transformation
necessary in order that he who had been
herding with camels and goats and swine
may be made fit to associate with princes.
What change from sty to throne room!
While walking from his Babylonian palace
down to the pasture field, and from the pas
ture field back to the palace, the first thing
that impresseS me is what an incongruous
thing it is for king to be eating grass. It
is good for cattle, but not fit for man. And
then for one to prefer it to royal table to-
ward whose bounty the orchards and pad
docks and streams and vineyards in all the
earth might contribute-what an amaze
mentl And yet the scene Is as common as
the daylight.
OF all tickle people in the world Fortune
is the most tickle. Every day she changes
her mind, and woe to that man who puts
any confidence in what she promises or
proposes. She cheers when you go up and
laughs when you come down. Oh, trust not
a moment your hearts affections to this
changeable world. Anchor your soul in
God. From Christ's love gather your joy.
Then come sorrow or gladness. success or
defeat, riches or poverty, honor or disgrace,
health or sickness. life or death, time or
eternity. all are yours and we are Christ's
and Christ is Gods.
Learn also from my subject the comfort
ing truth that athictlons are arrested as soon
as they have accomplished their mission.
For seven years did Nebuchadnezzar dwell
among the beasts Of the field, but at the
expiration of that time his reason returned,
and as soon as with proper humility he
acknowledged the God OF heaven he was
brought back to his palace and reinstated in
his former affluence and power. Now it
does seem that when heavy trials come upon
Us il is as though they had no limit We