Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-06-15
REV. DIR. TALMAGE
THE BRoOKLYN DIVINE'S Sl"-
DAY SERMON.
subject: "rhc Excited Governor. -

Texr. Felix tremble ant answered. e.
thy way for this time When | have a raH.
venient season I will cali for the. Nt-
xiv, Is
A city OF marble was Cesarea -WnarNe' oi
marble, houses OF marble. temples o. mar
BILE This being the ordinary architecture o'
the place YOU may imagine something oith"
splendor OF Governor FELIX'S rest teucr IN
a room OF that palace, floor tesSe'lhei' WIN
dows curiained ceiling frettr't the Wh'!
scene afiu-nt with Tyrian purple and stat
ues and pictures and carvings, SAT FrrS
dark complexioued man OF the name oi re-
liX and beside him a woman of eh!rt"td-
nary beauty whom he had stolen bN ore'N-
ing up another domestic circle. N1r wa
only eighteen years OF age. "a princess "
birth, and unwittingy waiting Tor tr loou
that OF being buried alive in the hsht7 hh
scorir NJ Mount Vesuyius, which in sudden
eruption one day put an emf to her apohi-
nations.
We'll one afternoon Drusilln. seated In the
naloce weary with the MAGNIFICENT stuplii-
Ties OF the place, says to Folk you nav"
a very distinguished prisoner, believe, oil
the name OF Paul. DO you know he Is ono
of nv countrymen? | should very much Xix"
to see him. and should very much like TO
hear him speak, for have heard 80 much
about his eloauence Besides that the other
,lay. when he was being tried in another
room OF this palace and the Windows were
open. heard the applause that greeted thr
speech OF Lawyer Tertullus rs he denounced
Paul. Now, very much wish l could near
Paul speak. Mont you let me hear MIN
speak" Yes" said Felix, II will. | Will
@order him up now from the guardroom.
Clank cank, comes a chain up the marble
stairway and there is shutin ut the door,
and in comes Paul, n little old man, prema-
ture!y old through exposure, only sixtyyearS
OF age but looking IA though he were eighty.
He bows very courteously before the COVER
nor and the beautiful woman by his side.
They say paul. we have heard great de Il
about your speaking. Give us now spcc!-
men of YOUR aloquence" Oh, IL there ever
waaa chance for man to show of, Paul
had a chance there, He might have har-
angued them abe ut GreciRn art, about IN"
wonderful waterworks he had seen nj Corinth,
nbout the Acropolis by moonlight about
prison life in Philippi, about what | saw In
Thessalonica, about the old lnytho!ogies
but "No" Paul said to himself. Il am now
on the way to martyrdom. and this man ana
woman will soon be dead, and this Is my
only opportunity to talk TO them about the
things Of eternity"
And lust there and then there broke in
upon the scene Il peal OF thunder. 1t was the
voice OF a judgment day speaking through
the words OF the decrepit apostle. As that
grand old missionary proceeded with his re-
marks the stoop begins to go out OF his
shoulders and he rises up. and his counte-
nancei is ilumined with the glories OF u future
life and his shackles rattle and grind rs he
lifts his fettered arm and with 1t hurls upon
his ubashed auditors the bolts OF Gods In
dignaton Felix grew very white about the
lips His heart beat unevenly. He put his
hand to his brow US though to stop the
uuickness ana violence OF his thoughts. He
drew his robe tighter about him, as under II
! sudden chill. His eyes glare, and his knees
shake and as he clutches the side OF his
| chair in Il very paroXysm OF terror no orders
! the sheriff to take Paul back to the guard
room. Felix trembled and said Go thy way
| for this time. When | have II convenient
season, will call for thee.
A young man came one night to our ser
vices with pencil in hand. to caricaturo the
whole scene and make mirth OF those who
| should express any anxiety aGoRt their souls,
/ but | met him ut the door, his face very
! white, tears running down his cheek, as no
said, "Do you think there is any chance for
meY' Felix trembled, and SO may God grant
it may be So with Others.
propose to give you two or three reasons
WHY | think Felix sent Paul back to the
guardroom and adjourned the whole subject
of religion The first reason was, he did not
want to give up his sins. He looked around.
There was DruslllA. He knew that when he
became u Christian he must send her back to
Agzlus, her lawful husband, and he said Ia
himself, 81 will risk the destruction OF my
immortal soul sooner than | viii do that.
How many there are now who cannot get to
! be Christians because they will not abandon
! their sins In vain all their prayers AMI all
their churchgoing. You cannot Keep these
darling SINS and win heaven, and now somo
OF you will have to decide between the Wine
cup and unlawful ADJUSTMENTS AMI las'lN,-
GUS Publications on the one hand ami eter-
nal salvation on the other.
Dalilah shearei the locks OF Samson Sl-
lone danced Heroh into the pit Drnsilln
blocked up the way to heaven for Felix. Yet
when present the subj ect now | fear that
some OF you will say Not quite yet. Don't
be 80 preciphHte in your demands. hayea
few tickets vet that hnveto use. | have n
few engagements that must keep. wan
to STAY Il little longer Ia tho whirl of con
vvialIty-a few more outlaws OF nnrleal
laughter, II few more steps on the road Il
death, and then, sir will listen to what YOU
say. GO thy way Tor this time. When
have convenient season, | will call io
thee"
Another reason why Felix sent Paul to the
guariroom and adjourned this subject va
hes was 20 very busy. In ordinary times la
| cOutu HUl ktt 10 ne IT6Stutul OT JtCEttdTy vi
State!
o. Commonwealth OF Massachusetts,, who
Is that man that sleeps In your public hal
covered with garlands AMI wrapped In the
stars and stripes? Is that the man who, on
Il few months before, YOU denounced as tn,
Toe OF republican and democratic institu
tions? Is that the SAM man? Ye American
people, ye could not by one week OF funera
eulogium and newspaper leaders, which the
nufn ,ntth ...,,t ,pr han
atone for twenty-five years OF maltreatmen
and Carcature.
Il When | see m N like that, pursued b.
all the hounds OF the political kennel 80 lon,
as he lives and then buried under grea
pile OF garlands and enid the lamentaton
Ola whole nation, Cay to myself What III
unutterably hypocritcal thing is all human
caricatured OF the plctorinis; how charged
with every motive mean AMI ridiculous
how all the urns of scorn and hatred ant
billingsgate emptied upon his head; how
when struck down In Senate chamber, there
were hundreds OF thousands of people WIG
said, GOOD for him; serves him right :
how he had 10 put ths ocean between him
and his maligners that he might have lit
tie peace, and how, when he went of sick
they said he was broken hearted because he
their hollowness and hypocrisy so much a.
in the life and death OF that wonderful man
Charles Sumner. As be went toward tn,
place OF burial, even Independence Hall. ID
Philadelphia, asked that his remains stoI
there on their way TO Boston. The flags wer
at half mast, and the minute guns on Bosto Of
Common throbbed after hts heart had cease
to beat. Was II always SO? While he live,
how censured OF Legislative resolutions HOY
he could not give up the honors OF the world
He was afraid somehow he would be com
promised himself In this matter Remark