The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-09-26
FRIVOLOUS EXCUSES.


FRIVOLOUS EXCUSES.
DR. ralmsge spsaks of the Men Who Re-
ject Religion.
BROOKLYN, Sspt. 16.-Rev. DR..
Talmage who is still absent on bis round
The world tour, has selected as the sub
iect of his sermon through the press for
today "Holy Compulsion." the text BE-
ing Luke xiv, %, "And compel them to
come in"
The plalnest people in our day have
luxuries which the kings and queens OF
olden times never imagined. walked
no and down the stairs Of HolYrood pal
ace-a palace that Was considered one
of tho wonders of the world-and I said,
"Can it be possible that this is all there
was of this reputed wonderful placer
And this is tho case in many other IN
stances. There are fruits in Westches'
tor county and on Long Island farms lar
better than the pomegranates and april
cots of Bible times. Through all ages
there have been scenes OF festivitY, and
tho wealthy man of my text plans q
great entertainment and invites bis
friends. If ono builds beautiful homo,
he wants his acquaintances to come and
enjoy it. If ono buys an exquisite pic.
ture, he wants his friends to como and
appreciate 1t, and it was laudable
thing when tho wealthy man ofmy texts
happy himself, wanted to make other
people happy. And 30 tho invitation,
went out, but something went Very
much wrong. You can imagine tho
embarrassment of any one who has pro.
yided grand feast when he finds out
that the guests invited do not intend to
come. There is nothing that 30 pro-
yokes tho master of the feast as that.
Well, these people invited to this
grand banquet Of tho text made most
frivolous excuses. The fact was, I sup.
pose, that some of them were offended
that this man had succeeded 30 much
better in the world than they had. There
are people In all occupations and pro-
tessions who consider it q wrong to them
that anybody else is advanced. I sup
pose these people invited to the feast
said among themselves: "We are not
going TO administer to that mans vanity.
He is proud enough now. We won't go.
Besides that We could all give parties II
We made our money the way that man
makes his"
So, when the messengers went out
with the invitations, there was 8 unani.
NOUS refusal. One man said. "Oh, ]
have bought farm and must go and
look at I'll" He was q land speculator
and had no business to buy land until he
knew about 1t. A frivolous excuse.
Another man said, II have bought five
yoke of oxen." The probability Is he
was a speculator in live stock. He
ought to have known about tho oxen be.
fore he bought them. Besides that, II
he had been very anxious to get to the
feast, he could have hooked them up aud
driven them on tho road there. Auoth'
or frivolous excuse. Another man said,
"Oh, I have married a wife, and can't
come" when II he had said to his wife:
ST have an invitation to splendid din
Nor. It is highly complimentary to me.
I should very much like to 60. Will
You 20 along with me?" she would have
said, "To be sure, I will CO." Another
frivolous excuse. The fact was that they
did not want to 60.
"Now," said tho great man of tho
feast, 81 will not be defeated in this
matter. have, with an honest pur.
pose, provided banquet, and tbere are
scores of people who would like to come
if they were only invited. Here, my
man, here; you 60 out, and when you
find q blind man give him your arm and
fetch him in, and whom you find q lame
maa give him q crutch and fetch him in,
and when you find a poor man tell him
there is plato for him in my mansion,
and when you find some ono who. is 80
ragged and wretched that he has never
been invited any where then, by tho
kindest tenderness and the most loving
invitation any ono ever had, compel
him to como in"
Oh, my friends, it requires no acute.
ness on my part or on your part to see
Ia all this affair that religion is ban
quot. The table was set in Palestine q
good many years ago, and tho disciples
gathered around it, and they thought
they would have a good time all by
themselves. but while they sat by thii
table the leaves began to grow and
spread, and ono leaf went to the east
and another leaf went to the west, unit
the whole earth was covered up witt
them, and tho clusters from tho heaven
ly vineyard were piled upon tho board
and tho trumpets and harps of eternity
made up tho orchestra, aud this wine o
God is pressed to tho lips of a shining
bleeding, suffering, Edylng, groaninl
world, q voice breaks from tho heavens
saving: "Drink, o friends! Yea, drink
o, beloved" o blessed Lord Jesus
tho best friend I ever had, tho bes
friend any man over had, was there eve
such q table? Was there ever such
banquet?
From the cross uplifted high,
Where the Saviour deigns to die,
What melodiouS sounds hear
Bursting on the ravished earl
Heavens -edeeming work Is done.
Come, and welcome, sinner come.
Religion is a Joyous thing. I do no
want to hear anybody talk about religion
as though it were o funeral. I do no
want anybody to whine in the praye
meeting about the kingdom of God. 1 d
not want any man to roll up his eyes
giving in that way evidence of bis sane
tity. The mon and women Of God WHOM
happen to know for tho most part fin
religion great 10y. It is exhilaratiol