Connecticut western news., 1894-02-01
READY FOR A FEAST.
REV. OR. TAlMAGE BREACHES AN EL- , ooUENT SERMON ON FEsTWlTY.

An Entertainment Where the Lord Is the
 Banqueter and Angels Are the Cupbear-
 srs-An Effective and Earnest Gospel
 Plea to tho Unconverted.
 BROOKLYN, Jan. 23.-The usual large audience assembled in the Tabernacle to- day and listened to sermon of remark able power and interest by Rev. Dr. Tal- mage, the subject being 'Festivity." The text selected was Luke xiv, IT. Come, for all things are now ready"
 It was one of the most exciting times in English history when Queen Elizabeth visited Lord Leicester at Kenilworth castle The moment of her arrival was considered so important that all the clocks of the castle were stopped, so that the hands might point to that one mo. ment as being the most significant of all. She was greeted to the gate with floating islands and torches, and the thunder of cannon. and fireworks that set the night ablaze, and great burst of music that lifted the whole scene into perfect en- chantment. Then she was introduced in dining hall the luxuries of which as tonished the world Four hundred serv- ants waited upon the guests. The enter tainment cost 5000 each day. Lord Lei cester made that great supper in Kenil- worth castle.
 Cardinal Wolsey entertained the French ambassadors at Hampton court. The best cooks in all the land prepared for the banquet. Purveyors went out and travelled all the kingdom over to find spells for the table. The time came. The guests were kept during the day huntin. in the kings park so that their appetite might be keen, and then in the evening, to the sound of the trumpeters, they were introduced into a hall hung with silk and cloth of gold, and there were tables aglitter with imperial plate and laden with the rarest of meats and ablush with the costliest wines, and wher the second course of the feast came ii was found that the articles of food had been fashioned into the shape of men birds and beasts, and groups dancing. and jousting parties riding against each other with lances. Lords and princes and ambassadors. out of cups filled to the brim, drank the health first of the king of England and next of the king of France. Cardinal Wolsey prepared that great supper in Hamptonscourt.
 A REMARKABLE BANQUET
 But have to tell you of grander en- tertainment. My Lord the King is the banqueter. Angels are the cupbearers All the redeemed are the guests. The halls of eternal love, frescoed with light and paved with joy and curtained with unfading beauty, are the banqueting place. The harmonies of eternity are the music The chalices of heaven are the plates, and am one of the servants com ing out with both hands filled with invi- tations, scattering them everywhere, and, oh, that for yourselves you might break the seal of the invitation and read the words written in red ink of blood by the tremulous hand of dying Christ, "Come now, for all things are ready"
 There have been grand entertainments where was a taking off-the wine gave out, or the servants were rebellious, or the light failed. But I have gone all around about this subject and looked at the redemption which Christ has provid- ed, and come here totell you it is com plete. and swing open the door of the feast, telling you that "all things are now ready
 In the first place, have to announce that the Lord Jesus Christ himself is ready. Cardinal Wolsey came into the feast after the first course. He came in booted and spurred, and the guests arose and cheered him. But Christ comes in at the very beginning of the feast-aye, he has been waiting 1894 years for his guests. He has been standing on his mangled feet, he has had his sore hand on his punctured side, or he has been pressing his lacerated temples-waiting, waiting. It is wonderful that he has not been impatient and that he has not said, .'Shut the door and let the laggard stay out" but he has been waiting.
 No banqueter ever waited for his guests 80 patiently as Christ has waited for us. To prove how willing he is to receive us, gather all the tears that rolled down his cheeks in sympathy for your sorrows; I gather all the drops of blood that channeled his brow, and his back. and his hands and feet, in trying to purchase your redemption; gather all the groans7 that he uttered in mid night chill, and in mountain hunger, and in desert loneliness. and twist them into one cry-bitter. agonizing, overwhelm- ing.
 gather all the pains that shot from spear and spike and cross, jolting into one pang-remorseless, grinding, excru- ciating. take that one drop of sweat on his brow. and under the gospel glass that drop enlarges until see in it lakes of sorrow and an ocean of agony. That being standing before you now, emaci- ated and gashed and gory. coaxes for your love with pathos in which every word is heart break and every sentence a martyrdom. How can you think he trifles?
 FOR THE DELAYED GUESTS.
 Ahasuerus prepared feast for 180 days, but this feast is for all eternity. Lords and princes were invited to that. You and and all our world are invited to this. Christ is ready. You know that the banquetcrs of olden time used to wrap themselves in robes prepared for the occasion, so my Lord Jesus hath wrapped himself in all that is beautiful. ES0 uOW ldL1 nO lSI 1liS CyC, IlS OIOW, his cheek, so radiant that the stars have no gleam and the morning no brilliancy compared with it, his face refecting all the joys of the redeemed, his hand hay ing the omnipotent surgery with which he opened blind eyes, and strengthened crooked limbs, and hoisted the pillars of heaven, and swung the 12 gates, which are 12 pearls.
 There are not enough cups in heaven to dip up this ocean of beauty. There are not ladders enough to scale this height of love. There are not enough cymbals to clap, or harps to thrum, or trumpets to peal forth the praises of this one altogether fair. Oh, thou flower of eternity, thy breath is the perfume of heaven! Oh, blissful daybreak, let all people clap their hands in thy radiance! Chorus: Come, men and saints and cher ubim and seraphim and archangel-all hairnts all depths all irnmensities