The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1894-02-09

I
"a vpaio,, IOI viIe Uanquet, purveyors
went out and travelled all the kingdom
over to find spoils for the table. The
time came. The guests were kept dur
ing the day hunting i'm the kings park,
80 that their appetites might be keen:
and then, in the evening, to the sound
of the trumpeters, they were intro
duced into hall hung with silk and
cloth of gold, and there were tables a
glitter with imperial plate, and laden
with the rarest of meats, and a-blush
with the costliest wines; and when
the second course Of the feast came, Il
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 the
cups filed to the brim, drank the
health, first of the king of England,
and next of the king of France. Car
dinal Wolsey prepared that great sup.
per in Hampton Court
But have to tell you of a grander
entertainment Ny Lord, the King, is
the banqueter. Angels are the cup
bearers. All the redeemed are the
guests. The halls of eternal love, fres-
coed with light, and paved with joy,
and curtained with unfading beauty,
are the banqueting place. The har-
monies of eternity are the music. The
chalices of Heaven are the plate, and |
am one of the servants coming out
with both hands filed with invita-
tions, 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 treInulous hand of a dy-
ing Christ: Come now, for all things
are ready
There have been grand entertain
ments where was a taking off-the
wine gave out, or the servants were
rebellious, or the lights failed. But L
have gone all around about this subject
and looked at the redemption which
Christ has provided, and | come here
to tell you it is complete, 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 frat coHise, he came in
booted and sparred, and the guests
arose and cheered him. But Christ
comes in at the very beginning of the
feast; aye, He has been waiting eight
cen hundred and ninetv-foer years for
His guests. He has been standing on
His manglsd feet; He has had His sore
hand on His puntured side, or He has
been pressing His lacerated temples
waiting, waiting. 1t 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 SO patiently as Christ
has waited for as. TO prove how will
ing He is to receive us, l gather all the
tears that rolled down His cheeks in
sympathy for your sorrows, l gather
all the drops of blood that charanelpd
His brow, and His back, aud His hands
and feet in trying 70 purchase your re-
demptioni | gather all the groans
that He uttered in midnight
chill, and in mountain hunger, and
in desert loneliness, and twist theln
into one cry-bitter, agoniaing. over
shot from spear, and spike, and cross.
Jolting into one pang-remorseles
grinding, excruciating. I take that
one drop of sweat on His brow, and
under the Gospel glass that drop en-
larges until see in it lakes of sorrow
and an ocean Of agony. That Being |
standing before you now, emacisted, |
and gasped, and CORY, coaxes for your
love with pathos in which every word |
is heartbreak and every sentence a |
martyrdom. How can you think He |
trifesl
Ahasueras prepared a feast for one |
hundred and eighty days; but this
feast is for all eternity. Lords and |
princes were invited to that, YOU. and /
j. and all our world are invited to this.
Christ is ready. You know that the |
banqueters of olden time used to vrap 1
themselves in robes prepared for the |
occasion; so, my Lord Jesus hath /
wrapped Himself in all that is beauti- /
full See how fair He Is! His eve. His I
brow, His cheek, so radiant that The \
stars have no CLEAN, and the morning 4
no brilliancy compared with il. His \
face rejecting all the JOYS of the re-
deemed. His hand having the omnip-
otent surgery with which He opened
blind eyes, and Strengthened crooked
limbs, and hoisted the pillars of Heav-
en-, and swung the twelve. gates which
are twelve pearls There are not enough
cups in Heaven to dip up the ocean of
beauty. There are not ladders enough
to scale this height of love. There are
not enough cymbals 30 clap, or harps
to thrum, or trumpets to peal forth the
praises of this One altogether fair. Oh.
thou flower of eternity, thy breath i
the perfume of Heaven! Oh. blissful
aaybreak, let all people clap their
hands in thy radiancei Chorus,
Come men. and saints, and cherubim.