Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-02-02
TABERNACLE PULPIT.
TALMAOE BREACHES A MOST
REMARKABLE SERMON
The Subject Being 'Festivity"-"Come.
for All Things Are Now Ready" Luke
I4;xyiI-The Beautiful Character OF
Our Lord Jesus Christ.


BRooKLYN, N. Y, Jan. 2s.-The
usual large audience assembled
to-day in the Tabernacle and
listened to sermon of remarkable
power and interest by Rev. DIR. Tai
mage, the subject being "Festivity."
The text selected was Luke 14:xvii,
"Come, for all things are now ready"
1t was one of the most exciting
times in English history when Queen
Elizabeth visited Lord Leicester at
Wentworth castle. The moment OF
her arrival was considered so inn
portant that all the clocks of the castle
were stopped, so that the hands might
point to that one moment as being the
most significant ofalL She was greeted
at the gate with floating islands, and
torches, and the thunder of cannon,
and fireworks that set the night ablaze,
and a great burst OF music that lifted
the whole scene into perfect enchant-
ment. Then she was introduced into a
dining-hall, the Injuries of which
astonished the world; 400 servants
waited upon the guests; the entertain
ment cost $1,000 each day. Lord
Leicester made that great supper in
Kenilworth castle.
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the
French ambassadors at Hamp-
ton court. The best cooks in
all the land prepared for the
banquet; purveyors went out and
travelled all the kingdom over to find
spclls for the table. The time came.
The guests were kept during the day
hunting in the kings park, so that
their appetites might be keen, and
then in the evening, to the sound OF
the trumpeters, they were introduced
INTO hall hung with silk and cloth of
gold, and there were tables a-glitter
with imperial plate and laden with the
rares of meats and a-blush with the
eostliest wines. And when the second
course of the feast came it was found
that the articles of food had been fash
toned into the shape of men, birds and
beasts, and groups dancing and joust-
ing parties riding against each other
with lances Lords and princes and
am bassadors, 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 Hampton court,
But have to tell you of a grander
entertainment My Lord, the King, is
the banqueter. Angels are the cupbear-
ers. 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 plate; and
am one of the servants coming out
with both hands filed with invitations,
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 entertain
ments where was a taking of-the
wine gave out, or the servants were
rebellious, or the light failed; but
have gone all around about this sub
iect 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, tell
ing 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 eight
cen hundred and ninety-four years fol-
his guests. He has been standing or
his mangled feet; he has had his sore
hand on his punctured side; or he ha:
been pressing has lacerated temples
waiting, waiting. 1t is wonderful thai
he has not been impatient, and thai
he has not said, shut the door and let
the laggard stay OUT" but he has beer
waiting. No banqueter ever waited
for HIS guests so patiently al
Christ has waited for us. tt
prove how willing he is to receiv,
us, gather an the tears that rolled
down his cheeks in sympathy for YOU
sorrows; gather all the drops of blood
tina. channeled his brow, and his back
and his hands and feet. in trying Il
purchase your redemption; / gather al
the groans that he uttered in midnight
chill. and in mountain hunger, and il
desert loneliness, and twist them int
one cry-bitter, agonizing, overwhelm
ing. / gather AL the pains that sho
from spear, and spike and cross, jolt
ing into one pang-remorseless, grind
ing, excruciating. l take that on,
drop of sweat on his brow, and under
the gospel glass that drop enlarge'
until see in it lakes of sorrow and ar
ocean of agony. That being standing
before you now, emaciated, anC
gashed, and CORY, coaxes for your Low,
with II pathos in which every word i
m baarfbraak and avaru aaptanoo .