The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-18

BRooKLxN. Sept 16.-Rev. Or Tai
mage, who is still absent on his round
the-world tour. has selected for his
sermon through the press for to-day:
Holy Compulsion. the text being
LIKE Il "a: And compel them to
come in
The plainest people in our day have
Injuries which the kings and queens
Of olden times never imagined.
walked up and down the stairs of
HolyrOod palace palace that was
considered one Of the wonders Of the
world-and / said. Can it be posi- bic
that this is all there was of this re-
puted wonderful placer And this is
the case in many other instances
There are fruits in Westchester
county and on Long Island farms
far better than the pomegranates and
apricots of Bible times Through all
the ages there have been scenes of fes-
tivity, and the wealthy man of my
text plans great entertainment. and
invites his friends If one builds
a beautiful home, he wants his ac-
Quain tances to come and enjoy it If
one buys exquisite picture. he
wants his friends to come and appre-
ciate 1t; and it was a laudable thing
when the wealthy man of my text
happy himself. wanted to make other
people happy And so the IN invitations
went out; but something went very
much wrong Yo1 can imagine the
EN- barrassment of any one who has
provided a grand feast when he finds
out that the guests invited do not in
tend to come There is nothing that
so provolzes the master of the feast
as that
Well, these people invited to this
great banquet Of the text made most
frivolous excuses The fact was, I
suppose, that some of them were Of
Tended that ties man had succeeded SO
much better in the world than they
had There are people in all Occupa-
tons and professions who consider it
a wrong TO them that any body else is
advanced. I suppose these people in
vited to the feast said among them
selves. I'VE are not going to admins
ter to that mans vanity, he is proud
enough now; we won't go; beside
that. we could all give parties if we
made our money the way that man
makes his. j"
SO when the messengers went ont
with the invi tations there was unani-
nous refusal. One man said. ''Oh. I
have bought farm. and I must 60 and
look at It'll" He was land Spectator,
and had no business to buy land until
he knew about it frivolous ex-
cuse. Another man said, Il have
bought five yoke of oxen The prob
ability is he was a Spectator in live
stock He ought to have known about
the oxen before he bought them Be
side that if he had been very anxious
to get to the feast. he could have
hooked them up and driven them on
the road there. Another frivolous ex-
cuse Another man said. "Oh, I have
married a wife and I can't Gomez
when if he had said to his wife, 7
have an invitation to a splendid din
ner; it is highly complimentary to Ee:
] should very much like to go; will
you go along with me?" she would
have said, ITO be sure / will go
Another frivolous excuse. The fact
was that they did not want to go.
Now said the great man of the
feast, 4 will not be defeated in this
matter; ! have with an honest pur-
pose provided a banquet, and there
are scores Of people who would like to
come if they were only invited. Here,
my man, here, you go out, and when
you find a blind man. give him your arm
and fetch him in; and when you find
a lame man, give him crutch and
fetch him in; and when you find
poor man, tell him that there is a
plate for him in my mansion; and
when ycu find some one who is 50
ragged ana wretched that he has
never been invited anywhere, then. by
by the kindest tenderness and the
most loving invita- ton any one ever
had compel him to come in
Oh my friends. it requires no acute
ness on my part or on your part, to
see in all this affair that religion is a
banquet The table was set in Pales-
tine a good many years ego, and the
disciples gathered around it. and they
thought they would have good time
all by the mselves, but while they sat
by the ia bic the leaves began to grow
and spread, and one leaf went to the
east and another leaf went to the
west. until the " hole earth was coy
cred up with them, and the clusters
from the heavenly vineyard were
piled up on the board, and the trum-
pets and harps Of eternity made up
the orchestra. and as this wine Of God
is pressed to the lips of a SHINING,
bleeding suffering, dying. groaning
world, voice breaks from the
heavens, saying Drink. o friends;
yea, drink, o beloved!" blessed
Lord Jesus. the best friend ever had
the best friend any man ever had.
was there ever such table? Was
there ever such a ban quet?
From the cross uplifted high,
Where the Saviour designs to die
What melodious sounds hear
Bursting on the Favished earl
Heavens redesming work Is done,
Come, and welcome; sinner come
Religion il Joyous thing, 1 do not