The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-31

today and listened to a sermon of re-
markable power and interest by the Rev.
Dr. Talmage. the subject being "Fes-
tiyity." The text selected was Luke xiv
II. Come, for all things are now ready"
1t was one Of the most exciting times
an English history when Queen Eliza
beth visited Lord Leicester at Kenil-
worth castle. The moment of her ar
rival was considered so important that
all the clocks Of the castle We're stopped,
50 that the hands might point TO that
one moment 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 a great
burst OF music that lifted the whole
scene into perfect enchantment. Then
she was introduced in a dining hall, the
Injuries OF which astonished the world.
-Four hundred servants waited upon the
guests The entertainment cost $1,000
ieach day Lord Leicester made that
great supper in Kenilworth castle.
Cardinal Wolsey entertained the
French ambassadors at Hampton court.
The best cooks in all the land prepared
for the banquet. Purveyors went out
end travelled all the kingdom over to
find spoils 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 aglitter with imperial plate
and laden with the rarest of meats and
.ablush with the costliest wines. And
when the second course Of the feast
came it 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 brfm drank the health first
OF the king of England and next of the
king Of France. Cardinal Wolsey pre-
pared that great supper in Hampton
court
Divine banquet.
But I have to tell you Of a grander en-
lertainment. My Lord, the King, is the
banQueter. Angels are the cup-bearers
All the redeemed are the guests. The
halls OF eternal love, frescoed with light
and paved with JOY and curtained with
Gnfading 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
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 a 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 rebellOus or
the light failed, but L have gone all
around about this subject and looked at
the redemption which Christ has pro-
vided, and 1 come here to tell you it is
complete and 1 swing open the door Of
the feast, telling you that ''aU 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 l, S94 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.
IL is wonderful that He has not been
impatient, and that He has not said
shut the door and let the laggard stay
out, but lie has been waiting. No ban
quetter ever waited for his guests so
patiently as Christ has waited for us
To prove how willing He is TO receive
us, l gather ali 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. I gather all
the groans that He uttered In midnight
chill, and in mountain hunger. and In
desert loneliness, and twist them into
pne cry-bitter, agonizing. overwhelm-
sng.
l gather all the pains that shot from
spear and spike and cross jolting into
one pang-TemorseIess, grinding excr71-
eating. / take that one drop Of sweat
on his brow. and under the gospel glass
that drop enlarges until l see in IL lakes
OF sorrow and ocean Of agony That
being standing before YOU now, enamel
Bted and gashed and CORY, coaxes for
-FOUR love with psthos in which every
word is a heartbreak and every sentence
? martyrdom. How can you think he
triaes2
Feast for All Eternity.
Ahasuerus prepared feast for $50
days. but this feast is for all eternity.
Lords and princes were invited TO that
You and and all our world are invited
20 this. Christ is ready You know that
the banoueters OF olden time used to
wrap themselves in robes prepared for
wrapped himself in all that is beautiful
See how fair he Is His eye. his brow
his cheek. so radient that the stars have
no CLEAN and the morning no brilliancy
compared with Il. His face rejecting all
the joys Of the redeemed. His hand hav-
Ing the omnipotent surgery with which
1Ie opened blind eyes and Strengthened
crooked limbs and hoisted the pillars Of
heaven and swung the twelve gates
which are twelve pearls
There are not enough cups in heaven
10 dip up this ocean OF beauty. There
are not ladders enough TO scale this
hight Of love. There are not enough
Cymbals to clap, or harps to thrllm, or
arumPets to peal forth the praises Of this
one altogether fair. On, thou flower of
eternity, thy breath is the perfume Of
heaven Oh. blssful daybreak, let all
people clap their hands in thy radiance.
Chorus: Come, men and saints and
cheTubim and seraphim and archangsl-
all nights, all depths, all immensities
Chorus: Roll Him through the heavens
In a chariot Of universal acclaim. over
bridges Of hosannas, under arches of
coronation, along by the great towers
Ginning with eternal jubilee. Chorus:
Unto Him who hath loved us and
washed us from our sins in His own