Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-11-15
BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST
REV. DR.. TALMAGE BREACHES ON THE
HANDWRITING ON The WALL.

lessons From Banquet Of sin--The Sud-
denneSs Of Gods Sudgments-A Word of
warning-An Eeh0 ef ths Text.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1o-since his
coming 70 Washington DR.. Talmage's
pulpit experience has been remarkable
one. Not emily has the church in which
he breaches been filed, but the audiences
havo overhowed into the adjoining
streets TO an extent that has rendered
them impossible. similar scenes were
enacted nt today's services, when the
preacher took for his subject, Hand
writing on ths Wall" the text chosen
being Daniel Y, 30, I'm that night was
Belshazzar. the king Of the Chaldeans,
slain.
Night was about to come down on
Babylon. The shadows Of her $50 tow
ers began to lengthen. The Euphrates
rolled on, touched by the fiery splsndors
Of Che setting sun, and gates Of brass,
FURNISHED and elittering, opened and
shat like doors Of fame The hanging
gardens Of Babylon, wet with the heavy
dew, began to pour from starlit flowers
and dripping leaf fragrance for many
miles around. The streets and squares
we're lighted for dance and frolio and
promenade The theaters and galleries
| Of art invited the wealth and pomp and
grandeur Of the city to rare entertain
ments. Scenes Of riot and wassail were
mingled in every strset, and goddess
mirth and outrageous excess and splen-
did wiekedness came to the king's palace
to do their mightiest deeds Of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings
palace Rushing up to the gates are
chariots, upholstered with precious
cloths from Dedan, and drawn by fire
eyed horses from Togarmah, that rear
and neigh in the grasp Of the characters,
while a thousand lords dismount, and
women, dressed IN all the splendors Of
Syrian emerald, and the color blending
Of agate, and the chasteness Of coral,
and the somber glory Of Tyrian purple
and princely embroideries, brought from
afar by camels across the desert and BY
ships Of Tsrshish across the sea
The Guests Assemble.
Open wide the gates and let the guests
come in. The chsmberlains and cup
bearers are all ready. Hark to the rustic
| Of the silks, and 10 tho carol Of the
music See the blaze Of the jewels Lift
the banners. Fill the oupL Clap the
oymbalk Blow the trumpets. Let the
night 90 by with song and dance and
ovation, and let that BabyloniSh tongue
be palsied that will not say, 10 King
Belshazzsr, live foreverp'
Alb, my friends, it was not any COM
mon banquet to which these great peo-
pie came All parts Of the earth had
sent their richest visnds to that table.
Brackets and chandeliers flashed their
light upon tankards Of FURNISHED gold.
Fruits, ripe and laseieus, IN baskets Of
klver, sntwined with leaves, plucked
from royal oonIervsteriss. Vases, inlaid
with emerald and ridsed with exquisite
traceriss, filed with nuts that were
threshsd from forests Of distant lands.
Wine brought from the royal vate, foam
Ing in the decanters and bubbling in the
chalices Tufts Of eaGsia and franklin
esnse waiting their sweetness from wall
and able. Gorgeous banners unfolding
in the breeze that came through the open
window, bevitched with the perfumes
Of hanging gardens. Fountains rising up
from Enclosures Of ivory, in Jets Of crys-
tal, to fall IN slattsring rain Of diamonds
and pearls Statues q mighty men look
Ing down from Bishes IN the wall upon
crowns and shields brought from sub
dued empires. fdols Of wonderful work
standing en redsstsls Of precious Stones
Embroideries stopping about the win
dovs and wrapping pillars Of sedar and
drifting On hsor iAlnid with ivory and
agate Music, mingling the thrum OF
harps, ana the slaEh Of eynbsls, and the
blast II trunpsts in one wave OF trans
port that went ripping along The wall
and breathing ameng the garlands and
pouring dewn The corridors, and thrill
ing the seuls Of thousand bsnqueters.
The signal is given, snd the lords and
ladies, the mighty men and women OF
the land, come around the table. Pour
out the wine. Let foam and bubble kiss
the rim Hoist svsry one his cup and
drink to the sentiment, 20 King Bel
shaxzar, live forever" BsEtarred head
band and caroanet Of royal beauty sleam
10 the upliftsd shaliess, as again, and
again, and again they are emptied.
Away with care from the palace Tear
royal dignity to tnttsrsl Pour out more
wine Give Us more light, wilder music,
swsster perfume Lord shouts to lord,
captain eElss to captain. Goblets clash ;
decanters rattle. There come in the OBJ
seene song, and the drunken hiceough,
and the slAvsrins lip, and the guffaw OF
idiotie laughter, bursting from the lips
Of princes, flushed, resling bloodshot,
while ningling with it all I hear,
"HuEEa, huEEa, for great Belshazzar j.
Seen en- the wall.
What Is that on the plaStering Of the
walli Isit a Epiriti Ia 1t aphsntom! Is
IL 6oAi The music stops The goblets
fail from the nerveless grasp. There is a
thrill There is start There is thou
sand vetoed shrek Of horror. Let Daniel
be breught in to read that writing. he
comes in. Hsrsads II, Weighed In the
balance and found wanting" "
Meanwhile the MSdss, who for two
years had been laying siege 70 that city,
tsok advantage Of that sarouGal and
came in. hear the feet Of the sonquer-
ors on the palace stairs. Massacre rushss
in with a thousand cleaning knives.
Death bursts upon the scene, and shut
the dooF of that banqustinR hall, for
10 not want 10 look There 10 nothing
there bat torn banners, and broker
wreaths, and the slush Of Spsst iazkards,
and tie blood oi murdered women, and
the kicked and tHmblsd carcass OF q
dead king. Tor "in that night Was
BslshAzsar, the kinE II the Chsldsans.
sain. "
L 70 On 10 lsaxn rome lessons ftom all
this learn Mat when 0ed writes any