The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-02-28
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Ceylon the Palmiest.of All Lands,
and It's Stored Past.
a Fruitful Field for the Missionaries o!
All Nations, Hindooism and the Su-
perstition Of Centuries the
Common Enemy.

Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage gives out the
following in continuation of his Round
the-World series of sermons through
the press. It's subject is ''Ceylon, the
Isle of Palms," and it is based on the
text:
The ships of Tarshish first.-Isaiah TX, o.
The Tarshish of my text by many
commentators is supposed to be the
island of Ceylon, upon which the sew
enth sermon of the 'Round-the-world
series lands us. Ceylon was ruled by
the Roman Taprobane. John Milton
called it Golden Chersonese.' Moderns
have called Ceylon '"The Isle of Palms,"
''The Isle of Flowers" "The Pearl
Drop on the Brow of India;" ''The Isle
of Jewels" 1.-THE Island of Spice;"
'"The Show Place of the Universe:"
''The Land of Hyacinth and Ruby"
In my eyes, for scenery it ap-
peared to be a mixture of
Yosemite and Yellowstone park.
All Christian people want to know
more of Ceylon, for they have long
while been contributing for it's evan
gelization. AS our ship from Austria
liza approached the island, there how
cred over it clouds thick and black as
the superstitions which have hovered
here for centuries; but the morning
sun was breaking through like the
Gospel light which is to scatter the
last cloud of moral gloom. The sea
lay along the coast calm as the eternal
purposes of God toward all islands and
continents. We swing into the harbor
of Colombo, which is made by break
water built at vast expense. AS we
foated into it the water is black with
boats of all sizes, and manned by peo-
pie of all colors, but chiefly Tamils and
Cingalese.
There are two things went most to
see on this island; heather temple
with its devotees in idolatrous worship,
and an audience of Cingalese addressed
by a Christian missionary. The ento-
mologist may have his capture of bril-
liant insects; and the sportsman his
tent adorned with antler of red deer
and tooth of wild boar; and the paint
er his portfolio of gorge three thou
sand feet down, and of days dying on
evening pillows of purple cloud etched
with fire; and the botanist his camp
full of orchids, and crowfoots, and gen.
tians, and valerian, and lotus. I want
most to find out the moral and relig-
ious triumphs, how many wounds have
been healed; how many sorrows COM
forted; how many entombed nations
resurrected. Sir William Baker, the
famous explorer and geographcr, did
well for Ceylon after his eight years
residence in this island, and Prof.
Ernst Heckel, the professor from jena,
did well when he swept these waters,
and summaged these hills, and took
hone Tor future inspection the insects
of this tropical air. And forever hon
ored be such work; but let all that is
sweet in rhythm, and graphic on can
vas, and imposing in monument, and
immortal in memory be brought to
tell the deeds of those who were
heroes and heroines for Christ's sake.
Many scholars have supposed that
This island of Ceylon was the original
Garden of Eden where the snake first
appeared on reptilian mission. There
are reasons for belief that this was the
site where the first homestead was
opened and destroyed. It is so near
the equator that there are not more
than twelve degrees of Fahrenheit diff
ference all the year round. Perpet-
ual foliage, perpetual fruit, and all
styles of animal life prosper. What
luxuriance, and abundance, and
superabundance of life! What
styles of plumage do not the birds
sport! What styles of scale do not the
fishes reveal! What styles of song do
not the groves have in their ibret-
to! Here on the roadside and clear
out on the beach of the sea stands
the cocoanut tree, saying: Take my
leaves for shade. Take juice of my
fruit for delectable drink. Take my
saccharine for sugar. Take my fiber
for the cordage of your ships. Take
my oil to kindle your lamps. Take my
wood to fashion your cups and pitch
ers. Take my leaves to thatch your
roofs. Take my smooth surface on
which to print your books. Take my
thirty million trees covering five hun
dred thousand acres. and with the ex-
portation enrich the world. l will
wave in your fans, and spread abroad
in your umbrellas. | will vibrate in
your musical instruments. / will be
the scrubbing brush on your floors"
Here also stands the palm tree. say
ing: 81 am at your disposal. With
these arms I fed your ancestors one
hundred and fifty years ago, and with
these same arms / will feed your des-
cepdants one hundred and fifty years
from now. defy centuries!'
Here also stands the nutmeg tree,
saying: Il am ready to spice your bev-
erages, and enrich your puddings, and
with my sweet dust make insipid
things paiatable."
Here also stands the coffee plant,
saying: with the liquid boiled from
my berry stimulate the nations morn
ing by morning"
Here stands the cinehona, saying:
'I am the foe of malaria. In all cli-
mates MY bitterness, is theslaught-r of
fevers.'
What miracles Of prodactiyeness on