Marble Hill press., 1895-01-31
THE ISLE OF PALMS"
DIR. TALMAGE TELLS OF HIS
CEYLON WANDERINCS.
a fress sermon from the Text: "The
Ships of Tarshish First"-Isaiab 6O.ix
The Heather Temples Crumbline
Before Christian Light.

es@As~a HE TARSHISH OF
.lfyHE1Al my text by many
MtES@E commentators is sup
EHSEEEIEEy posed to be the isl
GGENzNEts2ESa and of Ceylon, upon
NYSGEESMS which the seventh
EMM1 sermon of the
JSESSkaS 'Roundthe- " orld"
hSKMsSA4b series lands us. Cey-
@E9I&1H Ion was called by the
(EaxN1 Romans Taprobane.
VNH John Milton called it
Golden Cherso-
nese" Moderns have called Ceylon
1.-THE Isle of PALMS, 1.-The Isle of
Flowers ''The Pearl Drop on the
Brow of India" 1.-The Isle of Jewels;''
"The Island of Spice;' "The Show
Place of the Universe "The Land of
Hyacinth and Ruby" In my eyes, for
scenery it appears to be a mixture of
Yosemite and Yellowstone park. All
Christian people want to know more of
Ceylon, for they have a long while been
contributing for its evangelization. AS
our ship from Australia approached
this island, there hovered over it
clouds thick and black as the super
stitions 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 fioated into
it the water is black with boats of all
sizes and manned by people of all
colors, but chiefly Tamils and Cinga.
lese
There are two things want 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 ha We his capture of brill
liant insects; and the sportsman his
tent adorned with antler of red deer
and tooth of wild boar and the painter
his portfolio of gorge three thousand
feet down, and of days dying on even
ing pillows of purple cloud etched
with fire: and the botanist his camp
full of orchids. and crowfoots, and
gentians, and valerian, and lotus. !
want most to find out the moral and
religious triumphs, how many wounds
have been healed; how many sorrows
comforted; how many entombed ma
tions resurrected Sir William Baker,
the famous explorer and geographer,
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 rummaged these hills and
took home for future inspection the
insects of this tropical air. And for
ever honored be such work; but let all
that is sweet in rythm, and graphic on
canvas, 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. 1t is so near
the equator that there are not more
than twelve degrees of Fahrenheit diff
ference all the year round. Perpetual
foliage, perpetual fruit, and all styles
of animal life prosper. What luxuri-
ance, and abundance, and superabund-
ance 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 libretto! Here on the road
side and clear out on the beach OF the
sea stands the cocoanut tree, saying:
"Take my leaves for shade. Take the
juice of my fruit for delectablc drink.
Take my saccharine for sugar Take
my fibre for the cordage of your ships.
Take my oil to kindle your lamps.
Take my wood to fashion your cups
and pitchers. Take my leaves to
thatch your roofs. Take my smooth
surface on which to print your books.
Take my 10000, 900 trees covering 5oo,-
900 acres, and with the expectation en-
rich the world will wave in your
fans and spread abroad in your UNI
brellas. l will vibrate in your musical
instruments. will be the scrubbing
brushes on your floors"
Here also stands the palm tree, say
ing; II am at your disposal. With
these arms l fed your ancestors $50
years ago, and with these same arms
will feed your ancestors $50 years from
now. defy the centuries!"
Here also stands the nutmeg tree,
Saying: II am ready to spice your
beverages and enrich your puddings,
and with my sweet dust make insipid