Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-15
THE SERAPHIC DIET.
REV. DR.. TALMAGE breaches ELO-
QUENTLY ON ANGELS FOOD.

| QUENTlY ON ANGELS FOOD.
The Mamma That Fell to the Israelites In
the WiIderness-FOod For Supernaturals.
Cupbearers-The Emerald Palace-Heav-
emily Tidngs.
NEW YORK, March 10.-Among the
thousands who greeted Rev. DR.. Tai
mage in the Academy of Music this aft
ernoon wero a large number of strangers
from distant parts of the Union. At the
close of the services the preacher on
leaving the platform found himself con-
fronted by enough people to fill an ordi-
nary sized church, all intent on shaking
hands with him. The subject Of dis
course for the afternoon was "a Se-
raphic Diet, " the text selected being
Psalms xviii, 25, MAN did eat angels
food.
Somewhat risky would be the under
taking to tell just what was the mamma
that fell to the Israeltes in the wilder
ness, of what it was made and who
made it. The mama was called angels
food, but why so called? Was it because
it came from the place where angels
live, or because angels compounded it,
or because angels did eat it, or because
it was good enough for angels! On
what crystal platter was it carried to
the door Of heaven and then thrown
out? How did it taste: We are told
there was in it something like honey,
but il the saccharine taste in it had been
too strong many would not have liked
it, and so it may have had commin-
Cling OF havors, this delicacy of the skies.
1t must have been nutritious, for ma
ton lived on it for 40 years. 1t must
have been healthful, for it is so inspir-
ingly applauded. 1t must have been
abundant, because it dismissed the ne
oessity Of a sutler for a great army.
Each person had a ration Of three
quarts a day allowed to him, and so To-
900, 900 pounds were necessary every
week. Those were the times Of which
my text speaks, when imam did eat an
gels food. " If the good Lord, who has
helped me so often, will help me now,
| will first tell you what is angels food,
and then how we may get some Of it for
ourselves. In our mortal state we must
have for mastication and digestion and
assimilation the products Of the earth.
Corporeity, as well as mentality and
spirituality, characterizes us. The style
of diet has much to do with our well
being. Light and frothy food taken ex-
clusively results in weak muscle and
semi-invalidsm. The taking Of too much
animal food produces sensuality. Nege-
tarians are cranks Reasonable selection
Of the farinaceous and the solid ordina-
rily produces physical stamina.
Angels Food.
But we have all occasionally been in
an ecstatic state where we forgot the
necessity of earthly food. We were fed
by joys, by anticipations, by discoveries,
by companionships that dwindled the
dining hour into insignifcance and
made the pleasures of the table stupid
and uninviting. There have been cases
where from seemingly invisible sources
the human body has been maintained,
as in the remarkable case Of our invalid
and Christian neighbor, Mollie Fancher.
known throughout the medical and
Christian world for that she was seven
weeks without earthly food, fed and sus-
tanned on heavenly visions. Our beloved
DR. Irenaus Prime, editor and theolo-
gian. recorded the wonders concerning
this girl. Professor West, the great sci
enlist marveled over it, and Willard
Parker Of worldwide fame in surgery
threw up his hands in amazement at it.
There are times in all our lives when
the soul asserts itself and says to the
body: Hush, stand back Stand down"
am at banquet where no chalices
CLEAN and no viands smoke and no cul-
mary implements clatter. l am feeding
on that which no human hand has mix
ed and no earthly oven baked. l am
eating "angels' food. =" If you have
never been in such an exalted state,
commiserate your leaden temperament
and dismiss you from this service as
incompetent to understand the thrilling
and glorious suggestiyeness Of my text
when il says, MAN did eat angels
food
What the Text Says.
Now, what do the supernaturals live
on? They experience none Of the de-
mands of corporiety and have no HIN
drance or environment in the shape OF
bone and muscle and flesh, and hence
that which may deleotate our palate or
invigorate our poor, dying frames would
be Of no use to them. But they have a
food Of their own. My text says So
There may be other courses of food in
1.-The heavenly menu that am not aware
lof, but know Of five or six styles OF
food always on celestial tables when
jcherubim and seraphim and archangel
lRather for heavenly repast-the mystery
of redemption, celestialized music, the
heavenly picturesque, sublime colloquy
stsnnal enterprises, sanity association,
divine companionship, celebrative jubl-
lance. There is one subject that excltes
1.-The curiosity and inquisitiveness Of all
those sngels ST. Peter says, Which
thing the angels desire to look into
tikat is, Ehy did Christ exchange pal
ace for a barn? Why did be drop
lscepter from his right hand to take
smear into his left side? Why quit the
anthem Of the worshiping heavens to
hear the grooming of weary mother s
voice? Was Z straw better than gar
land? Gould it not have been done in
some other way?'' says angel the first
"Was the human race worth such a sac
rifcep' says angel the second. How
could heaven get along without him for
SS years?" says angel the third.
Through that assassination may sinful
man rise into our eternal companion
.ship, says angel the fourth.
And then they all bend toward each
sother and talk about it and guess about
lit and try to fathom it and prophesy
concerning it. But the subject is too
ibig. and they only nibble at it They
lonly break off piece Of 1t. They only
haste it. They just dip intoit And then
lone angel cries, Worthy is the Lamb