The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1895-12-06
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE NOTED DIvINEs SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.
Subjects "Handwrltlus on the wall.p

Night was about 10 come down on p,bv.
Ion. The shadows OF her $50 towers beran
20 lengthon. Tho Euphmios rolled on
touched by the hnry spendorl Of the setting
sun, ano gates or hrlsa Furnished aud glll-
leunFi opened and shut like doors OF flame
The hanging gardens OF Babylon. wet With
the heavy dew. began TO pour from starllt
flowers and dripping leaf n fragrance for
many miles around. The streets aud squares
were lighted for dance and frolie and prom
enade The theatou and galleries OF art
Invited the wealth and pomp and grandeur
OF the city 20 rare entertainments. Scenes
OF riot and wassail wers mingled In every
street, and goddess mirth and outrageous
excess and splendid wickednoss came 10 the
kings palace to do their mighuest deeds Of
darkness.
A royal ieastto-nlght at the kings palaeel
flushing up 20 the gates are chariois. uphol-
stored with precious cloths from Dedan. ana
drawn by FIRE eyed horses from Togarmah.
that rear ana neigh In the grasp Of tho char
ioteeu, while u thousand lords dismOunt
and women, dressed IN an the splendors of
Syrian emerald, and the color blending of
agate, and the eh0steness OF coral. and the
somber glory Of Tyrian purple aud prlncelv
emoroderies, brought from afar by camels
across the desert aud by ships OF Tarshlsh
across the sea.
Open wide the gates and let the guests
come In. The chamberlains and eupbearers
are oil ready Hark TO the rustic Of the silks,
and 10 the carol Of the musiol See tho blaze
OF the jewels Lift the banners. FIN tho
cups Clap the cymbals. Blow tho trum-
pets. Let the night 90 by with song and
dance and ovation. and let that Babvl0nish
tongue be palsied that will not say, 20 King
Belshazzar live forever"
All. my friends. It was not any common
banquet 10 which these great people camel
All parts OF the earth had sent their richest
vands to that table. Brackets and chande-
Tiers flashed their light upon tankards OF
FURNISHED gold. Fruits, ripe and luscious.
IN baskets OF silver, entwined with leaves,
plucked from royal Conservatives. Vases.
inlaid with emerald and rdged with ex-
quisite tracaries, filled with nuts that were
threshed from forests Of distant lands.
Wine brought from the royal vats, foam
ing In the decanters and bubbling In the
chaices. TUFTS Of cassia and frankincense
waiting their sweetness from wall and table.
Gorgeous banners unfolding in the breeze
that cane through the open window, be-
Witched with the perfumes Of hanging gar
dens. Fountains rising up from Enclosures
OF ivory, in jets OF crystal to fall in clatter-
ing rain OF diamonds and pearls. Statues Of
mighty men looking down from inches in the
wall upon crowns and shields brought from
subdued empires. Idols Of wonderful work
standing on pedestals Of precious stones
Embroideries STOPPING about the win
dOWs and wrapping pillars OF cedar aud
drifting on floor inlaid with ivory and az
ate. Music, mingling with the thrum of
harps, and the clash of cymbals, and the
blast Of trumpets in one wave Of transport
that went ripping along the wall and
breathing among the garlands and pouring
down the corridors, and thrilling the souls
Of thousand banqueters.
The signal is given and the lords and la
dies the mighty men and women of the
/ land, come around the table, Pour out the
wine. Let foam and bubble kiss the rim!
Hoist every one his cup and drink to the
sentiment, 80 King Belschazzar, live for
| ever!" Bestarred head band and carcanet
OF royal beauty CLEAN to the up
lifted chalices. as again, and again.
and again they are emptied, Away
with care from the palace! Tear royal
dignity to tatters! Pour out more
winel Give us more light, wilder music,
sweeter perfume! Lord shouts to lord, cap
! tain ogles to captain. Gobiets clash; de-
| canters rattle. There come in the obscene
song, and the drunken hiccough, and the
| slavering lip. and the guffaw ofidiOtie laugh
! ter, bursting from the lips Of princes, flushed,
Keeling, bloodshot. while mingling with Il
| all hear, "Huzza huzza for great Bel
sbazzar!"
What is that on the plastering of the wall?
! is it a spirit? Is 1t phantom? lis it God2
The music stops. The goblets fail from the
nerveless grasp. There is thrill There is
a start. There is thousand voiced shrek
Of horror, Let Daniel be brought in to read
| that writing. He comes in. He reads il,
weighed in the balance and found want
ing"
Meanwhile the Modes, who for two years
had been laying siege to that city, took adj
vantage Of that cauOusal and came in.
hear the feet of the conquerors on the palace
stairs. Massacre rushes in with a thousand
cleaning knives. Death bursts upon the
scene, and I shut the door OF that banquet
ing hall, for do not want to look. There Is
| nothing there but torn banners, and broken
wreaths, and the slush of upset tankards,
and the blood of murdered women. and the
kicked and tumbed carcass OF dead king.
For sin that night was Belshazzar, tho king
Of the Ohaldeans, slain"
90 on to learn some lessons from all this.
learn that when God writes anything on
the wall man had better read 1t as it is.
Daniel did not misinterpret or modify the
handwriting on the wall. 1t is all foolish
ness to expect a minister Of the gospel 10
preach always things that the people like OF
the people choose. Young men O
Washington. what shall preach Il
you tonight? Shall / tell you O.
the dignity OF human nature? Shall
tell you Of the wonders that our race has
accomplished? "Oh no, you say. "Tel
me the message that came from God"
will. II there is any handwriting on the
wall. it is this lesson: "Repentl Accept Of
Christ and be savedl" / might ask Of
great many other things, but that is the mes
sage, and 80 declare 1t. Jesus never Sat
tered those to whom He preached. He saic
to those who did wrong and who were often
siVe in His sights eye generation of vipers
Ye whited sepulohers! How can We es
cape the damnation OF HE'LL" Paul thu
apostle preached before a man who was no
ready to hear him preach. What subject
did he take2 Did he say: sob, you are
good man, very fine man, very noble
mani" No. He preached of righteousness
TO a man who was unrighteous, OF temper
nnna To q rnnn who Mna q Victim OF bad an