The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-11
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: "Surpassins Splendor."

Subject: "Surpasslng Splendor."
TEXT: "Eye hath not seen nor ear heard. "
Il Corinthians H.. 9.
81 am going to heaven! I am going to
heaven. Heaven. Heaven! Heaven" These
were the last words uttered few days ago
by my precious wife as she ascended to be
with God forever. and is it not natural as
we'll as Christianly appropriate that our
thoughts be much directed toward the glort-
Gus residence Of which st. Paul speaks IN
the text have chosen?
The city of Corinth has been called the
Paris of antiquity. Indeed for splendor the
world holds nosucb wonderto-day. Itstood
on an isthmus washed by two seas, the one
sea bringing the commerce of Europe, the
other the commerce Of Asia. From her
wharves. in the construction OF which whole
kingdoms had been absorbed, war galeyss
with three banks of oars pushed out and
contounded the navy yards OF all the world.
Huge handed machinery. such as modern
invention cannot equal, lifted ships from the
sea on one side and transported them on
trucks across the isthmus and set them down
in the sea on the other side. The revenue
officers of the city went down through the
olive groves that lined the beach to collect
tariff from all Nations.
The mirth Of all people sported In her
Isthmian games, and the beauty OF all landS
sat in her theatres, walked her portlcoes and
threw itself on the altar OF her stupendous
designations. Column and statue and temple
bewildered the beholder. There were wnlte
marble fountains into which, from apereules
at the side. there rushed waters everywhere
known for health giving qualities. Around
these basins. twisted into wreaths OF stone.
there were all the beauties Of sculpture and
architecture, while standing. as II to guard
the costly display. was statue OF Hercules
of FURNISHED Corinthian brass. Vases OF
terra Gotta adorned the cemeteries OF the
dead-yases so costly that Julius Caesar was
not satisfied until he had captured them TOT
Rome. Armed officials, the "Cor1nthlarii,
paced ND and down to see that no statue was
defaced. no pedestal overthrown, no bas re-
lief touched. From the edge OF the city
hill arose. with its magnificent burden OF
columns and towers and temples (1OOO slaves
awaiting at one shrine), and citadel SO
thoroughly impregnable that Gibraltar is
heap of sand compared with 1t. Amid all
chat strength and magnihcence Corlnth
stood and defied the world.
Oh. it was not to rustics who had never
seen anything grand that st. Paul uttered
this text. They had heard the best music
that had come from the best instruments IN
all the world. They had heard songs hoat-
ing from morning porticoes ana meiunS IN
evening groves. They had passed tnels
whole lives away among pictures and
sculpture and architecture and Corinthiaa
brass, which had been nodded and shaped,
until there was no chariot wheel IN which II
had not sped, and no tower In when II had
not glittered, and no gateway that 1t mad NOT
adorned.
All. it was bold thing for Paul to stand
there amid all that and say: "AL this Is
nothing. These sounds that come from the
temple of Neptune are not music compared
with the harmony Of which l speak. These
waters rushing in the basin OF Pyrene are not
pure. These statues Of Bacchus and Mer-
cury are not exquisite. Yon citadel OF
Acrocorinthus is not strong compared with
that which offer to the poorest slave that
puts down his burden at that brazen gate.
You, Corinthians, think this Is splendid
city. You think you have heard all sweet
sounds and seen all beautiful sights. but
tell YOU "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart OF man
the things which God hath prepared forthem
that love Him."
You see nv text sets forth the idea that,
however exalted our ideas may be OF heaven.
thew come far short of the reality. Some
wise men have been calculating how many
furlongs long and wide is heaven, and they
have calculated how many inhabitants there
are on the earth: how long the earth VIII
probably stand, and then they come 10 TINS
estimate-that after all the nations had Deen
gathered to heaven there will be room Tor
each soul. a room 16 feet long and 10 feet
wide. It would not be large enough for me.
. I am glad to know that no human esame1e
Is sufficient to take the dimensions. Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard nor arithmetic
calculated.
I first remark that we can in this world get
no idea of the health of heaven. When you
were child and you went out in the morn
ing, how you bounded along the road or
street-vou had never felt sorrow or SICK
ness! Perhaps later-perhaps in these very
summer days-you felt glow III your
cheek, and spring in your step, and an eX-
uberance OF spirits, and clearness ot eye,
that made you thank God you were permit
ted to live. The nerves were harp strings,
and the sunlight was do1ology. ana the
rustling leaves were the rustiinc OF tne ropes
of a great crowd rising up to praise the
Lord. You thought that you knew what it
was to be we'll. but there is no perfect health
on earth. The diseases OF past generations
come down to US. The airs that float now
on the earth are unlike those which foated
above paradise. They are charged with i'm
ourities and distempers. The most elastic
and robust health of earth. compared with
that which those experience before Whom the
gates have been opened, Is nothing but SICK,
ness and emaciation. Look at that soul
standing before the throne. On earth she
was a lifelong invalid. See her step now and
hear her voice now! Catch. II you can, one
breath OF that celestial air. Health In all the
pulses! Health OF vision. Health OF spirits.
Immortal health. No racking cough, no
sharp pleurisies. no consuming fevers. no
exhausting pains, no hospitals OF wounded
men. Health swinging in the air. Health
flowing in all the streams. Health blooming
on the banks. No headaches, no sideaches,
no backaches. That child that died in the
agonies Of Group, hear her voice now ringing
IN the anthemi That old man that went
bowed down with the inflrmities OF age, see
him walk now with the step OF an immortal
athlete-forever young again! Ihat night
when the needlewoman famed away In the
garret, q wave of the heavenly air resuscitat-
ed her forever. For everlasting years, to
have neither ache nor pain nor weakness nor
fatigue. "Eye nath not seen 1t, ear hath NOT
heard it,
Iremark further that we can in this world
get no Just idea OF the splendor of heaven.
st. John tries to describe it. He says, ';The
twelve gates are twelve pearls" and that
1'tha foundations Of the walls are garnished
with all manner OF precious stones" AS we
stand looking through The telescope Of St.
John we see blaze OF amethyst and pearl
and emerald and sardonyx and chrysoprasus
and sapphire, mountain OF light, a catar-
act OF color, sea OF glass and city like the
sun.
st. John bids US look again. and we see
thrones thrones Of the prophets, thrones Of
the patriarchs thrones Of the angels thrones