The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-11
HANDWRITING ON TIE WAL
TALMAGE breaches on THE
FEAST or BEIsHAZZAR.

Beautifully Drawn Word Picture
of the Baby Ioninn Capital in the
Falling shades OF Night-A Piano.
rama of the Wild ReveI ia the
banquet Room OF the Ning-Nassa-
ere Rushes ia With a Thousand
Cleaning KNIVES.
Washington. Nov 10.-Since his coming
to Washington, Dr. Talmage's pulpit eX-
pcrience has been a remarkable one. Not
only has the church. IN which he breaches,
been filled. but The audiences have over
flowed into the adjoining streets 70 an
extent that has rendered them impassa-
bic. At to-day's services the preacher TOOK
for his subject: Handwriting on the
Wall" the text chosen being Dan. 5: 81.
In that night was Belshazzar, the kins
of the Chal5eans. slain"
Night was about to come down on Baby
lon. The shadows of her 90 towers began
10 lengthen. The Euphrates rolled on,
touched by the fiery splendors Of the seq
ting sun; and gates of brass, FURNISHED
and glittering opened and shut like doors
of flame. The hanging gardens of Baby
lon, wet with the heavy dew, began to
pour, from starlit flowers and drippias
leaf, fragrance for many miles around.
The streets and squares were lighted for
dance and froic and promenade. The
theaters and galleries OF art invited the
wealth, and pomp, and grandeur of the
city to rare entertainments. Scenes OF
riot and wassail We're mingled in every
street; and goddess mirth, and outrageous
excess and splendid wickedness came 10
the kings palace. 10 do their mighuest
deeds of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the kings
chariots, upholstered with precious cloths
from Dedan, and drawn by hre-eyed
horses from IOgarmah, that rear and
neigh in the grasp of the charioteers,
while a thousand lords dismount, and wo-
men, dressed in all the spleudors of Sy-
ran emerald, and the cOlOr-blending or
agate, and the chaSteness of coral, and
the sOmbre glory OF Tyrlan purple, and
princely embroiGeries brought from afar
by camels across the desert, ana by ships
OF Tarshish across the sea.
open wide the gates and let the guests
come in. The chamberlains and cup
bearers are all ready Hark to the rustic
of the silks, and to the carol of the music.
See the blaze Of The jewels! Lift the
banners. FIN the cups. Clap the Gym
bals. Blow the trumpets. Let the night
go by with song, ana dance, and ovation:
and let that BaDylonish tongue be palsied
live forever
An! my friends, it was not any common
banquet 10 which these great people
came. All parts Of the earth haQ sent
their richest viands to that table. BraCl-
cts and chandeliers flashed their light
upon tankards of FURNISHED gold Fruits
ripe and luscious. in baskets Of silver,
entwined with leaves, plucked from royal
Conservatives. Vases, lnlaid with emer-
aid and ridged with exquisite tracerics,
nlled with nuts that We're threshed from
forests of distant lands. Wine brought
from the royal watts, foaming IN the de-
canters and buDbIlng in the chalices.
TUFTS of cassia and frankincense waiting
their sweetness from wall and table. Cor
geous banners unfolding in the breeze
OH he 1rrfat a.ss
witched with the perfumes of hanging
gardens. Fountains rising up from in
closures OF ivory IN jets Of crystal, 10
taN IN gathering rain of diamonds and
pearls. Statutes of mighty men looking
down from inches in the wall upon
crowns and shields brought from sub
dued empires. Idols OF wonderful work
standing on pedestals of precious stones.
Em0rolderies stopping about the win
anu drifting ON floor inlaid with
ivory and agate. Music, mingling
the thrum OF harps, and the clash of Gym
balls, and the blast of trumpets in one
wave of transport that went ripping along
the wall and breathing among the gar
lands, and pouring down the corridors and
thrilling the souls of a thousand banquet
ers. The signal is given, and the lords and
ladies, the mighty men and women of the
land, come around the table. Pour out
lne vine. Let foam and bubble kiss the
rim! Hoist every one his cup and dring
10 the sentiment: 20 King Belshazzer
live foreVer!" Bestarred head-band and
lifted chalices, as again, and again, and
again they are empued. Away with care
from the palace! Tear royal dignity to
talters. -Four out more wine! Give us
more light, wilder music, sweeter perfume,
Lord shouts to lord, captain ogles to cap
tain. Goblets clash decanters rattle
There come in the obscene song. and the
drunken hiccough, and the slaVering lin
ana the gufaW of idiotic laughter burst
ing from the lips of princes. flushed, reel
Ing bloodshot; while minging with il all
! hear "Huzza! huzza! for great Belshaz-
What is that on the plastering of the
wall? Is il a spirit Is it a phantom? is
II GodE The music stops The goblets
ran from the nerveless grasp. There is a
thrill. There is a start. There is a thou
sand-voiced Shrek of horror Let Daniel
be brought in to read that writing. He
comes in. He reads it: Weighed in the
balance and found wanting"
Meanwhile the Modes, who for two years
mad been laying siege to that city, took
sdNant2ge Of that carousal and came in.
i near the 1eet OF the COnquerOrs on the
palace-stairs. Massacre rushes in with a
thousand cleaning knives. Death bursts
upon the scene: and 1 shut the door of
th2t panquetlng hall, for / do not want
70 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
tumbled carcass of a dead king. For "in
that night was Belshazzar, the king of
the Chaldeans, slain"
go on to learn some lessons from all
thus. l learn that when God writes any
thing on the wall, a man had better read it
as u IS. Daniel did not misinterpret or
modify the handwriting on the wall 1t
Is all foolishness to EXPECT minister of
the gospel TO preach always things that
the people like, or the people choose.
Young men Of Washington, what shall 7
preach 10 you tonight? Shall l tell you of
the dignity of human nature? Shall / tell
you of the wonders that our race has ac-
compished2 ''Oh, no" you say; tell me
the message that came from God" / Will
II there is any handwriting on the wall, it
Is this lesson Repent! Accept of Christ
ana be savedH' | might talk of a great
many other things; but that is the mes
sage, and so declare it. Jesus never fat
tered those to whom he preached He said
10 those who did wrong, and who were Of
fensive in his sight. I'VE generation of
vipers! ye whited sepulchers! how can We
escape the damnation of hellr' Paul the
Apostle preached before a man who was
not ready to hear him preach. What sub
jest aid he take? Did he say, "Oh! YOU
are a good man, a very fine man very
noble mGn?' No; he preached of right
eousness to a man who was unrighteOus.
OF temperance TO man who was a victim
OF bad appetites; of the judgment to
come TO a who was