The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-11-14
REV. DIR. TAIMAGE
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE ny THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: "HandwrIting on the wall. 4"

Ngnl was aDout 10 come down on Baby
Ion. The shadows Of her $50 towers began
TO lengthen. The Euphrates rolled on.
touched by the fiery splendors of the setting
sun. and gates OF brass, burnished and gilt
tering, opened and shut like doors Of flame
The hanging gardens OF Babylon. wet with
the heavy dew, began TO pour from starit
flowers and dripping leaf fragrance for
many miles around. The streets and squares
were lighted for dance and frolic and prom
enade. The theaters and galleries OF art
invited the wealth and pomp and grandeur
OF the city to rare entertainments. Scenes
OF riot and wassail were mingled In every
street, and goddess mirth and outrageous
excess and splendid wickedncss came to the
kings palace TO do their mightiest deeds OF
darkness.
royal feast tonight at the kings palace,
Rushing up TO the gates are 'charlo,s, uphol-
stored with precious cloths from Dedan. and
drawn ny fire eyed horses from Togarmah.
that rear aud neigh In the grasp OF the char
ioteers, while thousand lords dismount.
and women, dressed in all the splendors OF
Syrian emerald. aud the color blending of
agate, and the chastoness of coral, and the
somber glory OF Tyrian purple and princelv
embroideries, brought from afar by camels
across the desert and by ships Of Tarshish
across the sea.
Open wide the gates and let the guests
come In. The chamberlains aud cupbenrers
are all ready. Hark TO the rustic Of the silks
and to the carol ofthe musicl Ses the blaze
OF the jewels! Liz the banners. Fill the
cups. Clap the cymbals. Blow the trum-
pets Let the night 60 by with song and
dance and ovation. and let that Babylonish
tongue be palsied that will not say, 80 King
Delshazzar. live forever,'
All. my friends. Il was not any common
banquet to which these great people camel
All parts Of the earth had sent their richest
viands 10 that table. Brackets aud chande-
lipra naghp1 thnir lfyhI =
furnished gold. Fruits. ripe and luscious.
In baskets OF silver, entwined with leaves.
plucked from royal conservatories Vases
inlaid with emerald and rldged with ex-
quisite tracerles, filled with nuts that were
threshed from forests OF distant lands.
Wine brought from the royai watts. foam
ing in the decanters aud bubbling In the
chalices. TUFTS OF cassia and frankincense
waiting their sweetness from wall and table
Gorgeous banners unfolding in the breeze
that came 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 CHATTER
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 and
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 rippling along the wall and
breathing among the garlands and pouring
down the corridors, and thrilling the souls
ofa thousand banqueters.
The signal is given. and the lords and Ia.
dies, the mighty men and women OF tho
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. 30 King Belschazzar. live for
ever" Bestarred head band aud carcanet
OF royal beauty CLEAN to the up
lifted chalices, ms agala-- aga again,
and again they are emptied, Away
with care from the palace! Tear roynl
dignity to tatters! Pour out more
wine! Give ms more light. wilder music.
sweeter perfume! Lord shouts to lord, cap
tain ogles TO captain. Gobets clash; de-
canters rattle. There come In the obscene
song, and the drunken hiccough, and the
slavering lip. and the guffaw ofidiotic laugh
ter, bursting from the lips OF princes flushed.
reeling, b!oodshot. while mingling with il
all hear, "Huzza, huzza, for great Bel
shazZar.'
What is that on the plasterinc Of the wall?
Is 1t n spiriH Is IL phantom? Is IL God?
The music stops. The gobets ia!l from the
nerveless grasp. There Is thrill. There is
n 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 Medes, who for two years
had been laying siege TO that city, took ad-
vantage OF that carousal and came In,
hear the feet OF the conquerors on the palace
stairs. Massacre rushes In with thousand
cleaning knives. Death bursts upon the
scene, and shut the door of that BANQUET
IN oil fOr I do . 30 Loo 4
nothing there but torn banners, and broken
wreaths, and. the slush OF upset tankaris
and the blood of murdered women and the
kicked and tumblei carcass OF dead king
For "in that night was Peshazzar, tho king
Of the ChaldeaDs, slain"
go on 70 learl some lessons from all this.
learn that when God writes anything on
the Ynll man had better read Il as il is,
PANEL did not misinterpret or modify the
handwriting on the wall. It Is All foolish.
ness to expect minister of the gospel 10
iss people efo5N: Young sS Rpin men aN' OF OF
@ TssSiSs!Ta; Hs2ni what ,,f ffpaII T., preach e
hS tell dsn5Y the OF v5sas 5s that atsss Shall s5.
htcoMilished2 "oh, no." you say. Tel
me the message that came from God" I
will. II there is any handwriting On the
wall. it Is this lesson; "Repentl Accept of
Christ and be saved!' / might ask OF a
great many other things, but that is the mes
sage, and so l declare 1t. Jesus never Fat
tered those TO whom He preached. He said
TO those who did wrong aud who were often.
sive In His sight: "Ye generation OF vipers.
Ye whi,ed sepulchers! How can ye es-
cape the damnaiion OF hell" Paul the
apostle preached before pan who was not
ready 20 hear him preach. What subject
did he take? Did he say; "oh, you are a
good man, a. very fine man, very noble
NAM" No. He preached OF Righteousness
tSh man who was unrighteous, OF temper
ance to man who was victim OF bad ap-
petites, OF the judgment to come to man
, who was UNFIT forit. SO we must always de-
Clare the message that happens to come to
us. Daniel must read II as II Is. A minis..s,
preached before james r England, Who
Yas James VI. o. scotland. What lnb;Set.
Did he take. rha king was noted all dyer
tsss,wufTd for being unsettled md, wxSerise
ih his id9E. What didltd mt6lstsr preach
abeatl5 this man who asSSnes I. Of Eng
IAr.1 and James vi. 0ir Scotland? He took
SSr hte' fnxt lanes l.. @. HHy that wavarat IA