The free press., 1895-11-28
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THIS EMINENT DIvINE's SUNDAY
SERMON
Subject: "Handwriting on the Wall" "


lon. 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, FURNISHED and gilt
tering, opened and shut like doors of flame
The hanging gardens of Babylon, wet with
the heavy dew, began to pour from starlit
flowers and dripping leaf a fragrance foi
many miles around. The streets and squares
We're lighted for dance and frolic and prom
enade. The theaters and galleries of art
invited the wealth and pomp and gran leur
of the city TO rare entertainments. Scenes
of riot and wassail were mingled in every
street, and goddess mirth and outrageous
excess and s'plendid wickedness 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 chariots, uphol-
stored with precious cloths from Dedan, and
drawn by fire eyed horses from Togarmah,
that rear and neigh in the grasp Of the char
ioteers, while a thousand lords dismount.
and women, dressed in a | the spendors OF
Syrian emerald. and the color blending of
agate, and the chasteness of coral. and the
somber glory of Tyrian purple and princely
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 and cupbearerS
are all ready. Harl, to the rustic OF the silks,
and to the carol of the musicl Sea the blaze
of the jewels! Lift the banners. Fill the
cups. Clap the cymbals. Blow the trum-
pets. Let the night go by with song and
dance and ovation and let that BabylOnish
tongue be palsied that will not say, SO King
Belshazzar live foreverr'
Ah. my friends. it was not any common
banquet to which these great people came!
All parts of the earth had sent their richest
x,;o H., %o@ hat tal -a+, Iaba,, ia
liers flashed their light upon tankards of
furnished gold. Fruits, ripe and luscious,
in baskets of silver, entwined with leaves,
plucked from royal conservatories. Vases,
inlaid with emerald and ridged with ex-
quisite traceres, filled with nuts that were
threshed from forests of distant lands.
Wine brought from the royal watts, foam
ing in the decanters and bubbling in the
chalices. TUFTS of cassa 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 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 and
drifting on floor inlaid with ivory and ag-
ate. Music, minging 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 a 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
so King Belschazzar, live for
ever!' Bestarred head band aud carcanet
OF royal beauty CLEAN to the up
lifted cbalices, as again, and again,
and again they are emptied, Away
with care from the palace! Tear royal
dignity to tatters! Pour out more
wine! Give us more light, wilder music,
sweeter perfume! Lord shouts TO lord, cap
tain ogles to captain. Goblets 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, bloodshot. while mingling with it
all I hear, "Huzza, huzza, for great Bel
shazzar!'
What is that on the plastering of the wall?
Is it spirit? Is it phantom? Is it Godf
The music stops. The goblets fail from the
nerveless grasp. There is a thrill. There is
u start. There is a thousand 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 want
ing"
Meanwhile the Medes, who for two years
had been laying siege to that city, took ad-
vantage of that carOusal aud came in.s I
hear the feet of the conquerors on the palace
stairs. Massacre rushes in with thousand
cleaning knives. Death bursts upon Tho
scene, and l shut the door OF that banquet
ing hail. for do not want to look. There is
nothing there but torn banners. ana broken
wreaths, and the slush of upset tankarjs,
and the blood of murdered women. ana the
kicked and tumbled carcass OF dead king.
For Sin that night was Belshazzar, tho king
of the Chaldeans. slain"
90 on to learn some lessons from all this.
l learn that when God writes anything on
the wall man had better read it 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 TO
preach always things that the people like or
rne people choose. Young men OF
Washington. what shall 1 preach to
YOU to-nighl? Shall L tell you of
the dignity of human nature? Shall
tell you of the wonders that our race has
accomplished? "Oh, no. you say. Tell
me the message that came from God"
will If 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 declare it. Jesus never Fat
tered those to whom He preached. He said
to those who did wrong and who were often
sive in His sight: Eye generation of viper;
Ye whited sepulchers! How can ye es
cape the damnation OF hell" Paul the
apostle preached before n man who was mo-
ready to hear him preach. What subiec'
did he take? Did he say; "0h, you ara q
good man, very fine man, very noble
MANI" Nc. He preached OF righteousness
to a man who was unrighteous. OF temper
ance to man who was victim OF bad ap
petites, of the judgment to co~le 20 MAJ
who was unfit forit. SO we must always de
clare the message that happens TO come II
u.s. Daniel must read it as it is. A mtniste
preached before James l. OF England. Wh
was james VI. of Scotland. What subjec
did he take? The king was noted all owe
the world for being unsettled and waverin,
IN his ideas What did the minister prea:l
about to this mau who was James l. OF EnS
land and james VI. OF Scotland? He roo
for his Sexu James j., G: ''Hs tha. waveret
is like =. wave o. the sea driven with III
wind and tossed" Hugh Latimer often ie
the king by sermon ne preached, ani IN
king said. Hugh Latimer. come an
apologize" II will" said Hugh Lati