The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-11-15
BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST
REV. DIR. TALMAGE breaches ON THE
HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

denness of Gods Judgments--A Word of
Warning-An Echo of the Text.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10.-Since his
coming to Washington DR.. Talmage's
pulpit experience has been a remarkable
one. Not only has the church in which
he breaches been filed, but the audiences
have overfowed into the adjoining
streets to an extent that has rendered
them impossible. Similar scenes were
enacted at today's services, when the
preacher took for his subject, Gland
writing on the WALL" the text chosen
being Daniel V, 80, "In that night was
Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans,
slain''
Night was about to come down on
Babylon. The shadows of her $50 tow
ers began to lengthen. The Euphrates
rolled on, touched by the fiery splendors
of the setting sun, and gates OF brass,
FURNISHED and glittering, opened and
shut like doors of fame. The hanging
gardens of Babylon, wet with the heavy
dew, began to pour from starlit flowers
and dripping leaf a fragrance for many
miles around. The streets and squares
were lighted for dance and frolic and
promenade The theaters and galleries
of art invited the wealth and pomp and
grandeur of the city to rare entertain
ments. Scenes of riot and wassa1l were
mingled in every street, and goddess
mirth and outrageous excess and SPLEEN
did wickedness came to the kings palace
to do their mightiest deeds of darkness.
A royal feast tonight at the king s
palace Rushing up to the gates are
chariots, upholstered with precious
cloths from Dedan, and drawn by fire
eyed horses from Togarmah, that rear
and neigh in the grasp of the characters,
while thousand lords dismount, and
women, dressed in all the splendors 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.
The Guests Assemble.
Open wide the gates and let the guests
come in. The chamberlains and cup
bearers are all ready. Hank to the rustic
of the silks, and to the carol Of the
music See the blaze Of the jewels Lift
the banners. Fill the cups. Clap the
cymbals. Blow the trumpets. Let the
night 60 by with song and dance and
ovation, and let that Babylonish tongue
be palsied that will not say, 80 King
Belshazzar, live foreverp'
All, my friends, 1t was not any COM
mon banquet to which these great peo-
pie camel All parts Of the earth had
sent their richest viands to that table.
Brackets 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 inlaid
with emerald and ridged with exquisite
traceries, 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 cassia and franklin
cense waiting their sweetness from wall
and table. Gorgeous banners unfolding
in the breeze that came through the open
window, bewitched with the perfumes
of hanging gardens. Fountains rising up
from Enclosures of ivory, in jets of crys-
tai, to fall in Gathering rain of diamonds
and pearls. Statues Of mighty men look
ing 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.
Embroideries STOPPING about the win
dosys and wrapping pillars of cedar and
drifting on floor inlaid with ivory and
agate Music, mingling the thrum of
harps, and the clash of cymbals, and the
blast of trumpets in one wave of trans
port that went ripping along the wall
and breathing among the garlands and
pouring down the corridors, and thrill
ing the souls of a thousand banqueters
The signal is given, and the lords and
ladies, the mighty men and women of
the land, come around the table. Pour
out the wine. Let foam and bubble kiss
the riml Hoist every one his cup and
drink to the sentiment, 80 King Bel
shazzar, live foreverl' Bestarred head
band and carcanet of royal beauty CLEAN
to the uplifted chalices, as again, and
again, and again they are emptied.
Away with care from the palace Tear
royal dignity to tattersl Pour out more
wine Give us more light, wilder music,
sweeter perfumel Lord shouts to lord,
captain ogles to captain. Goblets clash;
decanters rattle. There come in the OBJ
scene song, and the drunken hiccough,
and the slavering lip, and the outlaw of
idiotic laughter, bursting from the lips
of princes, flushed, Keeling bloodshot,
while mingling with it all l hear,
"Huzza, huzza, for great Belshazzar ~
Seen the Wall.
What is that on the plastering of the
wall? Is it spirit? Is it a phantomf Is
it God? The music stops. The goblets
fall from the nerveless grasp. There is a
thrill. There is start. There is 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 had been laying siege to that city,
o1v of tbot carousal and