Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-01-25
REV. DR. TALNAGE
The Eminent Brooklyn Divine'S Sun
day Sermon.
Subject: "Ceylon, the Isle of Palms"

DuDJOcts 'OoJAObb SAAO AoAO Va l. AAAASs
TEXT: "The ships of Tarshlsh first. lisa
tah k, 8.
The Tarshish of myte by many common
tators Is supposed to be the island of Cey-
Ion, upon which the seventh sermon of the
round the world series lands US. Ceylon
was called by the Romans Tapobrane. John
Milton called it Golden Chersonese. Mod
ems have called Ceylon ''the isle OF palms,
''the isle OF flowers" "the pearl drop on the
brow OF India" 'the isle of jewels" "the
island OF spice" "the show place OF the uni.
verse;" "the land of byacinth and ruby"
In my eyes, for scenery, 1t appeared to be a
mixture of Yosemite and Yellowstone Park,
All Christian people want to know more OF
Ceylon, for they have long while been con-
tributing for its evangelization. AS our ship
from Australia approached this island there
lowered over 1t clouds thick and black as the
Buperstitions which have lowered here for
centuries, but the morning sun was breaking
through like the gospel light which is to scat
Der the last cloud of moral gloom. The sea
lay along the coast calm as the eternal pur-
poses OF God toward all islands and con-
ilnents. We swing into the harbor o! Colon.
DO, which is made by breakwater built at
vast expense. AS we foated into 1t the
water is black with boats of all sizes ard
manned by people of all colors, but chiefly
Tamils tad Cingalese.
There are two things | want most to see
| on this island: A heather temple with its
| devotees in idolatrous wof,hip and an audi
| ence of Cingalese addressed by a Christian
| missionary. The entomologst may have his
capture OF brilliant insects, and the sports
man his tent adorned with antler Of red deer
and tooth of wild boar, and the painter his
| portfolio OF gorge 5000 feet down and OF days
dying on evening pillows OF purple cloud
| etched with fire. and the botanst his camp
| full of orchids an crowfoots and gentians
and valerian and lotus. l want most to find
out the moral and religious tr umphs. how
many wounds have been healed, how many
sorrows comforted, how many entombed
| nations resurrected. Sir William Baker, the
] famous explorer and geographer, did wei
| for Cey.on after his eight years residence in
| this island. and Professor Ernst Heckel, the
| professor from Jena ,sdid well when he swept
| these waters and rummaged these bill and
| took homo for future inspection the insects
| OF this tropical air. And forever honored he
| such work, but let all that is sweet in rhythm
and graphic on canvas and imposing in moEs
ument AMI immortal in memory be brought
| 10 tell the deeds Of those who were heroes
and heroines for C1rists sake.
Many scholars have supposed that this ISL
and of Ceylon was the original garIen OF
Eden where the snake first appeared on rep
| lillian mission. There are reasons Tor belief
that this was the site where the first home
stead was opened and destroyed. 1t is so
near the equator that there arc not more
than twelve degrees OF Fahrenheit differ
ence all the year round. Perpetual foliage,
perpetual fruit and all styles Of animal life
prosper. What luxuriance and abundance
and superabundance of life! What styles OF
plumage do not the birds sport What styles
| of scale do not the fishes reveal What
styles of song do not the groves have in their
| libretto!
Here on the roadside AMI clear out on the
| beach of the sea stands the cocoanut tres
saying: "TalIe my leaves for shade. Take
the juice OF my fruit for delectab!e drink.
Take my saccharine for sugar. Take my
fiber for the cordage of your ships. Take my
oil to kindle your lamps. Take my wood 10
fashion your cups and pitchers. Take my
leaves 10 thatch your roofs. Take my
smooth surface on which to print your books.
Take my 30,0000 600 trees covering 800, 900
acres and with the expectation enrich the
world. will wave in your fans and spread
abroad in your umbrellas. will vibrate in
your musical instruments. L will be the
scrubbing brushes on your floors.
Here also stands the palm tree saying
|
fed your ancestors $50 years ago, and with
these same arms will feed your descend
ants $50 years from now. l defy the cen-
! turtles !"
Here also stands the nutmeg tree saying
81 am ready to spice your beverages and en-
rich your buildings and with my sweet dust
make insipid things palatable."
Here also stands the coffee plant saying
"With the liquid boiled from my berry
stimulate the nations morning by morning.
Here also stands the tea plant saying
"With the liquid boiled from my leaf
soothe the worlds nerves and stimulate the
worlds conversation evening by evening.
Here stands the clnchona saying: IL an
the foe Of malaria. In all climates my bit
terness Is the slaughter of fevers."
What miracles OF productiveness on these
Islands Enough sugar to sweeten all the
worlds beverages, enough bananas to pic
all the worlds fruit baskets, enough rice to
mix all the worlds buildings, enough cocoa
nut to powder all the worlds cakes, enough
flowers to garland all the worlds beauty.
But in the evening, riding through Gin
namon grove, 1 first tasted the leaves and
bark OF that condment so valuable and
delicate that transported on ships the aroma
of the cinnamon is dispelled il placed near a
rival bark. OF such great value Is the Gin
pamon shrub that years ago those who in-
jured 1t in Ceylon were put to death. But
that which once was jungle OF cinnamon
is'noW park OF gentlemen's residences. The
long, white dwelling houses are bounded
with this shrub, and ali other styles Of growth
congregated there make botanical garden.
Doves called cinnamon doves hop among
the branches, and crows, more POLITICALLY
styled ravens, which never could sing, but
think they can, fly across the roa1 giving
| full ~ fhair I'd v-hf
learned their chanting under the very caves
Of heaven overpower all with their grand
march of the tropics. The hibiscus dapples
the scene with its scarlet clusters. All shades
! of brown and emerald and saffron and brill
lance melons, lines, magnosteens, custart
apples, guavas, pineappes, jasmine so lader
with aroma they have to hold fast to thu
wall, and begonias, gIorlosas on fire an(
orchids so delicate other lands must keeI
them under conservatory, but here defiant
of all weather, and flowers more or less akir
TO azaleas and honeysuckles and foxes an(
fuchsias and chrysanthemums and rhode
dendrons and foxgloves and pansies whict
dye the plains and mountalLs of Ceylon will
heaven.
The evening hour 51rns incense OF all
styles of aromatlcs. Ths convolvnlus, blue
as If the sky hal fallen, and butterflies
spangling the air, and arms OF trees sleGved
with blossoms. and rocks upholstered o.
moss, commingling sounds and sights and
odors until eye and ear and nostrils vie with
each other as to which sense shall open The
door to the most enchantment. A struggle
between music and perfume and iridescence
Oleanders Keeling in intoxication OF color.
Great banyan trees that have been changing
their minds for centuries, each century car
rying out a new plan OF growth, attractea
our attention and saw us pass in the year o
1894 as they saw pass the generations oil
1884 and 1894. Colombo is so thoroughly