Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-01-25
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
SERIES OF ROUND THE WORLD
SERMONS TO THE PRESS,
Subject: "Ceylon, the Isle of Palms. -

TEXT: "The ships of Tarshish flrst."-Isa
iah TX, 9.
The Tarshsh of my text by many cornmen-
tators IS supposed to be the island of Cey-
Ion, upon which the seventh sermon of the
round the world series lands u.s. Ceylon
was called by the Romans Tapobrane John
Milton called it Golden Chersonese. Mod
erns nave called Ceyion "the isle of palms, ~
tine isle Of bowers," "the pearl droD on the
brow OF India" ''the isle of Jewels" 'the
island OF spice, 1.-THE show place of the uni
verse" "the land Of hyacnth and ruby"
IN my eyes. for scenery, it appeared to be a
mixture of Yosemite and Yellowstone Park.
Al christian people want to know more Of
Htylon, tor they have n long while been con-
trlbMtng for its evangelzation. As our ship
from Australia approached this island there
hoyered over it clouds thick and black as the
superstitiOns which have lowered hero for
centuries. but the morning sun was breaking
through like the gospel light which Is to scat.
Ter the last cloud of moral gloom, Tho sea
lay along the coast calm as the eternal pur-
poses oi God toward all islands and con-
tlnents. We swing into the harbor OF Colom-
10, which IS made by q breakwater built at
vast expense As we fioated into it the
water is black with boats of all sizes and
manned by people of all colors, but chiefly
Iamils and CingalesP.
1herc are two things ] want most to see
on this island: A heathen temple with its
deVotcea IN idctatrOus wOr>hip and an audi
ence OF Cingalesc addressed by Christian
missionary. The entOmolooist NAV have his
capture OF brilliant insects, and the sports
man his tent adorned with antler of red deer
ana tooth of wild boar, and the painter his
portfolio o? gorge 5000 feet down and of days
dying on evening pillows of purple cloud
etched with fire. and the botanst bis can,p
full of orchids ana crowfoots and gentians
q IL ITf I -
out the moral and religious tr.umphs, how
many wounds have been healed, how many
sorrows ccmfOrted, how many entombed
nations resurrected. Sir William Baker, the
famous explorer and geographer, did we'll
for Cey, on after his eight years residence In
TINS island, aud Professor Ernst Heckel the
professor from jena, ,sdid we'll when he swept
these waters and rummaged these hill 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
ana graphic on canvas and imposing1n mon
umcnt and immortal in memory be brought
to tell the deeds of those who were heroes
and heroines for Christ's sake
Many scholars have supposed that this ISL
and of CeyEon was the original garden of
Eden where the snake first appeared on rep
tiiian mission. There are reasons for belief
that this was the site where the first home
stead was opened and destroyed. It is so
near the equator that there are 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 IuXuriance and abundance
and superabundance of life! What styles of
pIumage 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
Hbretto!
Here on the roadside and clear out on the
beach of the sea stands the cocoanut tree
SAVING. EVHaka M laavnc for I>a
the juice OF my fruit for delectable drink
Take my saccharine for sugar. TakA my
fiber for the cordage of your ships. Take my
oil to kindle your lamps. Take my wood to
fashion your cups and pitchers. Take my
leaves tc thatch your roofs. Take my
smooth surface on which to print your books.
Take my 30,000,000 trees covering 500, 900
acres and with the expectation enrich the
world. will wave in your fans and spread
abroad in your umbrellas. l will vibrate in
your musical Instruments. L will be the
scrubbing brushes on your f1oors.'
Here also stands the palm tree saying :
az am at your disposal. With these arms
fed your ancestors $50 years ago, and with
these same arms | will feed your descend
ants 150 years from now. I defy the CEN
turies !"
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 instpid things palatable." "
Here also stands the coffee plant saying :
with the liquid boiled from my berry 1
stimulate the nations morning by morning"
Here also stands the tea plant saying ::
"Wth the liquid boiled from my leaf l
sOOthe the worlds nerves and stimulate the
world conversation evening by evening""
Here stands the cinchona saying: Il am
tho 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 pile
all the worlds fruit baskets, enough rice to
mix all the worlds puddings, enough cocoa
nut to powder all the worlds cakes, enough
flowers to garland all the worlds beauty.
But in the evening, riding through cin-
namOn grove, l first tasted the leaves and
bark OF that continent SO valuable and
delicate that transported on ships the aroma
OF the cinnamon is dispelled if placed near a
rival bark. OF such great value is the Gin
namon shrub that years ago those who in
jured 1t in CeylOn were put to death. But
that which once was a jungle OF cinnamon
is now park OF gentlemen's residences. The
long, white dwelling houses are bounded
with this shrub. and all other styles Of growth
congregated there make 4 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 road giving
full test of their vOcableS. Birds which
learned tnelr cndntlnS unuer the very caves
of heaven overpower all with their grand
march of the tropics. The hibiscus dapp!es
the scene with its scarlet clusters. All shades
OF brown and emerald and saffron and brill
lance melons, lines. magnOsteens, custard
apples, guavas, pineappies, jasmine so laden
with aroma they have to hold fast to the
wall, and begonias, gIoriosas on fire and
orchids so delicate other lands must keep
them under conservatory, but here defiant
of all weather, and flowers more or less akin
TO azaleas and honeysuckles and foxes and
fuchsias and chrysanthemums and rhodo-
dendrons and foxgloves and pansies which
dye the plains and mountains of Ceylon with
heaven.
The evening hour burns incense of all
styles of aromatics. The convolvulus, blue
as if the sky had fallen, and butterflies
spangling the air, and arms of trees sleeved
with blossoms. and rocks upholstered of
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 lrldescence
Oleanders reeling in intoXication of color.
Great banyan trees that have been changing
their minds for centuries, each century car
wing out new plan of growth. attracted
our attention and saw US pass in the year OF
1894 as they saw pass the generations OF
1894 and 1894. Colombo Is so thoroughly
emit owered in foliage that if you go into one
Of its towers and look down upon the city
of 13O, 900 people you cannot see house.
Oh, The trees of Ceylon! May you live to be-
hold the morning climbing down through
their branches or the evening tipping their
leaves with amber and gold! l forgive the
Buddhist for the worship of trees until they
know of the God who made the trees.
wonder not that there are some trees in Cey-
lon called sacred. To me all trees are
sacred | wonder not that before one OF
them they burn camphor flowers and hang
lamps around its branches and 100, 900 peo-
pie each year make pilgrimage to that tree;
Worship something man must, and, until
he hear OF the only Being worthy OF worship,
what so elevating as a tree! What glory en-
tbroned amid I,s foliage! What majestic
dOxU.U.y spreads out in its branches! What
a voice when the tempesls pass through It!