Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-07-10

Glowing Word Pictures as to Womans
Misfortunes and Her Final Reward-A
Sermon For the Rachels, and the Debo-
rahs, ans the Abgails.
WASHINGTON. July >. In his sermon
today. starting from a brilliant Bible
scene. DR.. Talmage discourscs upon
womm's opportunities and the wrongs
she sometimes suffers His tcxtwas Is
ther i. II, -: "To bring Nashti the
ou.en before the king with the crown
roval to show the people and the princes
her beauty, for she was fair TO look on
But the queen Vashti refused TO come
at the kings commandment by his
chamberlains; therefore was the king
very wroth, and his anger burned III
him.
Scene In the Palace.
We stand amid the palaces Of Shu-
shan. The pinnaclcs are aiame with the
morning light. The columns rise fes-
tooued and wreathcd, the wealth Of en-
pires flashing from the grooves, the cell
ings adorned with images Of bird and
beast and scenes of prowess and con-
ouest The walls are hung with shields
and emblazonod until it seems that the
whole round Of splendors Is exhausted.
Each arch is mighty leap Of archltec-
tural achievement Golden stars shin-
ing down on glowing arabesque. Hang
iugs Of embroidered work Ill which
minrle the bluencss Of the sky, the
greenness Of the grass and the whiteness
Of the sea foam. Tapestries hung on sill
vpr rings. wedding together the pillars
Of marble. Pavilions reaching out III
every direction. These for rcpose, filed
with luxuriant couches, into which
weary limbs sink until all fatigue Is
submerged. These for carousal, where
Kings drink down a kingdom at one
swallow. Amazing spectaclel Light Of
silver dripping down over stairs ot ivory
ON shields Of gold Floors Of stained
marble. sunset red and night black and
inlaid with cleaning pearl Why 1t
seems as if heavenly vision OF anne
thyst and jacinth and topaz and chryso-
nrasns had descended and alighted upon
Sbusban. 1t seems as if billow OF &C.
lestial glory had dashed clear over heay-
ems battlements upon this metropolis oi
Persia
In connection with this palace there
is garden where the mighty men oi
foreign lands are seated at banquet.
Under the spread Of oak and linden and
acacia the tables are arranged Ihe
breath of honeysuckle and frankincensC
fills the air. Fountains leap up into the
Ioht. the spray struck through with
rainbows falling in crystalline baptism
unon Towering shrubs, then rolling
down through channels Of marble anc
widening out here and there into pools
swirling with the fnny tribes OF foreign
aouariums, bordered with scarlet anem
ones, hypericums and many coloreo
ranunculus Meats Of rarest bird ano
beast smoking up amid wreaths o.
aromatics The vases filed with aprl
cots and almonds The baskets piled III
| with nDIltOAS anu AtthN'
oranges and pomegranates. Meloh
tastefullv twined with leaves Of acacia
Tho bright waters Of Eul@us filling tn
urns and sweating outside the RIM i
flashing beads amid the traceries VIM
from the royal watts Of Ispahan an'
shiraz. in bottles Of tinged shell, ant
lly shaped cups of silver and fiagon
and tankards Of solid gold. The musi
rises higher, and the revelry breaks Gu
into wilder transport, and the wine ha
! flushed tho cheek and touched the brain
and louder than all other'yoices are tn
hiccough of the inebriates, the gabbl
of fools and the song of the drunkards.
vashtrs Refusal.
In another part Of the palace Quee
, Vashti is entertaining the princesses
Persia at a banquet. Drunken Ahasu'
rus says to his servants, "You go ou
and fetch Vashti from that banquet wit
: the women, and bring her to this bar
! quet with the men, and let me dlspla