Connecticut western news., 1897-01-14
SONG OF DRUNKARDs,
DR. TAlMAGE'S GALL TO REFoRMA- TON FROM olsslPATeo HABITS.

0OANN OA oASO ANAA<hAN pR. TAlMAeE's GALL TO RsFoRMA-
 TON FROM DlsslPATe0 HABITS The UnfAir Enemies of David-old Music
 of the Church-A Song That Is the Coat
 liest Song on Earth-The Low Note of
 Bssottedness-
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-This dis course of Dr. Talmage is from most unusual standpoint, an arousing call to reformation from dissipated habits. and must do wide good. The text was Palms lxix. 12, "I was the song of the drunkardR
 Who said thata Was it David, or was 1t Christi It was both. These Messianic Psalms are like a telescope. Pull the instrument to certain range, and it shows you an object near by. Pull it to another range. and it will skew you ob- jects far away. David and Christ were both, each in his own time, the song of euC aEuSk 6Oiluccs Ol NOOtkiuC nuu life always did excite wicked merri- ment Although David had fully re- formed and written psalmody in which all subsequent ages have sobbed out their penitence, his enemies pre- ferred to fetch up his old career and put into metric measures sins long before forgiven. Christ, who committed no sin, was still more the subject of unholy song, because the better one is the more iniquity bates him. Of the best being whose voice ever moved the air or whose foot ever touched the earth, it might be said:
 The byword of the passing throng,
 The ruler's scoff, the drunkard's song.
 The earth fitted up for the human race, in congratulation the morning starr sang a song. The Israelitish army safe on the bank of the Red sea and the Egyptians clear under the returned wa ter, Noses sang a song One of the most important parts of this great old Book is Solomon's song. At the birth of our Lord the Virgin Mary and old Simeon and angelic prima donnas in lowering clouds sang song.
 Ballad of the Inebriate.
 What enrichment has been given to the worlds literature and enjoyment by the ballads, the cantioles. the dis cants. the ditties. the ioundelays, the epics. the lyrics, the dithyrambsl But my text calls attention to a style of song that I think has never been dis coursed upon. You sometimes hear this style of music when passing saloon or . residence in which dissipation is ascendant, or after you have retired at night you hear it coming out of the street from those who, having tarried long at their cups, are on their way home-the ballad of the inebriate, the my text calls the song of the drunk ards.
 For practical and saving and warn- ing and Christian purposes will an- nounce to you the characteristics of that we'll known cadence mentioned in my text First remark that the song of the drunkards is an old song. Much of the music of the world and of the church ia old music. First came the music of percussion, the clapping cym- bal, which was suggested by hammer on an anvil. and then the signing of the wind across the reeds suggested the flute, and then the strained sinews of the tortoise across its shell suggested the harp But far back of that, and nearly back as far as the moral collapse of our first parentage, is the song of the drunkards. That tune was sung at least 1. 24S years ago, when, the deluge past, Noah came out of the ark, and as if disgusted with too much prevalence of water he took to strong drink and stag gered forth, for all ages the first known drunkard. He sounded the first note of the old music of inebriety. An Arab author of A. D. 1910 wrote, "Noah. being come out of the ark. ordered each of his sons to build house.
 The Devil's vine.
 Afterward they were occupied in sow ing and in planting trees, the pippins and fruits of which they had found in the ark. The vine alone was wanting, and they could not discover it. Gabriel then informed them that the devil had desired it. and indeed had some right to it. Hereupon Noah summoned him to appear in the field and said to him: "Oh, accursedi Why hast thou carried away the vine from mel" "Because, replied the devil. it belonged to me. ''Shall part it for you?' said Gabriel. "I consent" said Noah, ''and will leave him fourth. :" "That is not suffi- cient for him." said Gabriel. "Well, will take half. replied Noah, land he shall take the other" ''That is not sufficient yet." responded Gabriel. "He must have two-thirds and thou one, and when thy wine shall have boiled on the fire until two-thirds are gone the re- mainder shall be assigned for thy use. !" A fable that illustrates how the vine has been misappropriated.
 Benhadad and s2 allied kings, riot ing in a pavilion. took up the same bacchanaL Nabal was rendering that drunkards' song when his wife. beauti- ful Abigail. came back from her expe- dition to save her husband. Herod was singing that song when the daughter of Herodias whirled in the dance before him. Belshazzar and thousand lords renewed that song the night the band writing came out on the plastering of the wall and the tramp of the besieging host was heard on the palace stairs. Ahasuerus sang that song when, after seven days of carousal, he ordered Vashti to come into the presence of the rearing guests without her veil on-a January story trying to command a June morning. Oh, yesi The song of the drunkards is an old song. King Cy- rus boasted that he could drink more wine than his brother. Drunkenness was so rife among the Laced@monians that Lycurgus had all the vines of the vineyards destroyed. Paul excoriates the Corinthians for turning the com munion of the Lords Supper at church into . carousal. Isaiah mentions the