Connecticut western news., 1897-03-11
INVITED TO A FEAST.
REV. pR. TALMAGE ASKS THE WHOLE i WORLD TO ATTEND.

WORLD TO ATTEND.
 He Says Nothing Is Too Fine or Joyous
 For the Celebration of the Saving of .
 soul-It Is Sublime solace and a Mag nificent Beatitude.
 WASHINGTON, March 7.-The glad nesses of religion are set forth by Dr. Talmage in this sermon under the figure of banquet, and all the world is in- vited to be guests. The text is Luke xv, 29, Bring hither the fatted calf and kill it.
 In all ages of tho world it has been customary to celebrate joyful events by festivity. The signing of treaties, the proclamation of peace, the inauguration of presidents. the coronation of kings, the Christmas, the marriage. However much on other days of the year our ta- ble may have stinted supply, on Thanks giving day there must be something bounteons. And all the comfortable homes of Christendom have at some time celebrated joyful events by banquet and fsstivity. Something has happened on the old homestead greater than any thing that has ever happened before. A favorite son whom the world supposed would become vagabond and outlaw forever has got tired of sightseeing and has returned to his fathers house. The world said he never would come back. The o1d man always said his son would come back. He had been looking for him day after day and year after year. He knew he would come back. Now having returned to his fathers house the father proclaims celebration. There is in the paddock calf that has been kept up and fed to utmost capacity, so as to be ready for some occasion of joy that might come along. An, there never would be a grander day on the old homestead than this day Let the butch CTS do their work, and the housekeepers bring in to the table the smoking meat The musicians will take their places, and the gay groups will move mp and down the floor. All the friends and neighbors are gathered in and an extra supply Is sent out to the table of the servants. The father presides at the ta- ble and says grace, and thanks God that his long absent boy is home again. Oh, how they missed him, how glad they are to have him backl
 One brother stands pouting at the back door and says: "This is a great ado about nothing. This bad boy should have been chastised instead of greeted. Veal is too good for himi' But the father says, Nothing is too good; nothing is good enough" :" There sits the young man, glad at the hearty reception, but shadow of sorrow fitting across his brow at the remembrance of the trouble he had seen. All ready now. Let the covers lift. Music. He was dead and he is alive again! He was lost and he is foundl By such bold imagery does the Bible set forth the merrymaking when a soul comes home to God.
 Tho Greatest Rescue.
 First of all, there is the new converts joy It is no tame thing to become a Christian. The most tremendous mo- ment in mans life is when he surren- ders himself to God. The grandest time on the fathers homestead is when the boy comes back. Among the great throng who in the parlors of our church professed Christ one night was young man who next morning rang my door bell and said: "Sir, cannot contain myself with the joy feel. I came here this morning to express it. l Ihave found more joy in five minutes in serving God than in all the years of my prodigality, and came to say so." You have seen perhaps a man running for his temporal liberty and the officers of the law after him, and you saw him escape, or after ward you hear the judge had pardoned him, and how great was the glee of that rescued man; but it is very tame thing, that, compared with the running for one's everlasting life, the terrors of the law after him and Christ coming in to pardon and bless and rescue and save.
 You remember John Bunyan in his great story tells how the pilgrim put his fingers to his ears and ran, crying, Life, life, eternal Gfer' A poor car driver some time ago, after years hay ing had to struggle to support his fami- ly, suddenly was informed that large inheritance was his, and there was 8
 
 that is small thing compared with the experience of one when he has put in his hands the title deed to the joys, the raptures, the splendors of heaven, and he can truly say, "Its mansions are mine, it's temples are mine, it's songs are mine, it's God is minep' Oh, it is no tame thing to become a Christian. It is merrymaking. It is the killing of the fatted calf. 1t is jubilee. You know the Bible never compares it to a funeral, but always compares it to some thing delightful. It is moro apt to be compared to banquet than anything else. It is compared in the Bible to wa ter, bright, flashing water, to the morn ing, roseatc, fireworked, mountain trans figured morning
 wish could today take all the Bi- ble expressions about pardon, and peace, and life, and comfort, and hope, and heaven, and twist them into one gar land and put it on the brow of the humblest child of God in this assem- blaze and cry, "Wear 1t, wear it now, wear it forever, son of God, daughter of the Lord God Almighty" Oh, tht joy of the new converti Oh, the glad ness of the Christian servicel You have seen sometimes man in religious as sembly get up and give his experience We'll, Paul gave his experience. H. arose in the presence of two churches
 the church on earth and the church il heaven, and he said, "Now this is my ex perience-sorrowful yet always rejoic ing, poor, yet making many rich, hay ing nothing, yet possessing all things. If the people in this house knew tn
 joys of, the Christian religion, the.
 would sll pass over into the kingdom 0
 God the next moment. When Danie
 Sandeman was dying of cholera, his at
 tendant said, "Have you much paina' "Oh,"' he replied, "since I found tn