The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-02-11
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
The Astounding Grace of Christ and
His Sacrifices
What He Surrendered to Become tho
Saviour OF Mauklnd-We Can Never
Fully Appreciate His self
AbncgatiOn.


ing His sermon was based on the
text:
Ye know the grace Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that, though He was rich, yet for your sakeS
He became poor.--IL Corinthians, vii.,e.
That all the worlds which on a cold
winters night make the Heavens one
great glitter are without inha bitants
is an absurdty. Scientists tell us that
many of these worlds are too hot or
cold or too raretied Of atmosphere for
residence But, if not fit for human
abode, they may be fit for beings diff
ferent from and superior to ourselves.
We are told that the world of Jupiter
is changing and becoming fit for crea-
lures like the human race, and that
Mars would do for the human family
with little change in the structure of
our respiratory organs. But that there
is great world swung somewhere,
vast beyond imagination, and that. it
is the headquarters of the universe,
and the metropolis of immensely, and
has population in numbers vast be-
yond all statistics, and appointments
of splendor beyond the capacity of
canvas or poem or angel to describe, is
as certain us the Bible is authe ntic.
Perhaps some Of the astronomers with
their big telescopes have already
caught glimpse of it, not knowing
what it is. We spell it with six let
| tiers and pronounce it Heaven.
That is where Prince Jesus lived
nineteen centuries ago. He was the
| King son. 1t was the old homestead
| of eternity, and all its castles We're as
| old as God. No frost has ever chilled
| the air. Not tear had ever rolled
| down the cheek of one of its inhablt
ants. There had never been a head
ache, or suicide, or heartache.
| There had not been a funeral in the
| memory OF the oldest inha bitant.
There had never in all the land woven
a black veil, for there had never been
anything to mourn over. The passage
of millions of years had not wrinkled
or crippled or bedimmed any of it's cit
liens. All the people there were in a
state of eternal adolescence. What
floral and pomonic richness. Gardens
amending fruitage. Had some spirit
from another world entered and asked:
what is sin? What is bereavement?
| What is sorrow? What is death?' the
brightest of the intelligences would
have failed to give definition, though
to study the question there was silence
In Heaven for half an hour.
| The Prince of whom l speak had
honors, emoluments, acclamatlons,
such as no other prince, celestial or
terrestrial, ever enjoyed. As He
passed the street, the inha bitants took
off from their brows garlands of white
lilies and threw them in the way. He
never entered any of the temples
without ali the worshipers rising up
and bowling in obeisance. In all the
professions of the high days He was
the one who evoked the loudest well
come. sometimes on foot, walking in
loving talk with the humblest in the
land, at other times He took chariot,
and among the &c, 900 that the Psalmist
spoke of He was the swiftest and most
flaming; or, as when st. ohm described
Him, He took white palfrey with what
prance of foot. and arch of neck, and
roll of name, and CLEAN of eye, is
only dimly suggested in the Apo
calypso. He was not like other princes
waiting for the father to die and then
take the throne. When years ago an
artist in Germany made a picture for
the royal gallery representing the
Emperor William on the throne, and
the crown prince as having one foot
on the step of the throne, the Emperor
| 10 nd ;ot, ohn
and said: Let tho prince keep his
foot off the throne till l leave it,"
Already enthroned was the Heaven
ly Prince side by side with the Father
What a circle of dominion! What null
titudes of admirers! What amending
round of glories! All the towers chimed
the Princes praises. OF all the inha b.
itants, from the center of the city on
over the hills and clear down to the
beach against which the ocean of i'm
mensesity rolls it's pillows, the Prince
was the acknowledged favorite. No
wonder my text says that He was
rich Set all the diamonds of the
earth in one scepter, build all the pal
aces of the earth in one Alhambra
gather all the pearls of the sea in one
diadem, put all the values of the earth
In one diadem, put all the values of the
earth in one coin, the aggregate could
not express His atfluence Yes, st. Paul
: was right. solomon had in gold $780,
OO,O00, and in silver 81 ,O29, 377 900.
But IA greater than Solomon is here.
: Not the millionaire, but the owner
. of all things TO describe His &C.
lestial surroundings, the Bible uses all
colors, gathering them in rainbow
over the throne and setting them as
agate in the temple window, and hoist
ing IL of them into the wall, from
striped jasper at the base to transpar.
ent amethyst in the capstone. while
between are green of emerald, and
snow OF pearl, and blue of sapphire
aud yellow of topaz, gray of chryso
praise, and fame of jacinth. All the
lovliness of landscape in foliage, and
river, and rill, and all enchantment
aquamarine, the sea Of glass mingled
with fire as when the sun sinks in the
Mediterranean. All the thrill of mu
sic, instrumental and vocal, harps
trumrets, doxologies. There stood
l -,