The record-union., 1899-10-15
THE FEAST OF
BELSHAZZAR.
A Sermon by Daniel, From Text on
the Wall, on 1.-The Genuine
Man."

by Dr. Charles Van Norden:
The feast was spread in Babylon, the
ancient metropolis of Asia, at once the
! London and the Paris of the age. the
mart of commerce and the seat of lux
ury, art and science, whose circumfer
| ence measured sixty miles, whose walls
| rose to heaven in such colossal pro-
portions that they seemed like ranges
| Of hills-a province rather than a city,
laid out in broad avenues, with houses
of two and three stories painted every
hue Of the rainbow and embowered in
gardens; a palace whose inclosure
measured seven miles about, surmount-
ed it's own luxurious groves, magniti-
cent in proportions and impressive in
symbolical architecture; a colossal
temple, as large as the greatest of the
pyramids, and even higher lowered To-
ward the skies; artificial mountains,
immense erected heaps of masonry and
earth. rising out of the plain afforded
! lofty air for trees from the north and
varied the dead monotony of the plain
Of Chaldea. Chariots drawn by swift
horses and driven by gayly robed
drivers coursed through the avenues
under rows of nodding palms, and the
streets were forever lively with throng
| ing multitudeS, gay dress, brilliant
cavalcades and the march of Oriental
soldiery. In Babylon was enormous
wealth and the very fine art of luxury.
Music hourished and instruments were
numerous and of many kinds. Paintings
not to be despised covered the walls Of
palaces with NEUROLOGICAL and histor-
/ q
BILE of stupendous and of graceful erec-
! tions.
In Babylon were laid the foundations
of the sciences. Already for hundreds
of years her savants had correctly cal
culated eclipses. They had noted with
exactitude the rising and setting of
stars. With them originated the
| twelve signs of the zodiac and the
twelve hours of day and night. A great
| body of scientists existed called Chal-
! deans, or Magi, who were star gaZers,
astrologers and interpreters of dreams,
and who originated astronomy and
chemistry.
| Everything was plentiful in Babylon
at that time, saving only men.
Against this brilliant background
/
else was gorgeous vanity
The story of BelshaZzars feast was
a drama in three acts.
| First, the splendid banquet, the
painted hail. a dream of architecture,
| sculpture and outlined forms. the Law
ish board loaded with dainties priceless
/ in cost, the thousand lords in scarlet,
in fine linen and in gold, the ladies OF
the royal household and from princely
| homes in gorgeous apparel and with
! that shameful license of attitude and
manner for which the women
of Babylon were notorious, and
! the King of Belshazzar on his
throne of glory. An hour Of aban-
don the enemy laundering al the gates,
and the King, the Princes and the
Captains reve1ing within, secure be-
hind their mountainous walls, the bold
mountaineers of Cyrus creeping along
| the river channel with bated breath
and thirsty sword, and the lords OF
Babylon drinking to the gods Of gold,
of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and
of stone All the evils that like "a
cancer were eating into the State and
| diseasing the body polite We're here
in loathsome presence-brutal supersu-
| ton, prostitution of womanhood, faith
| lessness to trusts and rampant VI
| ciousness. The feast was an 1epitome
| of the causes of Babylon's overthrow.
AS they profane the sacred vessels
| of Jehovah, captured at Jerusalem, in
| impious wassail. 10! suddenly a change
| of scene-the hand and the writing on
! the wall, and pale faces and trembling
knees. The King may call for wise
men and may promise untold treasures
/ and privileges for him who shall dis
| Germ the meaning of so grewsome
| portend, but though the Interpretation
/ is simple no one in Babylon has in
/ sight to discern it.
No one but Daniel, Gods Judge, as
| his name means.
| Athwart the now sobered scene OF
revelry comes the simple figure of an
aged man, with that inexorable face
of truthfulness and with that pointed
! finger of judgment we'll known of old
in Babylon. AS Moses before the wor-
| shippers of the golden calf, as Samuel
before Saul at Gilgal, as Nathan be-
| fore David in Jerusalem, as Elijah be-
| fore Ahab at Carmel, so Daniel, Judge
| of God, faced Babylon and it's folly in
! Interpretation of Jehovahs law and in
| pronouncement of His sentence. To
Babylon's superstition, unchastity,
faithlessness and license he stood
| Gods servant, pure, true, self-ruled.
! What a contrast! They needed gems
and robes and insignia of power to
make them seem great; he needed only
! that face Of wisdom and honesty, only
! that uplifted finger to make him not
only great, but terrible. And King
| and Princes and fine ladies and a thou
sand lords cover before his simple
presence. He cares not for the Kings
favor, nor fears his wrath. He must
| speak the truth A civilization is to
receive it's sentence, shameful scene
of license is to be rebuked, profana-
! ton of holy things to be punished, Il
| doom is to be pronounced.
Let they gifts be to thyself, and
give thy rewards to another. Num-
bered, numbered weighed, divided.
| God hath numbered thy kingdom and
| finished it. Thou art weighed in the
balances and found wanting. Thy
kingdom is divided and given to the
Medes and the Persians!"
| In that night, we are told, was Bel
shazzar. the King of the Chaldeans,
! slain.
! And the whole splendid drama dis
solved in tears and blood, and Babylon
! became a memory. The very site of
! the great city is now problem and
to-day the story has become theme