Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1899-08-02
THE IVORY PALACES.
Dr.. Talnage on the Glories of the
World 10 Come.

Copyright. 1899. Louis KlOpseh.l

who opens the way: text Psalms. ASS:
"All thy garments smell OF myrrh and
aloes and cassia out of the IVORY pal
aces"
Among the grand adornments Of the
city of Paris is the church of Notre
Dame. with it's great towers and elab-
crate rose windows and scupturing of
the last judgment. with the trumpet
ing angels and rising dead: it's battle
ments of quatre fold; it's sacristy. with
ribbed ceiling and statutes of saints.
But there was nothing in all that great
building which more wildly appealed
TO my plain republican tastes than the
costly vestments which Law in oaken
presses-robes that had been embroid-
cred with gold and been worn by popes
and archbishops on great occasions
There was robe that had been worn
by Plus VII. at tho browning of the
first Napoleon. There was also a vest
ment that had been worn at the bap-
tism of Napoleon III. AS orr guide
opened the oaken presses and brought
out these vestments of fabulous cost
and lifted them up the fragrance of the
puhgent aromatics in which they had
been preserved filled the place with
sweetness that was almost oppressive.
Nothing that had been done in stone
more wildly impressed me than these
things that had been done in cloth and
embroidery and perfume. But to-day
/ open tho drawer of this text, and |
look upon the kingly robes of Christ
and as l lift them, flashing with eter-
nal jewels, the whole house is filed
with the aroma of these garments
which smell of myrrh and aIoes and
cassia out of the ivory palaces"
In my text the King steps forth His
robes rustic and blaze as he advances
His pomD and power and glory over
master the spectator. More brilliant is
lie than Queen Vashti, moving amid the
Persian princes; than Marie Antoi-
nette on the day when Louis NV put
upon her the necklace of SEQ diamonds:
than Anne Boleyn the day when Henry
VIII. welcomed her to his palace-aIl
beauty and all pomp forgotten while
we stand in the presence of this inn
perial glory, King of Zion, King of
earth, King of Heaven, King forever!
His garments not worn out not dust
bedraggled, but radiant, and ieweled.
and redolent. 1t seems as if they must
have been pressed a hundred years
amid the flowers of Heaven The
wardrobes from which they have been
taken must have been sweeter
with clusters of campfire, and franklin
cense, and all manner of precious wood.
Do you not inhalc the doors? Aye.ave
They smell of myrrh and aloes and
cassia out of the ivory palaces"
Your first curiosity is to know why
the robes OF Christ are odorous with
myrrh. This was bright-leafed Abys-
sinian plant. 1t was trifoliated. The
Greeks, Egyptians, Romans and Jews
bought and sold it at high price. The
first present that was ever given TO
Christ was sprig of myrrh thrown on
His infantile bed in Bethlehem, and the
last gift that Christ ever had was
myrrh pressed into the cup of His cru
clfiAion. The natives would take
stone and bruise the tree, and then il
would eNude gum that would saturate
all the ground beneath. This gum was
used for purposes of merchandise. One
piece of ii no larger than chestnut
would whelm whole room with odors
IL was put in closets. in chests. in draw
ers, in rooms. and its perfume adhered
almost unfortunately 10 anything near
II. SO when in my text | read that
Chrfsts garments smell Of myrrh i'm
mediately conclude the exquisite sweet
ness of Jesus.
i know that to many He is ONLY like
any historical person-anofher John
Howard, another philanthropic ODER
lin, another Confucius. a grand subject
for painting, a heroic theme for a
poem, beautiful form for statue.
but to those who have heard His voice
and felt His pardon and received His
benediction He is music and light and
warmth and thrill and eternal fra
GRANGE, sweet as friend sticking TO
you when all else betray. lifting YOU up
while others try 10 push you down. not
so much like morning glories that
bloom only when the sun is coming up.
nor like -four o'clocks." that bloom
only when the sun is going down but
like myrrh, perpetually aromatic. the
same morning, noon and night. ycster-
day, to-day. forever. II seems as IL we
cannot wear Him out. We put on Him
all our burdens and afIlict Him with
all our griefs and set Him foremost i'm
oil our battles. and yet He is ready TO
Bft and TO sympathize and to help. We
hsTe so imposed upon Him that one
would think in eternal affront lie
would quit our soul, and vet to-day lie
addresses US with the same tenderness
owns upon us with the same smile,
plies us with the same compassion.
There is no name like His for us. II
IL more imperial than Caesars. more
Dusical than Beethoven's. more con
quering than Charlemagne's. more elo-
quent than Ciceros. IT throbs with all
lie. II weeps with all patbos. 1t
groans with all pain. II stoops with all
condescension. IT breathes with all
perfume. Who like Jesus to set a