Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-03-02
TALMAGE
SERMON
~ Rev.
FRANK DE- WITT TALkAcE. DID,.
PAster OF Jensrson Park Prscby-
tartan Church, Chicago

chicago. March i. - In this sermon
The preacher gives striking modern APP
plication TO the parable OF the wedding
feast and the varied excuses sent by
those who absented themselves. but
who desired to conceal the real reason.
The text Is Luke xiv, Is, And they all
with one consent began TO make ex-
c1se~
Ii II comparatively seldom that men
are convinced by argument. In every
period the great dlscoverer or philoso-
pher. howsoever irrefutable his argu-
meats. has been treated with incredul-
ity and sometimes with ridicule. The
little children used to point their fin
gers TO their foreheads when the Genoa
sea captain passed by, and all Europe
called Columbus crazy because he be-
IeVed In c!rcumnavigatiOn. Up to
keplcr's time this world was supposed
10 b" a great animal. the wind its
breath. the sulphur and mineral veins
Its ulcers. the eruption and volcanic
pulsatiOns its couplings. Galilei had
TO publicly rpuounce the theory which
he could logically prove because the
church considered IL hcresy. The young
scientist who read paper some years
ago arguing that the coral islands were
buift by small insect was prosecuted
and expelled from the French academy,
and. broken hearted and I'm disgrace he
committed suicide. To Introduce any
innovation Into the realm of thought
by the power OF argument is task that
few have tie courage to attempt and
fewer stih the power to achieve.
But though argument and fact are
often futile there are two wizards who
can always charm-he who can tell a
story and he who can paint picture.
With Que fash the artist OF the brush
or Pcu can carry the truth home. The
public speaker who yields the greatest
influence today IL not the scientist or
the Iogieiau. but the orator who can
tell the common people what a thing
Is like. Christ nearly always spoke in
PARALLELS. HIS analogies were the
wheat and the tares and the mustard
seed and the birds OF the air and the
hlies % the valley. Everybody can
understand a sinilitude.
One OF these matchless similbudes is
SftIt VI NlAt ltAI- klUEuOlD VI
heaven is compared to feast to which
many guests have bren invited. Man
Ders aud customs change. but in all
periods and In all lands the idea OF a
feast has been familiar. They have
been eelebrated FROM time imnemoriaL
Iaban made great feast when he
gave his daughter Leah in marriage to
Jacob. Archeiaus made great feast
FOR these WHO came to his fathers fu-
neral. Keuilworth castle blazed and
cannOHs doomed during the days Of
Elizabeth. aud courtiers drank to the
health sc the queen. Feast of the Pass
ever. feast OF Pestecost. feast of Taber-
naclcs. were the three great annual
festal occasions of the Jews. The
holy communion was instituted at a
feast of Christ and his twelve apostles.
The comparison OF the kingdom OF
heaven To feast is. therefore, a very
simple and familiar one. But. bark
when the time comes for the guests tc
arrive. knock after knock is heard
Regret after regret is handed in. In
suit r. heaped uron insult. And they
all with one consent began to make
excuse"
Excuses Old and New.
Let Cs examine the excuses by which
tho men of old pvaded this feast anC
see how closely they resemble the ex
euses by wl:ich men Of the present da!
try to justify themselves i'm their re
fusal TO sit down ut the marriage ban
Quet OF the Lamb. First. the capital
lists excuse. Hardly had the ancien
banquet table been prepared when W.
can see a courier's horse dash up to TIT
would be hosts house. The messenge
is dressed In the liveried costume o
enc Of the rich men of the east. III
dismountss and knocks ut the front door
When the servant opens that door. til
messenger hands I'm a scented missiv
which MAIDS something like this: M:
dear friend. much to my regret. l fin
Il Impossible To be with you tonight.
know you cxTsrted me. but I have jus
closed big deal I have become tn
owner Of a k,r=e tract OF land. and
must gO out and see IL. | pray the
have nae excused. Though | am con
PEELED - be absent In body. yet sha
" Wlln you tOnlSut III spiIit. Aule'
my dear sir. until we meet at my ow
table" WlicL the good man Of III
house receives this letter. his ey
flashes The Bible distinctly declare
ia Ecferrncr To this episode: Then IL
master % the house being angry II
rVad between the lines of that refusa
He kE~w that this capitalist was nal
ing posr excuse: he knew that IL
capitalist as an Intelligent investt
woul2 EeNer have bought that land u
issss he ssf1 nrst seen IL. examined
aud tSSertaincd that Its title dec
wer,~ all right. The good man ms
havr bad bis suspicion that the car
taliSt OF IRE east. now that he was
great + nViowurr. felt n little above b
old s~So<kztcs ard therefore may ha'
.. n.