The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-05
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
. Pastor Of jefferson Park Preoby-
terrain Church, Chicago

pllcatlNn to til" parHbl" OF the wedding
feast and tie varied excuses sent by
those who ahSrnt"d themselves. but
who desired to conceal the real reason.
The text is Luke xiv. IS. "And they all
with one consent began to make OK
Cuse."
1t Is comparatively seldom that men
arc convinced by argument In every
period the great diScoyCrer or phiIoso-
phcr hOWsorvcr irrcfutube his argu-
me1tS, has been treated with incrcdul-
ity and sometimes with ridiculc 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
lievPd in CircumnavigatiOn. Up to
kepler's time this world was supposed
to be great ANIMAL the wind it's
breath. the sulphur and mineral veins
its ulcers, the eruption and volcanic
pulsations it's coughings. Galiei had
to publicly renounce the theory which
he could logically prove because the
church considered it heresy. The young
scientist who read paper some years
ago arguing that the coral islands were
built by small insect was prosecuted
and expelled from the French academy,
and. broken hearted and in disgrace. he
committed suicide. To introduce any
innovation into the realm of thought
by the power Of argument is task that
few have the courage to attempt and
fewer still 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 cGn paint picture.
With one fash the artist of the brush
or pen can carry the truth home. The
public speaker who Yields the greatest
influence today is not the scientist or
the logician. but the orator who can
tell the common people what 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
lilies Of the valley. Everybody can
understand a similitude.
One Of these matchless similitudes is
the scene of the text. The kingdom Of
heaven is compared to feast to which
many guests have been invited. Man.
ners and customs change. but in all
feast has been familiar. They have
been celebrated from time immemcrial.
Laban made q great feast when he
gave his daughter Leah In marriage to
Jacob. Archelaus made great feast
for those who came to his fathers fu-
neral Kenilworth castle blazed and
doomed during the days of
and courtiers drank to the
health Of the queen. Feast of the Pass
over, feast Of Pentecost, feast of Taber-
nacles. 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. u very
simple and familiar one. But. bark!
When the time comes for the guests to
arrive. knock after knock Is heard.
Regret after regret is handed in. In
,ult is heaped upon insult. And they
III with one consent began to make
Excuses Old and New.
Let us examine the excuses by which
he men of old eyaded this feast and
zee how closely they resemble the ex-
uses by which men of the present day
.ry to Justify themselves in their re-
'rsal to sit down at the marriage ban
luet of the Lamb. First. the capital
SITS excuse. Hardly had the ancient
banquet table been prepared when we
an see Il coaaiar's horse dash up to the
would be hosts bouse. The messenger
3 dressed III the liyeried costume of
me of the rich men of the east. He
Iisnounts and knocks at the front door.
sthcn The servant opens that door. the
hands in scented missive
which reads something like this: MY
car friend. much to my regret, find
{ impossible to be with you tonight.
now you expected me, but i have just
losed big deal. I have become the
wner of large tract of land, and
aust go out and see 1t. pray thee
ave me excused. Though ! am conn
elled to be absent in body. yet shall |
e with you tonight in spirit. Adieu,
ny dear sir, until we meet at my own !
able" When the good man of the
ouse receives this letter. his eye /
ashes. The Bible distinctly declares
i reference to this episode: "Then the I
laster of the house being angry He
cad between the lines ofsthat refusal. I
[e knew that this capitalist was max /
lg a poor excuse; he knew that the
lpitalist as an intelligent investor
,ould never have bought that land I'M
ss he had first seen 1t. examined 1t
nd ascertained that its title deeds
ere all right. The good man may
ave had his suspicion that the capt.
list of the east, now that he was
reat landowner. felt little above his
d associates and therefore may have
fought 1t was not dignified for him to
Jingle with ordinary guests at a COM
on hanunef and Tins he STAYED away /