The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-07-31
THE EXCUSES OF MEN
Rev Frank De Witt Talmage
Applies a Parable.
Reasons For Staying Away From the
Wedding Feast Compared 10 Mod
ern Excuses of Those hidden
10 the Gospel Banquet.

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-
cuse."
1t is comparatively seldom that men
are convinced by argument. In every
period the great discOverer or philoso-
pher. howsoever irrefutable his argu-
ments. 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-
lieved in circumnavigation. Up to
Kepler's time this world was supposed
10 be a great animal, the wind its
breath. the sulphur and mineral veins
its ulcers. the eruption and volcanic
pulsations its coughings. Galilei had
10 publicly renouuce the theory when
he could logically prove because the
church considered il heresy. The young
scientist who read paper some years
ago arguing that the coral Islands were
built by q 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 ana
fewer still the power 10 achieve.
But though argument and fact are
often futile there are two wizards who
can always charm-he who can tell
story and he who can paint a picture.
With one fash the artist Of the brush
or Den can carry the truth home. Ihe
public speaker who wields 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 -
the scene Of the text The kingdom OF
heaven is compared to a feast 10 which
many guests have been invited. Man
pers and customs change, but in all
periods and I'm all lands the idea OF a
feast has been familiar. They have
been celebrated from time immemorial'
Laban made a great feast when ne
gave his daughter Leah in marriage 70
Jacob. Archelaus made a great feast
for those who came to his fathers fu'
neral. Kenilworth castle blazed ahu
cannons doomed during the days oi
Elizabeth, and courtiers drank to the
heath of the queen. Feast Of the Pass
oyer. feast of Pentecost, feast of IaOer
nacles. were the three great annua
festal occasions of the Jews. Inc
holy communion was Instituted AT Z
feast OF Christ and his twelve apostles
The comparison Of the kingdom o.
heaven to a feast is, therefore, a very
simple and familiar one. But hark
, When the time comes for the guests U
= arrive. knock after knock IS hearu
} Regret after regret IS handed in. III
suit is heaped upon insult "And the!
all with one consent began to max
, excuse" 80,
1 Let us examine the excuses by wlhcl
.s the men Of old evaded this feast ah'
see how closely they resemble the eA
cuses by which men Of the present da.
trv 10 Justify themselves in their re
,. fusal TO sit down at the marriage pan
ouet of the Lamb. First, the capital
ists excuse. Hardly had the anclen
banquet table been prepared Wheh W
can see a courier's horse dash up 10 th
would be hosts house. The messenge
Is dressed I'm the liveried costume O
one OF the rich men of the east IL
dismounts and knocks at the front doo
When the servant opens that door IN
messenger hands in a scented MISSY
which reads something like this: NJ
dear friend. much to my regret mn
II impossible TO be with you tohlshl'
know YOU expected me, but have jus
closed a big deal. | have become III
owner of a large tract Of land, ana
must 90 out and see it. l pray the
have me excused. Though | am con
nelled TO be absent in body, yet sha
he with you tonight in spirit. Ad@
my dear sir. until we meet at my OW
table" When the good man OF u
house receives this letter, his el
flashes. The Bible distinctly declar'
I'm reference to this episode: "Ihen U
master of the house being angry b
read between the lines Of that refus'
He knew that this capitalist was ma
ing n poor excuse; he knew that u
1 capitalist as an intelligent invest
l' would never have bought that land u
less he had first seen it, examined
and ascertained that its title dee
were all right. The good man mi
have had his suspicion that the cal
talist Of the east, now that ne was
great landowner. felt little above
old associates and therefore may ha
thought II was not dignified for him
mingle with ordinary guests at co
mon banquet, and thus he stayed ava
C.. So we find that the hardest men a
women to reach in gospel sense
the rich people. They do not alwa
q think It respectable TO associate w
W. representatives of the masses IN
. church pew. They would be willing
20 to heaven If they could only 90 II
silded chariot. as king might 80
Westminster abbey and be CROWN
They would gladly 20 If they CO..
only brlbe their way there by mill
dollar check. But they are not Will
10 be suppliants after the Bread
Life when their own granaries are
Of winter supplies and their thrash
aoors crowded with the thrashers be
ing and bruising the grain.
Rich man, l would like TO spear
few plain, blunt words to YOU IN
l.s.t 4