Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-05

TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
Pastor of Jefferson Park Preaby.
terrain Church, Chicago

chicago, March !. - In this sermon
the preacher gives striking modern ap-
plication to the parable Of the wedding
feast and the varied excuses sent by
those who absentcd 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"
It IL comparatively seldom that men
are convinced by argument. In every
period the great discovcrer or philoso-
pher, howsocvcr irrcfutablc his nrgu-
mcnts, has been treated with incredul-
ity and sometimes with ridiculc. The
little children used to point their fin
gers to their forchcads when the Genoa
sea captain passed by, aud all Europe
called Columbus crazy because he be-
lievcd in circumnavigation. Up to
kcplers time this world was supposed
TO be n great animal, the wind its
breath, the sulphur and mineral veins
its ulcers, the eruption and volcanic
pulsations Its coughings. Galilei had
TO publicly rcnounce 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 a 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 aud
| fewer still the power TO achieve.
But though argument and fact are
often futile there are two wizards who
can always charm-hc who can tell n
story and he who can paint a picture
With one flash the artist OF the brush
or pen can carry the truth home. The
public speaker who wields the greatest
| influence today is not the scientist or
! TIE loSican. but the orator who can
| tell the common people what thing
| is like. Christ nearly always spoke in
! parallels. His analogics were tho
wheat and the tares and the mustard
| seed and the birds of the air and the
| lilies of the valley. Everybody can
understand n similitIdc.
] onc OF these UlutCUleSS SlIUiltuucS IS
the scene of the text. The kingdom Of
heaven is compared to n feast to which
many guests have been invited. Man
ners and customs change, but in all
| periods and in ali lands the idea Of Il
feast has been familiar. They have
been celebrated from time immcmorial.
| Iaban made a 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. Wentworth castle hlazed and
cannons doomed during the days of
Elizabeth, and courtiers drank to the
health of the queen. Feast of the Pass
over. feast of Pcntecost, feast of Tabcr-
naclcS. were the three great annual
festai occasions of the Jews. The
holy communities was instituted at q
feast of Christ and his twelve apostles.
The comparison of the kingdom of
heaven To n feast is, therefore, n 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
suit is hcaped upon insult. "And they
all with one consent began to make
excuse