Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-05-28
Calnnage
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmagc. d. ID.

logical progression and elimination. is
today the theme of the preacher. The
text is Joshua vii. -. And all Israel
stoned him with stones
Few people have any adequate con-
ception Of the wealth and the luxury of
the ancient peoples of the east Ever
and anon in our own day the ncwspa-
pers contain accounts of the foolish ex-
travaganccs of the scions of wealthy
families. who show even greater genius
in their ability TO dissipatc and scatter
their enormous fortunes than their an
ccstor.; did in the accumulation of their
wealth. by frequent repetition so pro-
sale and commonplace have these ac-
counts become that special trains. pri-
vate yachts and banqucts costing ten
and even twenty thousand dollars for
few selected friends attract the read
crs of the many newspapers hardly
more than a passing notice. But even
the widest eXtravagances of modern
times cannot equal those of the an
clients. Then not only did Stricca and
his friends move around their palaces
in slippers of gold. but when out rid
ing they bcstrode horses shod with sill
YER. If pcrchance one of these silver
shoes should he wrcnched from off n
horses Ioof the supcrcilious and AFRO
CANT young Roman mobiles commanded
el..s,. -
dirt rather than stop the cavalcade 10
pick ii up.
EXtravagant were the ancicnts in the
matter of personal apparel. pliny the
elder makes mention of an instance
he knew of a bridal dress which was
made entirely of the most precious
kind of pearls. which were strung to-
gether. costing over i0,0Oo.ooO scstertii.
or about Sl.T200o0 in American coin.
Among the famous collections of per-
sonal apparel exhumed from the buried
cities of the east by Dr. Heinrich
Schliemann. the noted German archaic
ologist. we find that the ancient pco-
pies of Troy and Mycenae once wore
wristbands of gold. necklaces of gold
anu va ItNNlohs StOu'S. W.
gliticred like the stars of midnight
EXtravagant were the ancient pco-
pie of the east i'm their menu. as well
as In the adornmcnts of their banquet
halls. Caius Suetonius Tranquillus.
the Roman historian and bio.rapher.
makes mention of one supper given in
honor of Nitellius. where there were
s.,1 IA. ne ct
2.D0 most delicate fishes and 1000
birds. while one immense dish. called
the shield" was composed entirely of
the brains of pcacocks AMI parrots.
Suetonius also records the fact that
fabulous sums were squantlercd each
year in the Roman capital and the
mobiles might banquet OF The tongues
Of ni:htingalcs. Like the Count of
Monte Chrislo. they had all the most
delicate tropical productions brought
to their tables in midwintcr as we'll as
during the summer months
OpuIcnt hut Wicked Jericho.
The Traveller in the far east as he
roamS through the ruins of ancient cit
les realizes how costly those ancient
palaces must have been. even as from
a broken column of the Alhambra you
can infer how beautiful must have
once been the palaces of the Spanish
Moors. So in Imagination you may
picture tie costly vases of myrrhinc.
the priceless robes of silk. the heaps
OF Damascus rugs centuries old. the
sword hits jcwelcd with diamonds and
other precious stones. the garments
woven out of thread of gold and the
emptied treasure vaults. with their
countless prizes scattered about the
palace halls in untold profIsion on the
day that Jericho fell. Jericho was al
ways noted among the ancicnts as n
city of fabulous wealth. But. though
lIcrod the Great aficrward erected his
palaces in this CITY of the Palm
Trees and though IL was for time
the home of Mark Antony and Cleo
patra. yet perhaps in all its history
Jericho WAS never more opUlcnt than
on the day before its wallis tottcred he
fore the blasts Of the priests rams
horns.
hut though the wealth of this cap
yet not one atom of gold. not one yard
of silk. not one rug. not one diamond.
was Ia Ice token by the Hebrew sol
dicrs for their own use. God told
Joshua lac would give this city into his
soldiers hands. but all the spols of
war of this city were TO be Gods and
Gods alone. Tut the night after the
battle one Hebrew soldier. instead OF
staying in his own company and dom.
what he ought to have done. allowed
his sinful curiosity To get the better of
him. lie went out among the ruins on
his own account and began In explore
Then. ms he saw the piled up heap Of
wealth. his heart began To covct what
was not his. but Gods. When he
thought no one was looking. he stole
beautiful Hahylonish garment. aOO
shckcls Of silver and wedge of gold
and went and hid them in his tent
After many days this theft was ex
posed. Swift condemnation followed.
and ''all Israel stoned him with stones"