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

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-
ccption of the wealth AMI the luxury of
the ancient peoples of the east. Ever
and anon i'm our own day the newspa-
pers contain accounts of the foolish ex-
travaganccs of the scions Of wealthy
families. vino show even greater genius
in their ability TO dissipatc and scatter
their enormous fortunes than their an
cestor; 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 banquets costing ten
and even twenty thousand dollars for
few selected friends attract the read
ers of the many newspapers hardly
more than Il 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 bestrodc horses shod with sill
Yer. If pcrchance one of these silver
shoes should he wrcnched from off
horses hoof the supercilious and AFRO
CANT young Roman mobiles commanded
their servants TO leave il lying in the
a. IL.
pick it up.
Extravagant were the ancicnts i'm the
matter of personal apparel. Plny the
elder makes mention of an instance
he knew of n bridal dress which was
made entirely of the most precious
kind of pearls. which We're strung to-
gcthcr. costing over IOO00.OO0 scstertii.
or about Sl.120.000 in American coin.
Among the famous collections of per
sonai apparel exhumed from the buried
cities of the east 10y 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
and tiaras of precious stones, which
glittcred like the stars of midnight.
EXtravagant were the ancient pco-
pie of the east in their menu. as well
as in the adornments 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
served up 10 the guests at one sitting
2.oOO most delicate fishes aud 1000
birds. while one immense dish. called
the shield" was composed entirely OF
the brains of pcacocSs AMI parrots.
SuetoniIs also records the fact that
fabulous sums were squantlcrcd each
year in tie Roman capital and the
mobiles might banquet oil the tongues
Of ni@htngalcs. Like the Count of
Montr-C hristo. they had I'LL the most
delicate tropical productions brought
To their tables in midwintcr as well Us
durin. the summer months.
OpuIcnt hut Wicked Jericho.
The traveller in the far east as he
roams through the ruins uf ancient cit
les realizes how costly those ancient
palaces must have been. even as frOia
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 the costly vases of myrrhin..
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 profusion on the
day that Jericho fell. Jericho was al
ways noted among the ancicnts as Il
city of fabulous wealth. But. though
Herod the Great afterward 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 It's history
Jericho WAS never more opulent than
on the day before its wallis tottered be-
fore the blasts of the priests rams
horns
But. though the wealth of this cap
turcd eastern capital was prodigious.
yet not one atom of gold. not one yard
was To bc token by the Hebrew sol
dicrs for their own use. God told
Joshua he would give this city into his
soldiers hands. but all the spells Of
war of this city were TO be Gods and
Gods alone. But the night after the
battle one Hebrew soldier. instead Of
staying in his own company and doing
what hc ought 10 have done. allowed
his sinful curiosity tn get the better OF
him. lie went ont among the ruins on
his own account ana began to 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
a beautiful Babylonish garment. 100
shekcIs Of silver and wedge of gold
and went and hid them i'm his tent
After many days this theft was ex
posed Swift condemnation followed.
and ''all Israel stoned him with stones"
What interest can that ancient crime