Milford chronicle., 1904-05-27
Calnnase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. D. D.

ent sin of covetOusness, its genesis,
logical progression and elimination, is
today tie theme of the preacher. The
text is Joshua vii, %, "And all Israel
stoned him with stones"
Few people have any adequate con-
cepuon of the wealth and the luxury OF
the ancient peoples of the east. Ever
ana anon in our own day the newspa-
pers contain accounts Of the foolish ex-
trayagances Of the scions of wealthy
families, who show even greater genius
in their ability to 'dissipate and scatter
their enormous fortunes than their an
cestors 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
a few selected friends attract the read
ers of the many newspapers hardly
more than a passing notice. But even
the widest eXtrayagances 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 bestrode horses shod with sill
yer If perchance one Of these silver
shoes should be wTenched from of
horses hoof the superciliOus and AFRO
giant young Roman mobiles commanded
their servants to leave it lying in the
dirt rather than stop the cayalcade to
pick it up.
Extravagant were the ancients in the
matter of personal apparel. Pliny the
elder makes mention of an instance
he knew of bridal dress which was
made entirely of the most precious
kind of pearls, which were strung to-
gether. costing over 4O.UOO,OOO sestertii.
or about S1.720OOO in American coin.
Among tie famous collections of per
sonal apparel exhumed from the buried
cities of the east by Dr. Heinrich
Sclliemann, the noted German archae-
Olo-ist. we lind that the ancient peo-
Piles of Troy and Mycenae once wore
Wristbands of gold. necklaces of gold
ana tiaras Of precious stones which
gilt cred like the stars of midnight.
Exuavagant were the ancient peo-
pie OF the east in their menu as we'll
as in the adornments of their banquet
halls Caius SuetOnius Tranquillus,
the Roman historian and biographer,
makes mention of one supper given in
honor Of Vitellius, where there were
served up to the guests at one sitting
2,O00 most delicate fishes and 1000
birds. while one immense dish, called
the shield" was composed entirely Of
the brains of peacOcks and parrots.
SuetOnius also records the fact that
fabulous sums were squandered each
year in the Roman capital and the
MOBILES might banquet off the tongues
of nightingales. Like the Count of
Moute-C Christie, they had all the most
delicate tropical productions brought
to their tables in midwinter us well as
during the summer months.
OpuIent but 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
Il 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 myrrhine, |
the priceless robes Of silk, the heaps |
old rho Z
sword hits ieweled 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 ancients as
city of fabulous wealth. But. though
Herod the Great afterward erected his
palaces in this City of the Palm
Trees" and though it was for a time
the home Of Mark Antony and Cleo
patra. yet perhaps in all its history
Jericho was never more Opulent than
ON the day before its walls tottered be-
fore the blasts Of the priests rams
horns.
But. though the wealth of this cap |
Lurad eastern capital was prodigious.
vet not one atom Of gold, not one yard
IF silk. not one rug. not one diamond.
was to Lp taken by the Hebrew sol
llors fer their own use. God tod
los1aa be would give this city into his
soldiers hands. but all the spoils Of
yar Of tbs city were to be Coils and
iods alone. But the night after the
lattle org Hebrew soldier. instead Of
tay!ng in his own company and doing
What he ought to have done, allowed
lis sinful curiosity to get the better Of
lin He went out among the ruins Oh
lis own account and began to explore.
rhe.!. as he saw the piled up heap OF
wealth, his heart began to cOvet what
vas not his. but Gods. When be
bought no one was looking. he stole
beautiful Babylonish garment. POO
hekels X silver and wedge of gold
nd went and hid them in his tent.
After many days this theft was ex-
osed. Swift condemnation followed. {
NJ "all Isrnel stoned him with stones. {
What interest can that ancient crime s
. sc % tl,e -,s.nnfiath onuffv1-S Tf Z