Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-03
Calnnage
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Tslmase. q. D.


entail marriage custom the preacher I'm
this sermon draws lessons applicable
10 modern life. The text is Psalm XIV.
3. "An thy garments smell OF myrrh
and aloes and cassia out OF the ivory
palaces"
The marriage bells are Ginning. The
glorious robes OF q kingly bridegroom
and Of his bride. the daughter OF n
queen, and the garments or her many
bridesmaids are rustling. Royal jew
els are flashing. The most skillful Of
musicians are playing. And as the
wedding march sounds forth the mar
riage procession is approaching the
kings throne room over boulevards OF
gold The numberless Inhabitants OF
the metropolis OF the universe, with
Ats walls Of jasper and its gates OF
pearl and its palaces of spotless ivory.
are making the welkin ring with halle
luiahs OF never ending joy. The ban
quoting house is prepared with the
wedding supper for the coming guests,
for the Divine Bridegroom OF my text
is bringing his Queenly bride to her
place at his side. over which hangs the
banner that his hands have placed
there, the banner OF love. Never on
earth nor In heaven has been seen and
never shall be witnessed Il wedding
procession like unto this. Gorgeous
ness infinite, wealth and power unlim-
tied, splendor and magnificence pass
ing all understanding, will there be
manifested on every hand.
Earth has beheld some wonderful
wedding pageants. When the present
Emperor William OF Germany was
married to the beautiful Princess Au-
gusta Victoria the representatives OF
all the civilized governments OF the
earth were there. Among Berlln's
guests at that time were the king and
queen OF Saxony, the Grand Duke
Alexis Of Russia, Crown Prince Ru-
dolph OF Austria, the crown prince OF
Sweden. the present king of England.
the late Duke OF Aosta Of Italy and
scores OF other notables. The young
bridegroom came from Potsdam at the
head OF his gigantic foot guards to
meet his bride. On the day OF the GER
emony the homes and the stores and
the public buildings were decorated.
When the nuptlal vows were taken the
cheers OF the people who crowded the
streets about the royal palaces echoed
the thlrty-six salvos OF artillery which
Numbered the news to the world that
Prince William and Princess Augusta
Victoria were one.
When Napoleon III. In 1883 rode to
the Cathedral OF Metre Dame to be
united in marriage with Eugene, the
most beautiful woman in Europe, the
progress was one continuous ovation
Seated In the wonderful glass coach
that had been built for the coronation
OF his illustrlous uncle, the emperor
passed through long lines of his en-
thusiastic subjects, who rent the air
with their wives. When the young
queen OF England became the bride Of
Prince Albert in the royal chapel of st.
james nothing that the money, the
wealth and the love OF a nation could
do to make the wedding ceremony i'm
pressive and joyous was left undone.
Memorable spcctacies.
Memorable I'm the annals OF the world
are such spectacles. in which all that
human ingenuity could conceive has
been done TO render the nuptials of the
rulers Of nations scenes of overwhelm-
Ing magnihcence. But the elimination
has yet to come-not here, but In that
glorious realm in which the Lord OF
Hosts has set his throne. The mar
ringe OF the Lamb will be the grandest
and most glorious OF all unions, when
Christ takes 10 himself his church.
which he has redeemed with his pre-
cious blood, "a glorious church, not
having spot or wrinkle or any such
thing, holy and without blemish."
Human imagination fails to conceive
or spectacle so glorious. Let us in
stead or dwelling on the marvellous
scene take but one detail OF it's beauty.
the wonderful garments with which
the Divine Bridegroom is to be robed
on that glorious occasion. The psalm
LIST mentions them in the words of nv
text They are wedding robes that
have the aroma OF myrrh and aloes
and cassia. Let Us try to describe them
and TO learn few practical gospel les
sons from them.
The royal robes OF the Divine Bride
groom will be the most expensive of
all garments. Costly was the wedding
apparel OF Louis XIV, which he wore
when he was married to Maria There
ga or Spain; OF Prince Ferdinand when
he stood by the side OF his bride. Isa-
bella or CASTLE; or the dauphin of
France, who, as Prince Francis. mar
ried the beautiful Mary, queen of
Scots; OF Emperor Nicholas IL, who in
1894 gave his heart and hand in mar
rage TO the beautiful Princess Alix of
aesse; OF Napoleon Bonaparte when
in 1910 he welded. Marie Louise in the
place OF the dethroned and exiled
Josephine. But the robes OF the Heav.
emily bridegroom viii surpass al these
In their value. How do we know
The oriental imagery OF the text signi-
fes 1t. Fine and beautiful In texture,
they are to be perfnmed with myrrh
and aioes and cassla out or the ivory
palaces.
BY the adornments Of a robe you can
form some estimate or fits value. Let
me take you into the Berlin palace.
where are guarded the royal Jewels of
Prussia. I lift before your eyes the
beautiful diamonds and pearls which
the Hohenzollern queens have worn FOR
generations. Then say to You, when
the eldest daughter Of Queen Victoria
married the Crown Prince Frederick.
she wore these gems" What would
you answer? "Ah," you would reply.
her wedding dress must have been
made OF very expensive material to
have been appropriate for such adorn-
ments as those" Supr5se should tell
you that when the noted German mr.
chaeologist DIR .Schliemann made his ex-
plorations under ancient Troy he found
there the costliest OF feminine and
masculine adornments. There were
Wristbands OF gold, earrings of gold.
bracelets OF gold, headbands of gold.
daras OF precious stones, finger rings
Of gold "Ah." you say. Elf the ancient
inhabitants Of Troy had such rich
Wristbands as these, truly the ancient
dresses and robes must have been OF
the most expensive materials" No won