Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-07-19
Caln1aSe
Sermon
by Rev.
FRANK De witt 'faithase, d, D.

nhfhble or Tie RING WeuulnH SUPPER
Ia presented by The preacher hi ihis
sermon III d new light and Ia made the
basis fos unlimited invitation I'd all
cnsses, The test ID Matthew sAii 10,
"The weadins was furnished with
guests"
Some people nre born aseetics. rhey
lore to travel the feugii roads Instead
OF the smestli They profess TO de-.
spise every form Of comfort and ease.
Like John the baptist, they would
clothe themselves In skIns aud banquet
upon iueusts, and wild honey, They
believe that primitive mnn in his dug.
out, eating his raw meat aud herbs ~
he hunts them day by day, IA n better
typo OF the humaM race than Ia the
modern matt living In n hothouse and
sleeping upon n feather bed and pro.
teetinE himself from the fulns of sum.
NOR ana tho colds OF winter with um.
breilas aud rubbers mud storm over.
coats. Like Emperor william I. Of
Germany, they believe that, though
they may live IN pnncc, yet the body
rests bettcr upon the hnrd camp cot,
the relic of many battlenclds, md tho
conrser the food they eat the more
physical and mental strength they will
have.
The banquet hnll may havo bad
namc OIL account OF tho Gouiinets mud
gluttons who make out of its tnble q
shrine, yet one OF tho most important
political, social, ecclesiastical, financial
and literary factors Of the world has
been the banquet hall When Glad
stone. Dlsracli, Salisbury and a
Balfour wanted to explain tho stu to
policy Of the British government, where
did they utter their mnnIfcstoesi They
again and again spoke to the British
empire and to the world over the ban
quet table, which was spread to cele-
brate the induction Of new lord may
or Of London into office. When Henry
w. Grady wanted to bind the new
north to the new south with the golden
cords of love, where did he do It? At
the New England banquet held In New
York city In 1856 to celebrate Fore
fathers day How did New York and
America honor the electrical trlumphs
Of the inventor of the telegraph, Sam
uel f. b. Morse; BY public dinner
on Dec. 81, 1868. How did New York
honor the cable triumphs of Cyrus w.
Field? In the same way, by Il public
banquet three years later. How does
the New York chamber Of commerce
not only cement the business interests
of the new world together, but also
bring before its chief merchants and
manufacturers the greatest tinanciers
of the world, to give them words or
advice? BY their annual banquets.
And how did the American pulpit hon
or one Of it's greatest thaologians n few
years ago-Rev. Or. Herrick Johnson,
than whom there was not at that time
more powerful personality IN any
PROFESSIONAL chair IN the west? BY a
public banquet given In Chicago in
January, 1903. The brainy men OF
this country do not gather in the ban
quet hall for a great feast OF material
viands nearly as much as for a feast
Of intellectual, moral and spiritual
foods. Thus am glad today that this
symbol of my text Is found In ban
quet hail. Furthermore, it Is found in
the most fascinating Of all banquet
halls-namely. at n wedding feast.
The Guests We're Secured.
You know this parable without our
going into details. The king wanted
to make great feast to celebrate the
wedding Of his SON. Tho loving father
invites many guests to the wedding
but they all refuse to come. Then the
king says to his servants. go out into
the highways and the hedges and COM
pel them to come" Then the servants
60 and bring in the now guests. Now,
1t Is my purpose to talk to you about
this banquet hall and point out for
you the different characteristics and
the social status Of the guests. In
thinking over this parable we often
dwell on the direct lesson of the wide
gospel invitato 1t conveys without
noticing the characteristics of the men,
the women and the children who We're
finally persuaded to sit down ut the
wedding feast Of the royal Son of God
Jesus Christ.
Let us find vantage ground to
stand on. Let us, In the first place,
learn how we can best study the per-
sonal chara cteristics OF these wedding
guests. Shall we do this by entering
the brilliantly lighted banquet hall and
watching the actions OF the guests who
are gathered about the table? Nay.
You cannot tell what man Is like
when he Is dressed mp and out for IN
evening entertainment. In order to
find out what he truly Is You must 80
and talk with him ut his work. His
Sunday clothes ARE not the true index
Of his life. Many n nan has gone to
an evening reception IN u borrowed
dress suit, Many n woman who IL
most deliberately appareled for par
ty II a slattern when In her own home,
Thus in order to Ind out tho different
chm RI cteristics Of the wedding guests
we should follow one OF tho servants
who goes forth by tho kings conn.,
mand to gather In the guests for the
wedding,
Those who Accepted.
Now. what did tho king say2 go ye
therefore. into the highways and as
many as ye shall flnd bid TO the mar
riago." That means; "Oh. servant, AZ
soon MS you got into the street. give
this wedding invitation to tho first men
and women and children you meet