The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-08-22
The Wedding Feast
The Story.

The marvel is that the religious
life could ever have been dreamt
of as a surrender of joy,when JcSns
pictures it as an invitation 10 a
weddinr festivity, which. according
to Oriental custom. IS so prolonged
and various that It requires rhe plu
raj number to express it. When
Victoria wished 10 hear Philips;
Brooks preach, she commanded him
to conduct service in St. George s
Chalei. Windsor. That is etiquette
of court. Royalty orders never re-
quests. So in the parable the re
fusal of those who were hidden
was more than declination. Ii
was a revolt; a practical denial OF
the kings kingship. The cool in
difference which turned to the
sCrdid things CT the shop and field
at the very hour of the banquet va.
followed by he testing spirit that
made a burlesque of the affair,
and that in Turn by the vengeful
feeling which murdered the ser
wants who urged the kings COM
mand. This para BILE is one of the
last addresses of Jesus to his enc
mics. The true state of the case
and the fearful denouement could
not have been pictured with great,
er fidelity. Jehovah was still the
! theocratic King of Israel. The Mes
siah was the Kings Son, whose in
i innate relation to it the nation was
called to acknowledge. The rejec-
| ton of the Messiah, then immi-
nent, would be followed by retribu-
tive justice in the disestablishment
of the nation. The call of the Gen
tiles to possess the forfeited right:
of the Jews, and their obedience
to that call forms a second and
distinct part of the parable. This
t incident of the guest without the
wedding garment forms the closing
I paragraph. There is evidently al
| hiatus. Jesus passes from the cal
of the Gentiles to the individual in
| spection of every soul in the judg
ment. Under the general call OF
the gospel, good and bad are gath
cred into the Visible Church. In the
period of probate a separation car
not be made. When, however, the
King comes in scrutiny of each in
| dividual will occur, the tares will
then be separated from the wheat
the bad fish from the good, the
goats from the sheep and the guests
without wedding garments from
| those who have them A stereosco
pic picture of the dining hall of {
Partisan hotel was one of the de
lights of the children of the las
! generation. Crystal chandelier!
hung from frescoed ceilings. There
was snowy linen, shining silver, ant
cut-glass upon the tables,a and cover!
/ for thousand guests. Ample, al
most regal prepare tons. Yet how
paltry compared with the banque
| of redeeming love. After the en-
| tire human race had been seated
and served, the cry could still be
raised, And yet there is room
The generosity of nature is pledge
of the ample provisions of grace
The oak shakes, and enough acron:
drop to plant a thousand forests
| The atmosphere of earth is seventy
miles deep. Can lit ever be breathe
up? There are millions of cubic
miles of water on earth's surface
Can it ever be drunk up? God new.
er makes less than a feast.
The Teachers Lantern.
| The invitation to. the banquet Of
redemption Is issued by a King an6
backed with authority. The mo-
tives for acceptance are very strong
But still there is no compulsion
Each decides alternately whether hi
will or will not accept. This las
element of selfhood Omnipotence it
self will not trend upon. The func.
| ton, honor, and responsibility o.
| the ministry is here distinctly trac
ed. Ministers are the Kings SER
wants, who extend the invitation il
his name. Unhappily there are
Yet those who make light of it. II
is an open question whether, in the
reaction from the awful seriousness
of Puritanism, We have not come
TO the extreme of righteousness