Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-12-05
TWENTY YEARS AGO.
The Lank Youth who AstOnlshed PhlIa-
"a delphls Folk The Fate Of Mrs.
Talmage.

Talmage.
Nearly twenty years ago the Rev. T.
ID Witt aTalmage, whose recent tour
through the ''gilded palaces of sin"
and the slums of New York, as well as
his subsequent sermons founded upon
fact, have created such a sensation in
Brooklyn and New York, first made
his appearance in a Philadelphia pull
pit. Gray-headed members of the
Second Reformed church, on Seventh
street, above Brown, in which Rev. G.
p. Masden has ministered for the last
seven years, remember we'll the tall,
lank, almost wild looking young fellow
who came to fill the pulpit made
vacant by the decease of that grave
old theologian, Rev. DR.. Berg. Prior
to his advent in Philadelphia, DR.. Tai
mage was pastor of a small church in
Syracuse, N. u, where he had worked
with energy and zeal. When the
Seventh street pulpit was rendered
vacant, somebody suggested DR.. Tai
IMAGES names as a fitting occupant, and
the trustees issued a call to the
reverend brother, offering a salary Of
$500 a year-several hundred more
than he was receiving. Talmage saw
a chance of making more money and a
little fame at one stroke, The call
was accepted, and a month later he
was holding forth in this city. How
well he succeeded financially is evil
denced BY the fact that seven years
later his salary had risen to $1,000 per
annum, and when he accepted a call
from his present church a proffered
increase of $1,000 was promptly re-
jected.
"Ah, but the Talmage of to-day Is
the Talmage of DID, said one of the
former trustees of the Seventh street
church yesterday. L shall never for
get the stir his first appearance ere
ated. DR.. Berg had been quiet,
serious and deep in reasoning. Tai
mage was dramatic, sensational and
eccentric. He would select odd texts
and preach odd sermons, which he
always took good care to advertise well
a few days beforehand. One Sunday
he delivered a couple of singing SER
mons against balls, and the next he
gave the theaters a blast. Then he
would dabble in local and national
politics, dealing freely with men and
politics. He always, however, took
care to keep on the right side of the
libel law, probably on account of the
fact that he received a good legal edu-
cation in New York in his early DAYS.
Every Sunday night he took his sub
ject from some of the current events
of the previous week. During the
rebellion he preached a course of war
sermons, in which he glorifed the
North, prophesied a great and glorious
future for the country, declaring that
it would come out of the conflict like
gold out of the crucible. The result
was that he became a sort of pulpit
star. Every Sunday the ediice was
crowded to the doors, and hundreds
had to be turned away. Then he or
ganized a series of workingmen' S
services on Wednesday evenings, when
he would talk to them in their own
strain on the ~engrossing matters in the
political and social world. These were
followed by a series of Monday night
meetings for the young. A tragedy or
a calamity was a literal bonanza to
him. He could describe the bloodiest
scene in a style and with actions that
are perfectly indescribable. That was
just the sort of preaching which took
with the people, and they have never
had anything like it since he went
away"
DIR. Talmage met with an accident
shortlyafter his arrivalin Philadelphia.
which came near costing him his life.
A party of his female Syracuse friends
had come on to Philadelphia to visit
him. One morning a visit to Fair
mouth Park was proposed. DR.. Tai
mage, who happened that morning to
be unusually busy, objected, but was
OlSiAuASu W VIC lculdlb cleulellb.
When the park was reached a boating
trip vas proposed, and the pastor, who
knew nothing of the river, again I'M
successfully objected. The party.
consisting of DR.. Talmage, his wife,
child and four ladies', got into the
boat, and the clergyman commenced
rowing vigorously down stream with
his back to the dam. AS he was
reaching the latter spot, several men
on the bank, who saw his danger.
shouted to him, but misunderstanding
them, he continued in the same course,
Just as he was reaching the dam Mrs.
Talmage gave a shrek. Her husband
tried to turn the boat but it was toe
late, and in another minute the whole
party was precipitated over the dam
All we're rescued except Mrs. Tai.
mage, whose body was not recovered
for nearly two weeks, when it wa.
found hal her dress had caught in the
stone wall down deep in the water
where she was held until the fabri,
gave way from decay.
TUE cUAnnTy IN nan