San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-01-04
TalnaOe Tscemty Years AO0.

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Nearly twenty years ago the Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage, whose recent tour
through the 'gilded palaces Of sim and
the slnms OF New York as well US his
subsequent sermons founded on fact
have created such sensation in Brook.
lyn and New York, first made his appear
ance in a Philadelphia pulpit. Prior to
his advent in Philadelphia, DR.. Talmage
was pastor of a small church in SYRIA
cuse, New York, where he had worked
with energy and zeal. When the sew
enth street church was rendered vacant
somebody suggested DR.. Talmage's
name as fitting occupant, and the trus-
tees issued a call to the Rev. brother,
offering salary of $4,000 year. The
call was accepted, and month later he
was holding forth in this city. How
well he succeeded financially is eyidenc-
ed by the fact that seven years later his
salary had risen to $4,000 per annum,
and when he accepted call from his
present church profered increase of
$4,000 was promptly rejected.
'Ah, but the Talmage of to-day is the
Talmage of DID, said one of the former
trustees of the Seventh Street church
yesterday. I shall never forget the stir
which his first appearance created. DR..
Berg had been quiet, serious, and deep
in reasoning. Talmage was dramatic,
sensational, and eccentric. He would
select odd texts and preach odd SER
mons, which he always took care to adj
vertise we'll few days beforehand. One
Sunday he delivered couple of sting
ing sermons against balls, and the next
he gave the theatres blast. Then he
would dabble in local and national poll
tics, dealing freely with men and poll
cies. He always, however, took care to
keep on the right side of the libel law,
probably on account Of the fact that he
received good legal education in New
York in his early days. Every Sunday
night he took his subject from some Of
the current events of the previous week.
The result was that he became a sort of
pull pit star. Every Sunday the edifice
was crowded to the doors. and hundreds
had to be turned away. A tragedy or Q
calamity was literal bonanza to him.
He could describe the bloodiest scene
in style and with actions that are per-
fectly indescribable. That was just the
sort of preaching which took with the
people, and they have never had any
thing like it since he went away
DR.. Talmage met with an accident soon
after he went to Philadelphia which
came near costing him his life. A par
ty of his female Syracuse friends had
come on to Philadelphia to visit him.
One morning visit to Paramount Park
was proposed. Dr. Talmage, who hap
pened that morning, to be unusually
busy, objected, but was ovcrruled by
tho female element. When the park
was reached, q boating trip was propos-
ed, and the pastor, who knew nothing
of the river, again unsuccessfully object
ed. The party, consisting of himself,
wife, child, and four ladies, got into the
boat, and the clergyman commenced
rowing vigorously down the stream with
his back to the dam. As he was reach
ing 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 shrek. Her husband tried to
turn the boat, but it was too late and in
another minute the whole party was pre-.
cipitated over thu dam. All were res
cued, except Mrs. Talmage, whose body
was not recovered for nearly two weeks,
when it was found that her dress had
caught in the stone wall down deep in
the water, where she was held until the
fabric gave way from decay.
THE small boy Of to-day doesn't look
up to George Washington and Benja-
min Franklin as examples. No, he
thinks his big brother, who lights a CT
gar in the house, goes out any time, and
returns when he feels like il, is a good
enough example for him.
A WESTERN Judge is reported TO have