The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-10-19
A CHURCH IN RUINS.
DR.. Talmage's Famous Tabernacle
Burned to the Ground.
The ORIGIN OF The FIRE UNKNOWN.
The Loss win Exceed ol5O.OOO-Ths
Eminent Divine Issues an Appeal
for Ard To All Friends Through
cut ChrlstendOm.
WITHOUT A SHELTER.

New YORK, Oct la--The famous Brook
iyn Tabernacle, Of which Rev. L. De Wfts
Talmage, d. d., Is pastor, was on Sunday,
for the second time in its history, totally
destroyed by tire. At 2:l5 o'clock m.
policeman discovered flames issuing
from the small windows over tho
main entrance, and, rushing to the
nearest signal-bOx, sent an alarm. The
hsemen found the fire hed assumed large
proportions, and additional alarms, calling
all available apparatus were at once sent
In II became evident that the editice was
doomed to destruction. 1t burned like
finder box, and the firemen, despairing OF
saving 1t, directed their efforts to tho ad-
Joining property. Many of the occupants
Of the neighboring dwellings were already
awake. and the police proceeded to arouse
those who were sleeping. The three-story
frame structure az 3j3 Schermerhorn street,
adjoining the church on the east side, was
the first to take fire, and 80, similar
structure, followed; 357 was also damaged
On the west side of the church the flames
extended to two brick dwellings,, and on
the opposite side of Schermerhorn street .
row Of three-story brick dwellings, S3s to
3aS, suffered from the intense heat Win
dow glass was broken and woodwork
scorched.
The residents of the neighborhood, awak-
ened either by the roar OF the flames or BY
the pounding of the police upon their
doors, became frightened and rushed
out half-dressed and in their night
clothes, and the police had great
difficulty in assuring them that they
were in no danger. Fortunately there was
no loss Of life or limb The police carried
out one old lady from 1897 Schermerhorn
street and placed her in . house at safe
distance All the other inmates were able
TO care for themselves.
But while the fremen and the police
worked for the salvation Of property and
people the doomed church building was
radidly being consumed and in an hours
time only tottering walls remained. DIR.
Talmage was on the scene soon after the
first alarm and did not leave until he had
seen the edifice which had been his pride
laid in ashes
The origin of the fire is unknown, but 1t
10 thought that 1t may have been caused by
lightning. The loss on the church building,
including the organ, which was one Of the
finest In the country, is Sl50,0O0 1t is said
to be covered by insurance In number OF
companies.
Dr. Talmage has issued an appeal to the
public for help saying that the church has
never confined its work to It's own locality.
The church. he says, has never been large
enough for the people who came, and he
wants 100000 besides the insurance to
build larger and more suitable structure.
II make appeal" he says, ITO all our
friends throughout Christendom, to all de-
nominations, to all creeds and thoseof no
creeds at all, to come to our assistance.
ask all readers of my sermons the world
over to contribute as far as their means
will allow" The fire forces DIR. Talmage
to postpone trip to the Holy Land
The Sunday schools loss by Che fire, in
GLIDING the library, hymnals, piano, ninety
silk banners and other articles is about
81, 800 Sunday school was held this after
noon, and at the same time the trustees
held meeting and resolved to rebuild the
tabernacle as soon as possible, the size de-
pending on the amount OF the subscrip-
tons
The advisory board adopted resolutions
EXPRESSING submission to Providence and a
determination to rebuild, the locality and
style of building to he Indicated by tho
amount of contributions made Services
will be held hereafter in the Brooklyn
aCdueuuy VI MunlC'
1.-THE Brooklyn Tabernacle was probably the
most famous Protestant church in America,
next to Trinity in this city. II was built In
1873 and cost over $4,000. The organ
was one OF the largest and best in
the world It's cost $4,000 was
borne by the ladies OF the congrega
ton 1t includes chime OF bells, trumpet,
and various other novel appliances. The
cornerstone of the church was laid June z
1879, the ceremony being performed by the late
Dr. S. IrerGus Prime. Dr. Talmare also de-
livered AN address. The cornerstone bore the
inscription: Brooklyn Tabernacle, built 1870;
destroyed by fire December ~ 1872; re-
built 1875" The building was OF Fourteenth
century Gothic architecture, and was dedicated
February ~, 1874. 1t lSas OF brick, with stone
trimmings, with a frontage OF 1870 feet and
depth OF 1l3 feet, to which had recently been
added an extension 20 feet wide and II feet
deep. The seating capacity was $500 and IL
f,lly cd nj the Sunday spryice IL