Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-28
TALMAGE In ATHENS.
Premier and Queen Interviewed, and
Sights Of Modern Corilth.
PREACHING ON FAMOUS MARS HILL
A Charming American Lady and Her Dis
tinguished Russian Husband.
HOW A CORNER STONE WAS PROCURED


CORRESPONDENTS OF THE D1sPATcEI
ALEXANDRIA, November 25.-We hav
scarcely arrived at this historic city when
| perform as my first duty the pleasant one o
mailing my budget of news and notes mad
in Athens and written on the steamer on m.
way here
We did some sightseeing at COrinth, bu
not much. That noble natural fortress, tht
mighty Acrocorinthus, which looms VI
grandly 1000 feet above the surrounding
plain, well rewards the tourist who climb
its ascent. We saw ruins of the theater
some temples and the race track wher
runners contended for the corruptibl
crowns given to the victors in the struggle
We arrived in Athens on November 20
The next morning DR.. Talmage preached oil
Mars Hill to gathring of Americans
Englishmen and Greeks, reading as the les
son of the day. st. Paul's address to tn,
Athenians of his time, as reported Act
xvii. The day was not Sunday, and preach
ing was not in order according to our pre-
arranged programme, but the earnest di
vine was so carried away by the enthusiasm
of the occasion that he took out his Bible
and began to read. As he read he made in
teresting remarks on the passage he wa:
reading. When he first began to read there
were but few persons present, but as soon as
he was fairly started they congregated fast
and faster until good-sized audience had
assembled.
A VISIT TO THE PREMIER.
The day following DR.. Talmage visited NJ.
Tricoupis, Premier Of Greece, an honor,
which resulted in this way: The sister OF
the statesman who, like him, is unmarried,
presides at his mansion. She entertained
Mrs. Talmage in the morning, when she sug-
gested that the Brooklyn preacher visit her
brother, who, she added, would be delighted
to see him.. Accordingly in the afternoon
DR.. Talmage and the writer paid their re-
Spects to the Prime Minister at the War
Department. Although very busy man,
holding two portfolios and crowded with
ing in session, NJ. Tricoupis received US
very courteously.
This modern Aristides," as he has been
aptly called, speaks English with huency.
He is accurately informed on American
affairs, and highly eulogized several of our
statesmen. In his early days, while Secre-
tary of the Greek Legation, he made the ac-
quaintance of Edward Everett, who was
then American Minister to England.
In the course of conversation the states
man manifested particular interest in Mr..
Blaine, whom he regarded as a very able
man. He had no doubt, he said, that Mr..
Harrison would acquit himself creditably.
SIN fact" continued he, "all your Presi.
dents are strong men. You do mot generally
place the most promising men in the PreSi-
dental chair, but once there they develop
rapidly and invariably surpass in states
manship the most sanguine expectations.
That shows the stock and stuff Americans
are made of. In corroboration of this
theory he named several Presidents of hum
Bile origin now endeared to the hearts of the
American people, and very feelingly re-
ferred to Abraham Lincoln, whom he con-
sidered to have been one OF the greatest men
of the century.
PRESENTED TO THE QUEEN.
The United States Minister, Mr.. A. M.
Snowden, being absent at Bucharest and
our stay in Athens but brief, it was appar-
emily not within the range of possibilities
for Talmage and party to be presented to
the Queen. A week or ten days notice be-
ing required to secure an Introduction to
royalty, we had given up the expectation Of
seeing the amiable Queen, when, the morn
ing after the interview with NJ. TricoUpis,
DR.. Talmage was informed by that gentle
man that he desired to present him and
the palace, we found that the ex-Empress
vri1 af fha EuNn
Ill, was Just about to leave Athens, where
she had attended the marriage of her daugh-
ter Sophie to the Crown Prince OF Greece.
She bowed and smiled very sweetly as she
passed, although her eyes were filled with
tears on her parting with the Queen.
M. Tricoupis presented Dr.. Talmage, wife
and daughter and Mr.. and Mrs. Louis
Klopsch. Queen Olga shook hands with all
in the right royal democratic American
fashion, and then engaged DR.. Talmage in
conversation.
The Queen said she had heard that DR..
Talmage was on his way to Palestine, and
hoped sincerely that he and his party would
enjoy safe and pleasant journey. We were
ali charmed with the simplicity of the Queen
and the cordial manner in which she re-
ceived US.
THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR.
The evening of the day in which we had
our interview with Queen Olga. the. First
Secretary and Charge d. Afaires OF the
Russian Embassy, NJ. Bachmetif and his
wife, q daughter of General Beale, ex-
Minister of the United States to Austria
Hungary, Joined us at dinner party at the
Hotel de la Grande Bretagne. General
Beale, the reader will remember, was the in
innate and confidential friend of General
Grant. 1t vas to him that the hero confided
first the shocking secret that he was afflicted
with disease that must soon terminate his
life. Mrs. Bachmetif we found to be o
bright, handsome and witty lady. She
possesses great influence in political circles
and is leader in society. This fortunate
lady, moreover, maintains intimate relations
with the royal family of Greece, with all of
whom she is great favorite.
Speaking of the inadequacy of pictures of
Christ to satisfy the mind OF the devout be-
lever, DIR. Talmage told DR.. Manatt, United
States Consul, that he had found but one
which did, and that after long and compre-
hensive search. 1t was the work of young
and comparatively unknown artist, and
would appear in his forthcoming Life of
Christ" Until that time this precious dis
eovery will, by agreement, be kept unseen
by the general public.
ABOUT THAT CORNERSTONE.
It was in his mail that DIR. Talmags found
the suggestion of that stroke of enterprise
which will make the new Tabernacle in
Brooklyn point of interest to the wander
ing antiquarian as we'll as to the great multi
tude bungering for the sound doctrine to be
thereat dispensed. He opened his mail at
breakfast time, and, finding in it an excel
lent drawing of the Tabernacle to be erect
ed tor him on Clinton avenue, he remarked:
s'What grand thing it would be to have
the cornerstone for this magnificent church
from Mars Hill. I shall write M. Tri-
connis and tell him inst what want Per-