Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-01-30
THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE,
DR.. Tslmaxs on the Platform-Ora-
toricai Powers OF the Noted
Preacher.

Preacher.
The first object that strikes the wish
tor to the Brooklyn Tabernacle is the
immense organ. Promptly at 7:15
o'clock the organist runs his fingers
over the ivory keys, and plays two or
three selections At the exact moment
Of 1880 DR.. Talmage walks on the plat
form. His black broadcloth frock coat
Is thrown open. A turned down collar
enoircles his neck. and black tie COW
ers his snowy shirt front He drops in
to blue plush chair. and a moment is
spent in prayer. Then he adjusts his
glasses TO his eyes and opens his Bible.
The organ peals forth Praise God.
from Whom All Blessings Flow" A
stout, we'll built man steps on small
platform and waves his right hand. In
his left he holds a silver cornet. This
he puts to his mouth and leads the vast
audience in song There is no choir
or quartette in the Tabernacle. The
singing Is entirely by the congregation.
After this DR.. Talmage steps forward.
The peal of tho organ has hardly died
away before he announces his Bible
reading. He holds the good book in
his right hand. close to his face. His
left hand steals around to his back and
clutches nervously at his coat tail. He
begins in we'll rounded but not must
cal voice. The vast audience Is hush
ed in expectancy. The fall of pin
could be heard. Slowly the preacher
proceeds. 1t Is the ever delightful
story Of Ruth that he has selected. He
reads sentence after sentence, and in
conversational way injects comments
until the old story. that all the world
has laughed and cried over. is invested
with a new light and new meaning.
After this another hymn and then the
collection. As the pennies, dimes and
quarters Jingle unsteady together in
the collection boxes the cornetist plays
again. The great church is by this
time full to overhowing. There isn't
standing room anywhere. Massive
chandeliers Light up the building per-
fsotly. and the stained glass windows
make q pretty and effective back.
ground
Then the sermon begins. The
preacher comes down to the front Of the
platform without notes or even a book
In his hand. He doesn't use a table or
pulpit He stands alone Every eye !.
on him. He gives out his text in
clear, loud, ringing voice. and repeats
it twice. He usually begins the SER
mon by hasty-word picture Of the
scene where the text is laid, or by an
anecdote. The sermon lasts forty min
utes. 1t is full of vigor and earnest
ness. Indeed. that is the chief char
acteristic of Talmage on the platform.
He is In earnest. He talks quickly,
nervously. He PAGES up and down the
platform, and now tells a story in
low, sweet voice. and again he belches
forth like FesuVus. and makes the
chandeliers rattle with the sound of his
voice. At times he is intensely humer-
Gus. Again he has the audience in
tears Again, he is SO dramatic that
the conviction forces itself upon you
that II he had taken to the stage in
stead Of the pulpit he would have made
great actor.
"What words did the Master use
when the winds and waves dashed GAL
lice into furyP" he shouts.
He steps back half dozen feet and
for . moment there is silence. Then
he comes rushing down the platform
| like . coronado until he reaches the
very edge. His hands are uplifted.
He turns his face to the ceiling until
his mouth is on y straight line with his
ears and in pleading voice says, soft;
> ly, unsteady: "Peacer'
Quick as fash his hands come down
: His face has lost its sweetness. His
voice is changed and harsh, and the
, sentence Is completed by an awfu an
intensely dramatic yell: BE stillg' Ii
Is the voice Of authority. Galilee is still.
cd. There are .'Oh's"in the audience,
and q man In pew in front of me
leans over to his companion and whis-
peres: y never understood the mean.
ing Of that sentence be fore"
, The vast audience never loses inter-
: est 1t 10 az audience made up fully
: two.thirds Of men between the ages Of
, rs and So. They belong to all walks
{ in life. Some are students. others are
&: actors and plsywrights young minis.
ters, bankers brokers. lawyers and
storekeepers. They laugh at the anec-
dotes. and they cry and listen revernt.
y. tsnderly. to the manly pleading to
come 10 Jesus. Coates, IN Nei0
! PORK Mat! and Express.
49,. --~Np>y-v-v--s