Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-04
HE TOLD OF TRIALS
T~enty-third Anniversary of
the Brooklyn Divine
WORKS OF FINE ARTISANS
An Interesting and tnssrucuucuve Review
Of the History of the Three
TabeEnzcies.

celeorAHng the twenty third anniversary
Of his settlemsnt In brooklyn In white
nowers embedded IN green a. the back
Of the puipii stood the inscription, 1850
and lssa" DIR. TAlmAges subject was
The Three TAbernacles. Story Of
Trials and Triumphs." and his text. Luke
TX, IS. Let u make three tabsrnacles. :"
Our Arab ponies were almost dead
with fatigue. Is. In December, 1859. we
pods near the foot Of Mount Hernon In
ne Holy Land, the mountain called by
Pms - mountain Of ice;" by another. "a
gtttertng breassplate Of ioe;" by another,
s'the Mont Blanc Of Palestine" la top
has an almost unearthiy briIliance. But
what must Is have been in the time To
which my text refers. Peter and James
and John were on that mountain top
with Jesus. when suddenly Christ's face
book on the glow Of tho MONDAY sun.
And Moses and Elijah. who had been
dead for centuries, came out from the
heavenly world and talked with our
Saviour. What an overwhelming three
Moses, representing the law; Elijah,
representing the prophets. and Christ,
representing all worlds.
Impesuous Peter was so wrought upon
by the presence Of this wondrous three
that, without waiting for time to con-
slider how pr~postsrous was the PROPOSE
hon, he cried out, "Let Us make three
Iabernscles; one for thee. one for Moses
and one for Elijah" Where would they
get the material for building one taber-
nacle, much less material enough 10
build two tabernacles. and. still less.
how would they get the material for
building three? Where would they get
ihe hammers, Where the gold? Where
che silver, Where the curtains: Where
the costly adornments, Hermon is q
barren peak, and 10 build one tabernacle
IN such a place would have been an I'M
nertaking beyond human achievement,
and Peter was propounding the impossi-
bic when no cried out in enthusiasm,
s.Let Us build three tabernacles."
And yet that is what this corgrega-
hon have been called 10 do and have
Hone. The first Brooklyn Tabernacle
WAS dedicated in 1870 and destroyed by
Gre in 1879. The second Brooklyn Taber-
hacle was dedicated in 1874 and de-
otroyed by ere in 1889. The third Brook
lyn Tabernacle was dedicated in April.
}69l. and ii that We are worshiping to-
Nay. What sounded absurd for Peter
% propose. when he said on Mount Her
mon. IN the words of my text, LET Us
build three tabernacles." we have not
snly done. bat in thu mysterious provi-
1ence Of God were compelled to do.
We have been unjustly criticised by
people who did not know the facts,
sometimes for putting 50 much money
tn church buildings, and sometimes for
Dot giving as much rs We ought 70 this
pr that UNCONVENTIONAL project, and no
explanation has yet been made. Before
y get through with the delivery Of this
Sermon and its publication and distrbu-
hon, shall show that no church on
earth has ever done more msgnifcently,
spnd that no church ever conquered
more trials. and that no membership
over had IN it moro heroes and hcroines
ehan this Brooklyn tabernacle, and /
mean 10 have 1t known that any individ-
hal or religious newspaper or secular
newspaper that hereafter casts any re-
lection on this church's fidelity and gen.
Srosity. IL guilty Of a wickedness for
which God viii hold him or it respon-
Sible
One year IL was sent out through a
yyndicats of newspapers that this church
WAS doing nothing In the way Of liberal
lty. when we had that year raised $94,-
Doc In hard cash for religious uses.
There has been persistent and herni-
ypheric lying against this church. We
have raised during my pastorate, for
church building and church purposes,
1896. 900. or practically . million dol
lars Not an Irish famine. or Charles
ton earthquake. or an Ohio frcshet, or a
Chicago conAagrasion. but our church
was among the first TO help. We have
given free seats in the morning and
evening services 10 240. 600 strangers a
year. and that In twenty years would
amous to <,sO0, 900 auditors We have
received into our membership 5,357
members, and that Is only small por.
hon Of the number Of those who have
here besn converted TO God from al
parts Of this land and from other lands
Under the blessing Of God and through
he kindness Of the printing press my
)ermons now 90 every week into every
Seighborhood IN Christendom, and arr
aegularly translated into nearly all tbs
trsst languages of Europe and Asia
ths syndicstes having charge Of thi.
ermonic publication informed me few
bays ago that my printed sermons every
week. in this and other lands, 60 int
Ne hands Of 5000. 600 people. Durins
Re last year. am authoritativeiy in
brmed. over 2.000 different periodical,
gsre added 10 the list Of those who
make this publication. and yet there are
ministers of the Gospel and religious
Newspapers that systematically and in
1ustriously and continuously charzs
ms church with idleness and selfshness
md parsimony.
call the attention Of the whole earth
b thus outrage that has been heaped
Apon the Brooklyn Tabernacle. though
! more consecrated. bsuevolsnt and
psendid convocAsiou Of men and women
Ssre never gathered together outside Of
ssavea. I have never before responded
b these iniussioes and probably viii
ever refer 10 them again. bat l wish
he people Of this country and othes
.santries 10 know that Whist they read
,cncs<uing the seiashnes and indosencs
nd lack ~ h-nevoiencs and lack II
p.Sionzry spirit On thu part Of TIM
shnrch u from top u bottpm and from
ssm 70 stern fisrheod -dsseardiy false
socd-diabo2icAl falsehood- What II