Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-04

shook the earth. is as vivid as though It were
yesteraay But II was S aa, not Reriecn nd doss; S.
on such occasions sensible people are apt to
do unusual things, one of the members, at
the risk of his life, rushed in among the
fallen walls mounted the pulpit and took q
glass of water from the table and brought 1t
a total loss.
"Arise and build, said many voicesl An
other architect took the amph1theatrical
plan of a church, which, in the first instance
was necessarily somewhat rude, and de-
veloped it into an elaborate plan that was
Immediately adopted. But how to raise tne
money for such an expensive undertaking
was the question. At last, after, in the In
terregnunl, having worshfped In our Deau-
February g, 1874, the anniversary Of the
Washington who conquered impossibilities
and on the Sabbath that always celebrates
the resurrection, DR.: Byron sunderlana'
thrilled us through and through with
dedicatory sermon.
DR. TaImase Drops into Autobiography.
As an anniversary sermon must needs be
somewhat photographed let mo say
have not been idle. During the standing OF
those two Tabernacles 50 books, under as
many titles, made up from my writings,
were published. During that time, also,
was permitted to discuss all the great ques-
t1OnS Oh bQe Gay III All buo STcut CltioS "a WILLS
continent, and in many of them many times,
beside preaching and lecturing So times In
England, Scotland, and Ireland, in ~ days
During all that time, as we'll as since, was
engaged in editing u religious newspaper,
believing that such periodical was capable
of great usefulness, and 1 have been g
constant contributor to newspapers and
periodicals.
Meanwhile all things had become easy in
the Brooklyn Tabernacle. On Sabbath
in October 1889. announced to my congre-
CATION that would in few weeks visit the
Holy Land, and that the officers OF the
church had consented to my going, ana the
wish of lifetime was about to be fulh!led.
The next Sabbath morning, about 2o'clock
or Just after midnight, member OF my
household awakened me by saying that
there was a strange light in the sky. A
thunderstorm had left the air full of cleo
tricity. and from horizon to hori5on sI S every ay
turb me, until an observation taken from
the cupola OF my house declared that the
second tabernacle was putting on req
wings. secuted the idea and turned over
on the pillow for another sleep, but o num-
Der OF excited voices called me to the roof,
and l went up and saw clearly defined In
the night the fiery catafalque Of our second
Tabernacle.
The Third and Last Tabernacle Built.
When I saw that, said to my family; 81
think that ends my work In Brooklyn.
Surely the Lord will not call minister to
build three churches in one city. The build
ing of one church generally ends the useful
ness Of q pastor, how can any one preside at
the building Of three churches?" But before
q hours had passed, we were compelled to
cry out, with Peter Of my text Let us build
three tabernacles." We must have home
somewhere. The old site had ceased to be
the center of our congregation, and the
center of the congregation, as near as we
could find 1t. is where we now stand.
Having selected the spot should we build
i% 1o,~p fcD harm oalo baor fu1 IND
commodtousf Our common sense, as well as
our religion, commanded the latter. But
what push, what industry, what skill, what
self-sacrifice, what faith in God, were neces-
sary. Impediments and hindrances without
number were thrown in the way, and had it
not been for the perseverance of our church
officials and the practical help OF many peo-
pie and the prayers of millions of good souls
in all parts of the earth and the blessing of
Almighty God the work would not have
been done. But it is done, and all good peo-
hearts, if they do not utter it with their lips,
'How amiable are Thy tabernacles. o Lord
of Hosts" On the third Sabbath of last April
this church was dedicated, DR.. Hamlin, of
DR.. wendell Prime, Of New YORK, offering
the dedicatory prayer, and some 10 clergy
men, during the day, taking part in the
services. Hosannah!
The Old Gospel Is Still Popular.
Another lesson have learned during these
% years is that it is not necessary to preach
error or pick flaws in the old Bible in order
to get an audience. The old Book without
any fixing up is good enough for me, and
Higher Criticism, as it is called, means /
Lower Religion. Higher Criticism is another
form of inf1delity. and its disciples will be-
lieve less and less, un til many of them will
land in Nowhere, and become the worship
ers of an eternal "What-is-it?" The most Of
these Higher Critics seem to be seeking
notoriety by pitching into the Bible. 1t is
such a brave thing to strike your grand
mother. The old Gospel put in modern
phrase, and without any of the convention
alities, and adapted to all the wants and
woes of humanity, have found the might
EST magnet, and we have never lacked an
|
Next to the blessing of my own family I |
account the blessing that have always had |
. great multitude of people to preach to. |
That old Gospel l have preached to you |
these % years of my Brooklyn pastorate, and |
hat old Gospel will preach till die, and |
charge my son, who is on the way to the |
to preach it after me, for re- |
member Paul's thunderbolt: eff any man !