The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-04

the pulpit and took glass Of water from
the table and brought it in safety to the
street. So you see 1t was not a tItal loss.
Within an hour from many churches came
kind invitations TO occupy their buildings,
and hanging against lamp post, near the
destroyed building, before twelve o'clock
that morning was board with the inscrip-
ton: The congregation OF Brooklyn
Tabernacle will WORSHIP tonight in Ply
mouth church, Mr. Beecher made the
opening prayer, which was full OF commits
GRAFTON for me aud my homeless flock, and
preached that night.the sermon that 1 in
tended TO preach that morning in my own
church, the text concerning the precious
alabaster box broken at the feet Of Christ
and sure enough we had one very precious
broken that day. We were, as a church.
obliterated. but, arise and build" said
many voices. Another architecht took the
amphitheatrical plan Of church, which, in
the first instance, was necessarily somewhat
rude, and developed it into an ella borate plan
that was Immediately adopted. But how
TO raise money for such an expensive UNDER
taking was the question-expensiVe not be
cause Of any senseiess adornment proposed
but expensive because of the immense size
OF the building needed to hold our congre-
cation. 1t was at that time when for years
our entire country was suffering, not from
a financial panic, but from that long con-
ness men remember, as the cloud hung
heavy year after year and commercial es-
adjustments without number went down.
Through what struggles we passed, the
eternal God ana some brave souls to-day re-
member. Many a time would have gladly
accepted calls to some other field, but |
could not leave the flock in the wilderness
At last, after, in the interregnum, having
worshped in our beautiful Academy of
Music, on the morning of Feb. %, 1874, the
anniversary of the Washington who con-
quered lmpossioilitles and on the Sabbath
that always celebrates the resurrec-
ton, Dr.. Byron Sunderland, chaplain OF
the United States Senate, thrilled us
through and through with a dedicatorY
sermon from Haggai ii, 9: THE glory Of
this house shall be greater than that of the
former, saith the Lord Of hosts" The
cornerstone Of that building had been laid
by the illustrious and now enthroned DR..
IrenBus Prime. On the platform on dedi-
cation day sat, among others, DIR. Bowling
of the Baptist chnrch, DR.. Crook of the
Methodist church, Mr.. Beecher of the
Congregational church and DR.. French Of
the Presbyterian church. Hosaunal An
mother 900 was raised on that day. The
following Sunday 32S souls were received
into our communion, mostly on confession
of faith. AT two other communions over
500 souls Joined at each one. At another
in-gathering CPS souls entered this commun-
ion and 50 many Of those gathered throngs
have already entered heaven that we ex-
pect to feel at home when we get there.
My! My Won't we be glad to see them
the men and women who stood by us in
days that were dark and days that were
jubilant Hosannal The work done in
that church on Sohermerhorn street can
never be undone. What self-sacrifices
on the part OF many, who gave almost till
the blood camel What hallelujahsI What
victoriesl What wedding marches played
with full organl What baptismsg What
sacramento What obsequiesl One of them
on snowy Sabbath afternoon, when all
Brooklyn seemed to symphathize and my
eldest son, bearing my own name, lay be-
meath the pulpit in the last sleep, and Flor
ence Rice Knox sang, and a score OF minis
ters on and around the platform tried to
Interpret how it was best that ono who had
just come to manhood, and with brightest
worldly prospects, should be taken, and
we left with a heart that will not cease to
ache until we meet where tears never fall.
The second tabernaclel What a stu
pendous reimbursement But, II the Peter of
my text had known what an undertaking IL
is to build two tabernacles, he would not
have proposed two, TO say nothing of thr ee.
AS an anniversary sermon must needs be
somewhat autobiographical lot me say l
have not been idle. During the standing of
those two tabernacles ffty-two books, un-
der as many titles, made up from my writ
inRs, we're published. During thai time.
also, was permitted to discuss all the great
questions of the day in all the great cities of
this continent, and in many of them many
times, beside preaching and lecturing nine.
ty-six times in England, Scotlond aud Ire
land in nilety-four days. During all that
time, as we'll as since, was engaged IN edit
ing religious newspaper believing that
such a periodical was capable Of great use
fulness, and l have been constant con-
tributor to newspapers and periodicals
Meanwhile ali things had become easy
in the Brooklyn Tabernacle On q Sab
bath in October. 1889, | announced to my
congregation that l would in few weeks
visit the Holy Land, and that the officers
of the church had consented to my
going. and the wish of q lifetime was
about to be fulfilled. The next Sabbath
morning, about two o'clock or Just after
midnight, a member of my household
awakened me by saying that there was
strange light in the sky. A thunder
storm had left the air full Of electricity
and from horizon to horizon everything
seemed to blaze. But that did not dis
turb me, until an observation taken from
the cupola OF my house declared that
the second tabernacle was putting on
red wings. L secuted the idea and turned
over on the pillow for another sleep
but number of excited voices called
me to the roof. and | went up and saw
clearly defined in the night the fiery
catafalque of our second tabernacle.
When l cav that | said to my family,
II think that ends my work in Brooklyn.
Surely the Lord will not call a minister
to build three churches In one city. The
building of one church generally ends the
usefulness of a pastor, how can any one
preside at the building Of three churches?"
But, before twenty -four hours had passed.
we we're compelled to cry out, with Peter of
my text, Let us build three Uabernacles"
We must have home somewhere. The
old site had ceased to be the center OF our
congregation, and the center OF the con-
gregatlon, as near az we could find it, is
where we now stand. Having selected the
spot, should we build on It a barn or a
tabernacle beautiful and commodious2 Our
common seUse, as we'll as our religi IN COM
manded the latter. Bet what push, what
industry, what skill, what self-sacrifice.
what faith in God, were necessary.
lmpediments aud hlndrauces without
number were thrown in the way and had it
not been for the perseveranc q 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 aud the bless
ing of Almighty God, the work would not
have been done. But it is done, and all good
people who behold the structure feel in their
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 Washington preaching an inspir-
ing seFmOD DR. Wapdall prIr1a Of Nau