Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-04

them on q snowy Sabbath afternoon,
when all Brooklyn seemed to sympa-
thize, and ny eldest son, bearing ny
own name, lay beneath the pulpit iii The
last sleep, and Florence Rice Knox sang,
and score Of ministers on and around
the platform tried to interpret how Il
was best that one who had just come to
manhood, and with brightest worldly
prospects, should be taken, and we left
with heart that will not cease to ache
until we meet where tears never fall.
That second Tabernaclel What stu
pendous reminiscencel But if the Peter
of my text had known what an under
taking it is to build two tabernacles, he
would not have proposed two, to say
nothing of three. As an anniversary
sermon mus needs be somewhat auto
biographical, let me say have not been
idle. During the standing of those two
Tabernacles fifty-two books, under as
many titles, made up from my writings,
were published. During that 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, besides preaching and
lecturing ninety-six times in England,
Scotland and Ireland in ninety-four
days.
During all that time, as well as since,
was engaged In editing religious
newspaper, believing that such peri
odical was capable of great usefulness,
and have been constant contributor
to newspapers and periodicals. Mean
while all things had become easy in the
Brooklyn Tabernacle. On Sabbath in
October, 1889, announced to my con-
gregation that would in few weeks
visit the Holy Land and that the officers
of the church had consented to NY
going, and the wish of a lifetime was
about to be fulfilled. The next Sabbath
morning, about 2 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.
secuted the idea and turned over on
the pillow for another sleep, but num-
Der of excited voices called me to the
roof, and went up and saw clearly de-
fined in the night the fiery catafalque of
our second Tabernacle. When | saw
that said to my family: II think that
ends my work in Brooklyn. Surely Il ,
Lord will not call minister to build
three churches in one city. The build
ing of one church generally ends the
usefulness of pastor; how can any
one preside at the building of three
churchesY But before twenty -four 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 CEN
of the congregation, as near as we could
find it, Is where we now stand. Having
selected the spot, should we build ON it
barn or o Tabernacle beautiful and
commodious? Our common sense, as
well as our religion, commanded the lat
ter. But what push, what industry, what
skill, what self sacrifice, what faith in
God were necessary. Impediments and
hindrances without number We're thrown
in the way, and had it not been for TIE
perseverance of our church officials and
the practical help of many people and
the prayers IF 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 people
who behold the structure feel in their
hearts if they do not utter with their
lips, GLOW amiable are thy tabernacles,
o Lord of Hosts" On the third Sab
bath of last April this church was dedi-
Gated, DR.. Hamlin, of Washington,
preaching an inspiring sermon, DR.. Wen
dell Prime, of New York, offering the
dedicatory prayer, and some fifteen
clergymen curing the day taking part
in the services. Hosannahl
How suggestive to many of us are the
words spelled out in flowers above the
pulpit-"1SG9" and "1S92"--for those
dates bound what raptures, what griefs
what struggles, what triumphsl men
ton it as a matter of gratitude to God
that in these twenty-three years / have
missed but one Sabbath through physical
indisposition, and but three in the thirty
six years of my ministry. And now,
having reached this twenty-third mile
stone. start anew have in my men,
orandum books analyses of more SER
mons thnn have ever yet preached, and
/ have preached, as near as can tell,
about $3.50.
During these past years / have learned
two or three things. Among others
have learned that ''all things work to-
gether for good" My positive mode of
preaching has sometimes seemed to stir
the hostilities of all earth and hell. Feel
ing called upon fifteen years ago to ex-
plore underground New York city life,
that | might report the evils to be COM
batted, took with me two elders of my
church and New York police commits
sioner and policeman, and | explored
and reported the horrors that needed re-
moval, and the allurements that en-
dangered our young men. There came
upon me an outburst of assumed indig.
nation that frightened almost everybody
but myself. That exploration put into
my church thirty or forty newspaper
correspondents, from north, south, east
and west, which opened for me new
avenues in which to preach the Gospe