Democratic messenger., 1893-06-03
AT THE TABERNACLE.
DR.. TALMAGE CELEBRATES THE Ex-
TINGUIsHMENT OF THE DEBT.

1yn Tabernacle-Dr. Talmage Speaks of
the RcJoicings of Israel After the Pas
sage Over the Red Sea.
BROOKLYN. May 2s.-This was one of the
greatest days in the history of Brooklyn
Tabernacle. The music. instrumental and
congregational, was Of the most Joyous
iype-the hymns, the prayers and the ser
mon were cclebrative of tho entire extin-
guishment of the floating debt Of $4,000.
accumulated from the disasters which re-
quired the building Of three immense
churches. Text, Exodus XIV, 20. :l And
Miriam, the prophecies, the sister OF Aaron.
took n timbrel in her hand, and all tho
women went ont after her with timbrels
and with dances. And Miriam answered
umphed gloriously; the horse and his rider
hath he thrown into the sea
Sermonizcrs are naturally SO busy in get
ting the Israelites safely through the parted
Red sea and the Egyptians submerged in
the returning waters that but little time
Is ordinarily given 10 what the Lords peo-
pie did after they got well mp, high and
dry, on the beach. That was the beach of
the Red sea- which is at its greatest width
200 miles and at its least width IL miles.
Why is the adjective Red" used in de-
scribing this waterg 1t is called the Red
sea because the mountains on its western
coast look as though sprinkled with brick
dust. and the water is colored with red sea-
weed and has red zoophyte and red coral
This sea was cut by the keels Of Egyptian,
PhGnician and Arabic shipping. II was no
insignificant pond or puddle ON the beach
of which my text calls us to stand. hear
upon it the sound OF n tambourine for
which the timbrel was only another name
An instrument of music made out OF cir
cular hoop, with pieces Of metal fixed in
the sides of it, which made IA jinglng
sound, and over which hoop u piece Of
parchment was distended, and this was
beaten by the knuckles of the performer
The lsraelites. standing on the beach OF
the Red sea. were making music on their
delivcrance from the pursuing Egyptians.
and hear the lsraclitish men with their
deep bass voices. and hear the timbrcl of
Miriam. as she leads the women in their
Jubilee. Rather lively instrument, you
say. for religious scrvice-the timbrel or
tambourine. But think God sanctioned
it. And rather think we will have to put
q
ligious services and drive out the dolorous
and funcrcal. and the day may come when
the timbrel will resume its place in the
sanctuary. But that which occupied the
attention OF all the men and women Of that
Israelitish host was tho celebration Of their
victory. They had crossed They had tn
umphed. They werc free.
More wonderful was this victory and dc-
feat than when the hosts of Richard over
came the hosts of Saladin Mt Azotus, than
when at Bannockburn Scotland was set
free. than when the Earl of Northumber-
land was driven back ut Branham Moor,
than when mt the battle OF Wakefield York
was slain, than when ut Bosworth Field
Richard was left dead. than when the
Athenians under Miltlades at Marathon
put the Pcrsians to flight. for this victory
of my text was gained without sword or
catapult or spear. The weapon was lifted
and Frustrated sea. And Miriam, the
prophecies, the sister of Aaron. took tim
brel in her hand. and all the women went
out after her with timbrcls and with dances
And Miriam answered them, Sing We 10
the Lord, for he hath triumphed glorious
"; the horse and his rider hath he thrown
into the sea"
\ AGLoEIoUS TRIUMPH.
Brooklyn Tabernacle today feels much as
Moses and Miriam did when they stood on
the banks OF the Red sea after their safe
emergence from the waters. BY the help
of God and the generosity OF our friends
here and elsewhere. our $4,000 of floating
church debt is forever gone. and this house,
which. with the ground upon which it
stands, represents $ll0,O0o. | this day re-
consecrate To God the Father. God the Son
and God the Holy Ghost. \ stranger might
ask how could this church got into debt TO
an amount that would build several large
churches. My answer is, Waves Of dcstruc-
tion, stout as any that ever rolled across
the Red sea of my text.
Examine all the pages of church history,
and all the pages of the worlds history and
show me AN organization, sacred or secular
that ever had To build three great struc-
lures. two of them destroyed by fire. Take
any of your biggest life insurance COM
panics, or your biggest storehouscs, or your
biggest banks. or your biggest newspaper
establishments and let them have to build
three times on the same foundation, and it
would cost them struggle. il not demoli
tion. My text speaks of the Red sea once
crossed. but one Red sea would not have so
much overcome u.s. It was with us Red
SEA dlttT heu Stst lnEcc hcu seas. let
today, thanks be to God we stand on the
sence of timbrel we chant: "Sing We unto
the Lord. for he hath triumphed glorioIsly
The horse and his rider hath he thrown into
the sea-"
But why the great expense of this struc-
ture, My answer is, the immensity of it
and the firmness of it, 1t cost over S34 900
TO dig the cellar. before one stone was laid.
reaching rs the foundation does from street
to street. and then the building of the house
was constructed in way, we are told by
experienced builders who had nothing to do
with it, for durability Of foundation and
wall such as characterizes hardly any other
building Of this city. To the day Of your
death and mine. and for our children and
grandchildren after u.s. it will stand here
house of God and n gate of heaven.
For me personally this is time of glad
ness more than tongue or pen or type can
ever tell For "a years had been building
churches in Brooklyn and seeing them burn
down, until felt / could endure the strain
no longer, and had written my resignation
rs pastor and had appointed to read it two
Sabbaths ago and close my work in Brook
lyn forever felt that my chief work was
yet to be done. but that could not do it
with the Alps on one shoulder and the
Hymalayas on the other. But God has in
terfered, and the way is clear. and am
here and expect to be here until my work
ON earth is done.
Why should l want to go away from
Brooklyn! ! have no sympathy with the
popular sentiment which dcfames our be-
loved city Some people make it part of
their religion TO excoriatc and belittle the
place Of their residence. and there has been
more damage. financial and moral, done to
our city by this hypercriticism than can
ever be estimated. The course of our city
has been onward and upward We have a
citizenship made up of hundreds Of thou
sands of rs good men and women as inhabit
che earth. and feel honored in being "a