New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-22
DIR. TALMAGE TO RESIGN.
HE SAYS HE WILL LEAVE THE BROOK
LYN TABERNACLE NEXT SPRING.
HIS LONG TERM OF SERVICE GIVEN AS HIS
REASON FOR RETIRING-FINANClAL QrEs-
TIoNs. HOWEVER. THOUGHT TO BE
THE REAr. MEMBERS OF
THE CHrHCH SURPRISED AND
pot-nTFt'L WHETHER THEIR
PASTOR WILL ADHERE

por-nTFr'I WHETHER THEIR
PASTOR WILL ADHERE
TO HIS DECISION.
The Rev DR. T. De Witt Talmage surprised
his congregation in the Brooklyn Tabernacle
last evening by announcing that he would re-
sign his pulpit there in ,hc coming spring. when
he will have concluded quarter Of century
in his Brooklyn pastorate He threatened to
resign last year when the effort was being
made TO get rid of the floating debt on the
church property by scaling 1t down to 20 cents
On n dollar the creditors reluctantly accepting
the terms. At that time. after the debt was
dispogcd Of Or. '.almage assured his people that
he proposed to remain their pastor for the re-
maindcr Of his lf"
Recently new financial difficulties have beset
the church At the time the present edifice
was built a loan of sl25,0O0 was secured from
Russell Sage 1t was understood that the In
terest was not to be demanded until the
church was ready to pay It, but as security MT
Sage took a mortgage upon the church
property. at Greene and Clinton aves, ana
life insurance policy for $4,000 upon the life
of DR. Talmace Mr.. Sage recently began to
urge the pa ynnent of principal and the interest
of $4,000.
Last fall new Board Of Trustees was chosen
for the church. and various plans have becn
considered for raising funds for freeing the
church from debt. The plan was made public
last week Of selling sitings In the church Tor ~
cents each. so as TO provide sinking fund lor
the church debt 1t met the approval Of all the
trustees but Dr. Tamage said II would excite
the ridicule OF the world and that he could not
consent to any such plan. lie was in Washing-
ton and Richmond last week lccturng. and re-
turned on Saturday.
ANNOt NcEMENT OF HIS PURPOSE.
Last evening he surprised his congregation by
reading this statement:
this church twenty-five years. and quarter Of
century IS long enough for any minister 70 prTacn Yen
n 6 any ib Sne up RTe and It ' W be- Occupied by such
person you may select; Though me WORK mas mas
Of f' bulldng nG three great churces two Of them
Dc sstroyed by IRE the field has been delightful and
called TO build three churches. and hope no other
pastor will ever be called to such fcarfui uhder'
My plans after resignation have not been de-
vciope1 but shall preach both by voice ana news
paper press as long a. my HE ana neat" are 'o''
From first to last we have been a united pe9-
cf Truseca and Elders. whether Of the preSeint or
past. and TO all the congregation and to Brookyn
| have no vocabulary intense enough 10 express
my gratitude to the new spaper press OF these hes,
cities Tor the generous manner IN %hicn @ ny @ nsre
ter ~ century. ., ..,
hfter long pas,ora'e I. Is painful Thing thing
ship viii be renewed In heaven.
DIR. TALMAGE's LITE-woRE.
Thomas De Wit, Tamage was born at Bound
Brook. y j.. on January I. 1892. HIS father was
sheriff OK somerse; County and ne had three
brothers who entered the ministry. the Rev Drs.
James r.. John V y. and Goyn Talmage
Another brother. Daniel Tamage. was New
York rice merchant and one Of the founders ot
the Native American party.
pr Talmage was graduated from the Uni
versity Of the City OF New-York In lS13 where
he was a college mate Of Drs. Lyman ADpoN
and +. II. Tcrhune. Of Brooklyn' ana IN is'o ne
was graduated from the Rutgers Theological
Seminary in New Brunswick. y. j. lils mrs,
pastoratc was at Bcllevllc. y. j.. ana ne re-
maincd there for three years In lS.' ne g.
ccptcd a call to the Second Reformed Church III
Philadelphia He soon showed marked orig
inallty of pulpit manner and style and attracted
large audiences. ,
His church was soon crowded and its member
shin increased greatly In 1869 Dr Talmage was
invited To- go to Brooklyn and take the pas,ora.e
of the Central Presbyterian Churcn In SchetlneI
horn-st. He accepted the call ana was instaieu
there I'm April 1863 The church had "A nanului
OF members and occupied an old-fashioned edliice
IN which there were many empty pews Dr; lai-
mae. soon filed these ana crowded the churcn
In ,ha first wear His salary was Increased ana
steps were at once taken To build larger church.
A site was secured adjoining the Original euince
"A
persons. The name "Brooklyn Tabernacle was
adopted and the seats were arranged in the lorih
OF an amphitheatre.
TWO DISASTROUS FIRES.
The building was destroyed by fire In 1872. and
DR. Talmage preached In the Academy ol Music
until a new sanctuary was completed on the
same site II was on the same general plan as
IN. first Tabernacle. but was built Of brick and
seated 2 900 persons This ediice WAS occupied
until about five years ago. when 1t also was
DESTROYED by fire J; was thought at the time
that the fire was caused by an electric storm. as
the building had been newly wired FOR elect,lc
lighting and the switchboard showed wherc the
fire started. Again services were hrid IN 'ne
Academy Of Music until a new churrh 'ouid De
huilt This was erected In Cnton-aNe. 10 cost
abou; $500 900 IL Is the largest protestant
Church in the country. seating 4,ooo IN the mann
auditorium and 1000 In the SUNDAY -schocl too,'i'
which can De thrown into the church when de-
sired. ,,a
The financial problem has always been diff
cult one for Or Talmage's church. althoush lhe
corcrepatlons he has drawn have been large
enough to I'LL the buildings in which he has
preached. The latest report OF me church
statistics shows that there are f.To members, members,
ana n Sunday-school Of l.lS5. The church
propcrtv is Vailed ~ $i00 600. and the debt Is
given as $4,000. Dr. Talnages salary mas
been S12 900 for a dozen years. noninny, pus
he has received nothing since the building OF
tho present church. lie has a considerable IN
come from lecturnG and literary work
WHAT MEMBERS OF TIE CHURCH SAY.
There was much speculation among The mem
bers Of the church after DR.. Talmages an
nouncement OF his purpose OF resgnng last
evening He refused 10 add anything To MS
statement II was said by some OF the members
OF the church that II the church were ireeu
from all financial obligations, Dr. Talmage wou'o
probably reconsider his determination and con-
tinue TO preach there as he did last summer
At that time there was talk that he might go To
Chicago or San Francisco and assume chs',sc
of n new church. Now there Is report vi hIs
going still further from Brooklyn. a statement
recently appeared I'm a Melbourne Ausuanh'
newspaper that DIR. Talmage would prcach 'heIe
next summer 1t Is thought by some that ne
may conclude to go there and remain IN mat
far-off land. DR. Talmage has great Popuiaruy
as a lecturer and filed n large number OF en-
gagements last summer He couid pronthpIy
employ all his time In lecturing. as ne rciuses
many engagements every year
DIR. Talmage's city home Is at NO sou'n Ok
ford-st. Brooklyn and he has summer nome
at Easthampton. l.. l.. He has severai married
daughters and his son. the Rev. FRANK iamase'
.,,,ipt lncf