Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-06-19
THOSE THREE FIRES.
DR.. TALMkoE DISCUSSES THE BURN
ING OF THE TA9ERNACLES.

IlTsb Gttko IN bho
Around the World.
At half past 0 o'clock on the night of
May IA, 1894, l descended the front
steps Of my home in Brooklyn The sem
sation of leaving for journey around
the world is not all made up of bright
anticipation. The miles to be travelled
are so numerous, the seas to be crossed
are so treacherous, the peradventures
are so many, that the solemnities out
number the expectations. My family
accompany me to the railway train.
Will we all meet again? The climatic
changes, the ships, the shoals, the hur-
ricanes, the bridges, the cars, the cpl
denies, the possibilities, hinder ary
positiveness of prophecy. come down
the front steps of my home. Will ever
again ascend them? The remarks made
by Hon. William NJ Evarts few even
ings before at the public reception-on
the conclusion of my twenty-fifth year
of Brooklyn pastorate-though uttered
in facetiousness, were consolatory He
said, CDR. Talmage ought to realize
that if he goes around the world he will
come out at the same place from which
he started" May the God who holds
the winds in one fist and the ocean in
the hollow of the other hand protect us
1 leave home while the timbers of
our destroyed church are still smoking
Three great churches have been con-
sumed. Why this series of huge calami-
ties know not Had not made all the
arrangements for departure and been as
sured by the trustees of my church that
they would take all the responsibilities
upon themselves, l would have post
poned my intended tour or adjourned it
forever, but all whom have consulted
tell me now is the time to go, and my
face is toward the setting sun.
Six times before this have l crossed
the American continent, and l have
seen the sun rise from the golden cradle
of the eastern sky and seen him buried
beneath the pomp of the western hori-
zon. Three girths have been put around
the American continent-the Northern
Pacific, the Union Pacific and the
Southern Pacific. All these girths have
been frightened, and the buckles arc
ever and anon until the cont
nent is less and less in circumference
When 1 first crossed it, it took fully
seven days. Instead of the elegant din
ing cars of today, we stopped at restau
rants with table covers indescribable,
for they had ON them layers of other
strata of breakfasts insulting in appear.
ance The first time l ever saw Judge |
Field of the United States supreme |
court was at one of these tables on the |
Rocky mountains. Like myself, he had
from the Union Pacific |
train. We sat opposite each other. The
different courses of food were put upon
the table, but his appetite and mine de-
clined everything presented. Our eyes
met, and we burst into guffaw OF
laughter that was the introduction of
that has been valuable to me
ever since. A smile as well as a tear
may open chapter of hearty acquaint-
What is the meaning of the three
Tres? AS leave, people in many lands
ire discussing the question, for tele-
grams from across the Atlantic as well
Is from many parts of this country show
hat the fiery news had leaped every |
whittier Three vast structures dedicat-
I'd TO God and the work of trying to
make the world better gone down, and
Ill this within few years. They were
we'll built as to permanence and dura-
0ility. All the talk about these build
ngs as mere firetraps is the usual can't
'or there is as much secular cant as re-
igious can't Have you heard in the
asst 40 years of any church, or any hall,
)r any theater which, after destruction,
was not called firetrap? That charge
Always makes a lively opening for any
of fire.
There have been no better structures,
secular or religious, put up in the last
% years than the three Brooklyn Taber-
lacles, and the modes of egress from
hem so ample that the thousands OF
assembled in any of them
,ould be put safely on the street inside
If five minutes. The fact is that there is
lothing in this world incombustible.
When the great Chicago and Boston fires
ook place, they burned up stones and
ron. The human race will go ON build
ng inconsumable churches, and incon-
unable banks, and inconsumable store
houses, and inconsumable cities, and
hen all will be consumed in the worlds
asst fire.
Builders who had large experience
md established reputation pronounced
he Brooklyn Tabernacles perfect struc-
ures. But what is the meaning of the
hree fires? There may be a hundred diff
erent lessons learned by hundred diff
erent people, and legitimate lessons
As for myself, adjourn the most OF the
to the next world. We will
earn there in two minutes more than
We can find out here in 90 years. With
hat anticipation, mysteries do not often
bother me.
One reason for these consecutive dis
lsters may be that the patience OF the
pest people in the world, the members
# the Brooklyn Tabernacle, was to be