The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-14
Talmage's Tabernacle Burned
for the Third Time,
Just as the Congregation Was
Dispensing
FLAMES BROKE OUT.
Total Loss Will Amount to
$1,OOO,OOO.

NJ
after services at noon yesterday, and
while DIR. Talmage was shaking
hands with members of his congrega-
ton. fire burst out between the pipes
of the organ and within ten minutes
the big tabernacle was doomed to
total destruction Adjoining the
church was the Hotel Regent. eight
stories high, with = frontage of nine
ty feet on Clinton avenue and extend
ing back 200 feet to Waverly avenue
The fire spread from the tabernacle
to this hotel and then to the dwelling
houses on Greene and Waverly
avenues, opposite the tabernacle
The wind carried the blazing cind-
ers in such quantities in a southeastern
ly direction that dwelling houses on
Washington avenue, two squares
away, and also the Summerfeld
Methodist church, were set on fire by
them, but the greatest loss on any of
these structures did not exceed $751;
0oO- The total loss, however, reaches
over 81, 900, 900. Mrs. Talmage tells
the following story of the fire:
Mrs TaImags's Story.
1.-THE doctor was still in the pulpit
shaking hands with the people of
whom there were nearly a hundred,
probably, left. His back was to the
organ. was standing up at the end
Of the pew talking with Mr. Martin of
Chicago, who wanted to see the doc
tor with a message from loved friends
in that city. 1 looked up toward the
ceiling and saw tongue of flame
burst out between the pipes of the or
gan
church is on fire. He turned and told
all the people to retire, while he went
into the study to get few things. 1
waited for him at the door The
flames spread very rapidly, so quickly
that some of the trustees were over
come and had to be helped out The
doctor Joined me soon after, and we
went down Lafayette avenue to a
frie nd's, where we remained until we
could hear that friends in the Hotel
Regent were out of danger and what
prospect there was of saving any of
tn church"
The doctor held quite a reception
at his home during the afternoon Dr.
Talmage made graphic state ment of
the incidents connected with the fire.
He said:
Eat the close of the church service
I was standing at the foot of the pull
pit shaking hands with hundreds of
people from all lands. 1 was about
through and walked toward the CEN
ter of the church where my wife
stood, when she called my attention
to fire springing from the top of the
organ. l saw at once that IL was I'M
was to look around and see how many
people were then in the church, and
to my great joy there were only about
twenty, and with twenty five doors
through which to get out, felt that
they would all escape.
DR.. Talmage the Fire.
ST then went into my study, back of
the platform, passing under the blaz-
ing piping, to get my hat and coat,
and then said to myself: is it manly
to run off?' I walked up and down
my study room, rejoicing that the fire
had occurred when there was no
chance of a fatality
''While in this sort of brown study
G. New York friend rushed into the
room and taking my arm, cried: Get
out of this room mediately or you'll
not get out at ALL We went out into
the church. One-ha1f of the organ
was down and the fire had leaped to
save the building and / came out"
The tears were coursing down the
doctors cheeks and his voice broke as
he told the story, but in an instant he
spoke with his old viRor.
There is mercy on top of the disas-
ter. If it had occurred half an hour
before it would have been the calam-
ity of the century. The church and
all the rooms adjoining were packed
with people, and the panic would have
1Clb S4o whole scene one O1 lACcSCElO-
able horror. Or if it had occurred two
or three hours later, when the Sum
day school was in session, there would
have been a thousand households be-
reft in Brooklyn Little children,
helpless children, what would they
have done? God cared for them, and
even in this calamity His mercy il
infinite.
Personally I feel not the least
item of disheartenment, nor less faith
in God, nor less of hope for the future.
''The long procession of disasters is
inexplica ble-like what occurs some
times in family. four or five dying
from scarlet fever-it is inexplicable;
we must simply accept the fact
''Our church has been burned three
times, and it has always occurred on
a Sunday. 1t is a mystery that adj
journ till the next world shall let as
know.
1T is the Lord. Let Him do what
seemeth good in His sight
When asked for his own opinion as
to the cause of the fire, he said en-
phatically:
Electric lights; electricity caused
this fire, as it did in the last taberna-
Gle, on Sehermerhorn street"
Continuing, DIR. Talmage said: s"The
fire may change my entire program,
and do not think ] will start on my
trip around the world as 1 intended
tomorrow night i, however, do not
know what / shall do
In three hours only the bare walls
of one of the costliest structures of
Brooklyn remained standing. Long