Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-05-19
4 N


Destroyed Again.
BROOKLYN. N. r., May I3.-Just
after services at noon to-day, and
while DIR. Talmage was shaking hands
with members of his congregation.
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 in
height, with a frontage of ninety feet
on Clinton Avenue, and extending
back 200 feet to Waverly Avenue.
The fire spread from the tabernacle to
this hotel, and then to the dwelling
houses on Greene avenue and Waiver
ly avenue opposite the church. The
wind carried the blazing cinders in
such quantities in a s~outheasterly d.
~rection that dwelling houses on Wash
ington avenue, two squares away, and
also the Summerfeld Methodist
Church were set on fire by them, but
the greatest loss of anyone of these
structures did not exceed $4,000.
The total loss, however reaches over
81, 900, 900.
Mrs. Talmage tells the following
story of the fire: 1.-The Doctor was
80
still in the pulpit shaking hands with
the people of whom there are nearly
a hundred probably, left. His back
was to the organ. was standing up
at the end of a pew. l looked up to-
ward the ceiling and saw a tongue of
fame burst out between the pipes OF
the organ. / at once called aloud
Doctor, the church is on fire He
turned and told the people to retire,
while he went into the study to get a
few things he had there. | waited
for him at the door. The flames
spread very rapidly, so quickly that
some of the trustees were overcome
and had to be helped out"
The Doctor held quite a reception
at his home during the afternoon. DR..
ralmage made a graphic statement Of
the incidents connected with the fire.
He said: "At the close of the church,
service l was standing at the foot O.
the pulpit shaking hands with hun
dreds of people from all lands. l was
about through and walked to the cen
ter of the church, where my wife stood
when she called my attention to fire
springing out from the top ofthe or
gan. | saw at once that it was under
full Roadway and my first impulse
was to look around and see how many
people were then in the house, and
then to my great joy there was only
about twenty people, and twenty-five
doors to get through, l felt that they
would all escape.
II then went into my study back
of the platform, passing under the
blazing piping, to get my hat and
coat and then l said to myself, Is il
manly to run? No. So l walked UP
and down the study ROOM, rejoicing
that the fire had occurred when there
was no chance of a fatality. While
in this sort of brown study q
New York friend rushed into the room
and taking my arm said: Get out
of this room Immediately, or you'll
not get out at all We went out into
the church, one-half Of the organ was
, down and the fire had leaped to the
roof. saw that nothing could saw
the building and l came out"
The tears were coursing down the
Doctors cheek, and his voice broke as
he told the story, but in an instant he
spoke with his old vigor.
"There is mercy on top of this dis
aster. If it had occurred one half ar
hour before it would have been the
calamity of the century. The church
r and all the rooms adjoining were
packed with people, and the panic
would have left the whole scene one
of indescribable horror. Or, if it had
occurred two or three hours later
when the Sunday school was in SEES
sion, there would have been a thou
sand households bereft in Brooklyn
Little children, helpless children, help.
less children; what would they have
done? God cared for them, and ever
in this calamity.
Personally, l feel not the least
item of disheartment, nor less faith ii
God, less of hope for the future.
This long procession of disaster is
inexplicable-like what occurs some
times in a family, four or five dying
from scarlet fever-it is inexplicable
we must simply accept the fact.
"Our church las been burned three
. times, and it has always occurred on
a Sunday. 1t is a mystery that l adj
journ till the next world shall let us
know.
at 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; electric
ity caused the fire, as it did that OF
the last tabernacle on Schemerhorn
street"
Continuing, DIR. Talmage said:
"The fire may change my entire pro-
graiume and | do not think | will
start on my trip around the world as
| intended tomorrow night. 1 how
ever, do not know what l shall do"
The fire spread with lightning-like
rapidity, and before sunset had des-
troyed property to the value of nearly
s., ooo, 900.
1t was nearly 20 minutes before
the fremeu came, and then half a
hundred streams of water were turned
upon the blazing pile. But the
church was doomed and every effort