Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-14

on Washington avenue, two squares
q way, and also the summerneld Meth
h, church, were get on lire by the
II "a, hut the greatest loss on any OF
~ III VI, lures did not exceed $4,000.
a 81, ss, however, reaches over
$780,
Mrs. Talmngc Tells
the following story OF the fire;
"The doctor was still on the pulpit
shaking hands with the people. of whom
there were nearly 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 doctor with
messages from loved friends in that
city. l looked up toward the ceiling
and saw tongue OF flame burst out
between the pipes Of the organ. l ut
once called aloud Doctor. the church
is on fire! He turned and told the
people TO retire while ne went into the
study to get few things. waited
for him at the door. The flames spread
very rapidly, so quickly that some
of the trustees We're overcome and
had to be helped out. The doctor join
ed me soon after and We went to La
fayette avenue to a friends. where
we remained until we heard that
friends In the Regent were out of dam
ger and what prospect there was Of
saving any Of the church,"
The doctor held quiet reception at
his home during the afternoon. Mr..
Talmage made graphic statement OF
the Incidents connected with the fire.
He said:
"At the close of the church services
/ was standing at the foot of the pulpit
shaking Hands
With hundreds of people from all
lands. 1 was about through and walk
ed towards the cente- of the church
where my wife stood. when she called
my attention to the fire spring!ns
from the top of the organ. saw at
once that It was under full headway
and my first impulse was to look
around ana see how many people We're
then in the house, and to my great JOY
there were only about twenty people,
and with twenty-five doors TO get out
through. felt they would all escape,
81 then went to my study back Of
the platform, passing under the blaz-
ing piping, to get my hat and coat
and then 1 said to myself, is 1t manly
to run? No. So 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 a 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 into the church.
one-half the organ was down and the
fire had leaped to the roof. l saw that
nothing could 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 vigor. There is
marcy on top of the disaster If 1t
had occurred halt an hour before II
would have been the calamity OF the
century. The church and all the rooms
adjoining were packed with people
and the panic would have left scenes
of indescribable horror. or II II had
occurred two or three hours later when
the sunday-school was in session there
would have been thousand house
holds bereft in Brooklyn.
Little children. helpless little chill
dren. what would they have doneY
God cared for them, and even IN TINS
preat calamity his mercy is Infinite
personally / feel not the least DIS
heartqnment. nor less faith IN Goo MOI
less hope for the future.
.This iorE procession OF disasters is
,naxpllcable. We must simply accept
the fact. Our church has been burned
three times, and 1t has always oe-
Cured on Sunday. It is mystery
mat adjourn I'll the next world snail
let US know. II is the Lord Let MN
do what scemeth good in his sight
When asked his opinion as 10 the
cause OF the fire he said emphaticaliy'
..Electric lights. Electricity caused
this FIRE as 1t did that Of the last taneF-
naele on schermernorn street
continuing. DR.. Talmagc said rhe
Are may change my entire program
and do not think viii start on my
trim around the world. as intended To-
morrow night !, however. do not kno"
what shall do"
The fire spread with
Lightning Like Fapidity'
Ana before sunset has destroyed prop
ertv 10 the value OF nearly s2,ooo'oV0.
Ex-supervisor John II. Reed, who was
r,haarsing with the choir In summer.
aeId Methodist Episcopal church two
blocks in the rear Of the tapSFhue.s'