Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-05-14
THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE

30 feet IL Waycrly avenue The fire
spread from tn Tabernacle to this hotel
and then To- the dwelling houses OH Green
and Wavcrly avenues, opposite the Tab.
eraacl'. The wind carried the blazing
faggots in surh quantities in n southeast.
ely direction that dwelling houses in
Washington avenue, two squares away,
aaa also the Summerield Methodist
church, were set on fire by them The
total loss rcao.es S2,OO0,O0.
The story Mrs. Taimagc Tells.
Mrs. Talmage tells the following story
OF the fire: The doctor WAS still in the
pulpit shaking hands with the people, o.
whom there were nearly a hundred. prob
ably. 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. looked
up towards the ceiling and saw IA tongue
of flame burst out between the pipes
of the organ. i at once called aloud,
Doctor. the church is on iire,' He turned
and told all the people to retire, while lie
went into tie study to sc: n few things.
waited for him at the door. The flames
spread very rapidly, so quickly that some
OF the trustees were overcome and lad to
be helped out. The doctor joined me soon
after and we went down to Lafayette ave-
nue. To II friends where we remained until
we could hear that friends in the Regent
were out OF danger and what prospect
there was o! saving any Of the church."
The Doctor Tahcs u Long Chance.
The doctor held quite a reception Mt his
home during the afternoon. DR.. Talmage
made n graphic statement of the Incl.
dents connected with the fire. His de-
scriptIon of the discovery of the fire was
identical nearly with that of Mrs. Tai
mage, and he added his greet joy that
there were only about twenty persons in
the church with twenty-five doors to get
out of. felt that they would all escape "
He continues: Il then went into my
study, back Of the platform, passing under
the blazing piping to get my hat and coat,
and then l said 20 myself Is it manly to
run ofIi' walked UP and down my study
room rejoicing that the fire occurred when
there was no chance of n fatality. While
in this sort of brown study New York
friend rushed into the room and taking
my arm said: Get ont of this room i'm
iEediatcly or you'll not get out mt ALL
some Eorrors That Might Have Hccn.
I'VE went iu.o the church One-half of
the organ was down and the fire had
reached the roof. ! saw that nothing
could save the building and / came out ~
The tears were coursing down the doctor 5
check and his voice broke as he told the
story. but in ali instant he spoke with his
old time vicor. There is mercy ON
top OF the disaster. If 1t had occurred
half an our before il would have been the
calamity of the century. The church
and al 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 session there would have been
1900 households bereft in Brooklyn. Lit
tie children. helpless children. what would
they have done: God cared for them, and
even in this calamity His mercy is inf
uitc'