The morning call., 1894-05-14

houses On Washington avenue, two squares
away, aud also the SummerfieId Methodist
Church, we're set on fire by them. but the
greatest loss on any one of these structures
did not exceed $4,000 The total loss,
however, reaches over S1,O00,0O0.
Mrs. TaImage tells the following story
of the fire:
The doctor was still in the pulpit
shaking hands with the people. OF whom
there were nearly a hundred left. His
back was turned to the organ. l 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 toward the
ceiling and saw a tongue OF fire burst out
between the pipes Of the organ. at once
called aloud:
Doctor, the church is en- frsp'
"He turned aud told all the people to re-
tire. while he went into the study to get
few things. l waited fer him at the door.
The flames spread very rapidly-so quickly
that some Of the trustees were overcome
and bad to be helped out. The doctor
Joined me soon after. We went down TO
Lafayette avenue 10 a friends. where we
remained until we could hear that friends
in the Regent were out of danger and
what the prospect was of saving any of the
church."
The doctor held quite reception at bis
home during the afternoon. DR.. Talmage
made graphic statement of the incidents
connected With the fire. He said:
SAT the close of the church service l
was standing at the foot of the pulpit,
bol DO Of
from all lands. was about through and
walked toward the center of the church,
where my wife stood, when she called nv
attention to the fire springing out from the
top of the organ. 1 saw at once that it
was under full neadway and my first i'm
pulse was to look about and see how many
people were in the house. To my great
Joy there were only about twenty. and
twenty-five doors TO get out Of. felt they
would all escape.
"I then went into my study. back of the
platform, passing under the blazing piping.
10 get my hat and coat, and then said TO
myself, Is it manly TO run of? walked
up and down my study-room, rejoicing
that the fire had occurred when there was
no chance Of fatality.
while in this sort of brown study a
friend rushed into the room and, taking
my arm, said Get out of this doomed
room 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 save
the. building and l came out"
The tears were coursing down the doc
tors cheeks and his voice broke as he told
the story, bat in an instant he spoke with
his old vigOr.
"There Is mercy on top of the disaster
If it had occurred half an hour before it
would have been the calamity of the coun-
try. The chulch and all the rooms adiOin-
ing were packed with people, and the
panic would have left the whole scene one
of indescribable horror. Or if it had oc-
Cured two or three hours later, when the
Sunday-school was in session, there would
have been a thousand households bsreft in
Brooklyn. Little children. helpless chill
dren, what would they have done. God
cared for them, and even in this calamity
his mercy is infinite. Personally | feel
not the least item of disheartment nor less
hope for the future.
'aTbis long procession of disasters is in
explicable--like what happens In fam
ily, four or FIVE dying from scarlet fever.
We must simply accept the fact. Our
church has been burned three times, and
it has always burned ON Sunday. IL is q
mystery that [ adjourn until the next