The herald., 1894-05-14
AGAIN FOOD FOR FLAMES.
Talmage's Tabernacle Thrice
Destroyed.
Each Time the Fire Occurred
on Sunday.
A Procession Of Disasters That Is
Hard to Explain.
Brooklyn's Biggest Church, the Hotel
Regent and other Property Burned.
Total Loss Of Nearly
S2,0Oo.O0O.
BY the Associated Press.


BY the Associated Press.
BROOKLYN, May 13.--Just after SER
VICES at noon today and while DR.. Tai
mage was shaking hands with members
OF his congregation, some one remarked,
II smell smoke.'
Almost instantly tongue of fire was
seen to leap out from between the pipes
OF the organ. DR.. Talmage commanded
the people to leave the church, and
they lost no time in obeying the COM
mand. Two OF the trustees who were
in their room in the tower were over
come by smoke and had to be carried
out. Within ten minutes after the first
alarm had been given the big tapsr-
nacle was doomed to total destruction.
Adjoining the church was the Hotel
Regent, eight stories in height, with a
frontage of 80 feet on Clifton avenue
and extending back 200 feet. to Waverly
avenue. The FIRE spread from the taosr-
nacle to the hotel and then to the dwell
ling houses On Green and Olive avenues,
opposite the tabernacle. The wind
carried the blazing cinders in such
quantities in a southeasterly direction,
that dwelling houses ON Washington
avenue, two squares away, and also the
Summarized Methodist church were set
on fire by them, but the greatest loss on
any one OF these structures did not ex-
coed $15,o00. The total loss, however,
reaches over 81, 100000.
MRS. TALMAaE's STORY.
Mrs. Talmage tells the following story
of the FIRE:
THE doctor WAS still in the pulpit
shaking hands with the people, of whom
there was nearly hundred people 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 zee the doctor with messages
from loved friends in that city. looked
towards the ceiling and saw a tongue of
FIRE burst ont between the pipes of the
organ. l at once called aloud: Doctor,
the church is on fire.
''He turned and told all the people to
retire, while he 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 were overcome and had to be
helped out. The doctor joined me soon
after and we went down to La tayette
avenue to 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"
DIR. TALMAGE TALKS.
The doctor held quite reception at
his home during the afternoon. DR..
Tslmage made a graphic statement of
the incidents connected with the fire.
He said:
TAT tbs close OF the church service |
was standing at the foot of the pulpit
shaking hands with hundreds OF people
from all lands. l was about through
and walked toward the center OF the
church, where my wife stood, when she
called my attention to the fire springing
out from the top OF the organ. | saw at
once that it was under full Roadway,
and my first impulse was to look about
! and see how many were in the house.
To my great Joy there were only about
| 20, and 20 doors 20 get out of. ielt
they would all escape.
II then went into my study, back OF
the platform, passing under the blazing
|
l said to myself: Ia 1t manly to run
off?' l walked up and down my study
room, rejoicing that the FIRE had oc-
! Cured 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 room at ones, or you'll not get out
at ALL We went out into the church.
| Ohe-half OF the organ WAS down and the
| fire had leaped to the roof. l saw that
nothing could cave the building and |
came out"
MERCY ON TOP OF DISASTER.
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 vigoI.
This is mercy on top of disaster. If
| it had occurred half an hour before 10
would have been the calamity of the
country. The church and all the rooms
adjoining were packed with people, and
the panic would have left the whole
scene one of Undesirable horror. Or
if it had occurred two or three hours
later, when the Sunday school was in
session, there would have been a thou
sand households bereft in Brooklyn.
| LlttiO ChAulohs hoipiCs5 CHiluIou, Wu&t
would they have done? God cared for
them, and even in this calamity His
mercy is infinite.
Personally, feel not the least iten
of disbursement nor less hope for the
! future.
A PROCESSION OF DISASTERS.
"This long procession of disasters ia
inexplicable-like Whist occurs in fam
lily. four or five dying from scarlet fever
--inexplicable. We must simply accept
| the fact
'Our church has been burned three
times, and it has always burned on Sum
day. II is q mystery that | adjourn
until the next world shall let us know.
1t is the Lord let Him do what seemeth
! good in His sight"
| When asked for bis opinion az to the
cause Of the fire he said emphatiealiy
| Electric Lights; electricity caused this