The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-15
TALMAGE'S TABERNACLE
DESTROYED BY FIRE FOR THE
THIRD TINE.
Flames Extend TO the Hotel Regent, Which
ba Total Loss-Dr. Taimago About to
Start on an Extended Trip.

AHt ANtlttSlS OA rev. l. DfN IL Aolii4dbI
and the members of his congregation.
Their beautiful new Tabernacle, at the
corner Of Clinton and Greene avenues,
Brooklyn, was destroyed by fire this af-
ternoon. Flames broke out in the church
edifce just after those who had attended
the morning service had left the building.
Not only was the church destroyed, but
a nearby hotel and a number Of build
ings were also greatly damaged. Had the
fire broken out one hour earlier. while
the building was filed with worshippers,
Ii Is almost certain that dreadful panic
and loss OF life would have resulted.
This is the third time that the Taimage
Tabernacle has been destroyed by FIRE.
BY n singular coincidence each fire oc-
CURED on Sunday
Everything in the Tabernacle to-day
was destroyed with the building. Perhaps
the loss which will grieve DR.. Talmage
most is that Of the memorial stones
which he brought from the East, and
which were set in the wall at the right
Of the organ, encased in stereO-relief
work. They were four in number. The
top block was from Mount Calvary, and
bore the word Sacrifice" The stone be
lNNs NUN 44OuiA 6liicl bfeAf AAlt va -
"The Law" The bottom stone IS from
Mars Hin. and bears the inscription
Gospel" The front stone was unmark
ed. "a more unique collection never was
gathered from one place" DR.. Talmage
says of them.
THE ALARM GIvFN ~ = TOY.
The fire was discovered shortly after
/ 10 o'clock. just after the congregation
had been dismissed from the morning
service. DR.. Tahnage was in the church
! shaking hands with Mr.. Leonard Moody,
W. II. Adams, James II. Ferguson and
| their wives, when a small boy rushed
into the church. through one Of the open
| doors. and informed the sexton, James
| Day. that he had seen smoke coming
out of the windows on the Waverly ave-
| nue. side Of the church. Mr.. Day, with
! out speaking to DR.. Talmage, rushed
down stairs TO the motor-roOm and be-
| gan making a thorough examination. AZ
ter searching around all the corners Of
| the room, and not being able to find
any indications Of fire. he ran up
stairs. As he entered the church he met
| Dr. Talmage with Mr. Moody. They had
also smelled smoke.
The boy who first entered the church
| and informed Mr.. Day OF the fire then
volunteered to go up in the hack Of the
organ TO see If IL was there. He did so.
and a second later appeared before the
! three gentlemen who were waiting for
him. with his face blackened and almost
suffocated with smoke. All he could say
was that he discovered the fire in the
! back OF the organ. DR.. Talmage Mr..
| Day and Mr.. Moody then started for
| the organ. but before they could
get near it a gust Of flames burst from
the top. The gentlemen then made hur-
ried exit.
| PANIC IN THE HOTEL REGENT.
Great jets of flame shot across the open
| space between the Tabernacle and the
| Hotel Regent. which is next to the church.
on Clinton avenue, and In a short space
of time that portion of the hotel nearest
the church was burning iercely.
The Regent is family hotel The
guests fed in dismay. Some Of them
stopped to throw their valuables and
clothing from the windows, while others
hurried to places Of safety just as they
happened to be apparelled when the panic
| struck them.
At the time Of the fire there were eighty
| five guests and ninety servants in the
| hotel and many of these had narrow es-
| capes. The fire extended 10 the hotel be-
tween the first and second floors. Before
the employees gave the alarm they at
tempted TO get 1t under control. The fire
| soon spread up to the third and fourth
| floors. however, and the guests and ser
| wants rushed pel-mel into the street
! There were two ladies in the hotel who
had to be carried out
SPARKS SET FIRE TO OTHER BUILDINGS.
The flames spread rapidly through the
| hotel and ii, too, was soon afire from
| cellar to roof The firemen then devoted
| l,.ofu 30
| number of dwellings in the vicinity
| caught fire again and again. but the fire.
| men each time flooded them with water
| and eytinguished the flames. The Sum
| merfield Methodist Episcopal church, at
| Greene and Washington avenues, also
caught fire from flying sparkle. but the
| flames were soon extinguished.
The numerous small fires continued until
| 4 O'Clock, by which time the firemen had
| gotten the flames in the tabernacle and
| hotel under control.
DR.. Talmage did not start to-day on his
trip around the world, as he had in
tended. but will start some day this week.
| He will go to California. and from there
to Hawaii Samoa, Tasmania, New Zea-
land, Australia, Ceylon, and India He
! will return here in October If he carries
| out his original programme.
| DR. Louis Klopsch who. three years
| ago. made the arrangements FOR his re-
| ception at that time, is TO secure Madison
| Souare Garden on the return OF Mr..
| Talmage in October. and Talmage viii
preach there the entire season.
THE TABERNACLE.
The Tabernacle occupied a plot Of
| ground 900 by lis feet in dimensions. The
| stvle of architecture was Romanesque;
| the material Corsehill stone rain-washed
| brick in red mortar. The roof was covered
| with Spanish tiles The main tower at
| Greene and Clinton avenues stood l6O feet
in height.
The main entrance was at Clinton and
| Greene avenues; a second entrance was
on Clinton avenue, and third on Waver-
| lv avenue. The Greene and Waverly
| avenue entrances led 10 the Sunday-school
hall as well as to the main auditorium.
| The vast interior held seats for DOW
The general slope was amphitheatricaI.
The lofty ceiling was domed and divided
| into panels. the material used being Oh d
rotant dre-proof wood, which, incldentaiiy'
yas DESTROYED with the rest or the Duiiu-
! ing. A., ,ba loft over
-, ,ha fire appears 10 have Originate
"ni0n - III ~ the rostrum, the wood"ork
"ao - a. be,ng of ash, nicely paheieu
enSaSs ,,entad with carved columns
anu anu 80 ueed throughout the Duiiolhs
Inc siaS.,,ination siaSs of frosted crystai ana
was eon' ,'aaes of yellow, giving very
mellow light. .uar,es finished with