The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-18
A sANCTIFiED THEATEK.

The Rev. DR.. Talmage and his "Taber-
nacle," or to speak more properly, his
sanctitied theater, have collapsed. The
New York Epeaing Post is scholarly,
able. discreet and conservative paper and
IL has not spoken without due reflection
when 1t deliberately says that the failure
Of Taimage was due to the lack of moral
sincerity of the man.
His career has been one of false pre-
lenses throughout and he has at last been
found out. He was quick to see that there
was money in notoriety. He therefore
sought notoriety. He perceived clearly
the help he could get from the press when
the press so generally lapsed into sensa-
tionaiism, aud he therefore made friends
with the newspapers. He was always
ready to puff "the wonderful enterprise of
the modern press" and the modern edi-
tors we're always ready in return to give
him great amount Of advertising without
charge.
Having become notorious, Talmage
proceeded 10 market his name. He charged
large sums for writing small amounts of
matter as editor OF one or another pubica-
ton which was ready TO pay for name lie
made sharp bargains with syndicates for
the publication of his sermons. He neg
ieeted his pastoral work TO go off on lee
turing tours at $500 a night He ran un
his income into tens of thousands a wear,
while poorly paid and overworked clergy
men Of other Brooklyn churches had TO
attend funerals in his parish and discharge
other pressing duties of his which he
shirked IN order to swell his bank ac-
count:
DIR. Talmase was placed on trial before
the presbytery OF his church upon charges
OF falsehoo and fraud which were pressed
home upon him by no less man than the
late Rev. DR.. Henry ]. Van Dyke. one o
the very first men of his church. When
tho trial had made some progress and the
testimony began TO make things look very
blsck for Taimage. that inimitabie clerical
fakir and rhetorical acrobat and contor-
ZIONIST suddenly arose. burst into tears
and had the gall to propose that they
should all forgive one another" should
''kiss and shake hands sill round" and
drop all further proceedings. Thereapon
Talmage proceeded 10 cry and kiss and
kiss and cry. and his melodramatic acting
carried the day and the proceedings were
dropped TO the righteous indignation of
Rev Dr. Van Dyke. who left tie assembly.
exelaiming that be thought proposition
TO forgive" everybody aud kiss every
body wn not a satisfactory answer 70
grave charges OF faisehood snd fraud. DIR.
Talmage's methods of defense recalled
the old story of the fellow who exclaimed.
IF have said anything | ought to be
ashamed Of accept your apology"
The influence and example of Talmaee
have been most evil. In a sermon on tenn
peranee he charged the loss of the battle
Of chsneellovsYllle upon Gen. Hooker.
who he declared was drunk, and when
honorable comrades of Gen. Hooker. from
his second IN command. Gen. Couch, down
10 his personal staff. testified tina. Gen.
Hooker totally abSsainsd from the use of
liquor during the whole campaign. Tai
mage treated their letters with CONTEMPT.
OF course 8 great church with q crea, at
tendance. IA the heart OF great city.
oughs to &c an immense force for good.
The Brooklyn Tahegnacls was utterly
without Influence in this respect, tor Tai
asgs vas careful always to pitch into"
nobody bat trisnG.sss sinners in the ao-
stsact; lie never tooA sides where anybody
aigh: he offended. he never made the
slightest ssegsfee fog the public interest.
Henri Ward Beecher had grave faults Of
character. it IS by 10 means certain
taat he was galli.ess Of the of.
fense for which be was tried. but
Bsecher would face 8 mob TO sneak
hss opinions in The pulpit or on the plat.
form and bis oa09ca Was rover for good /:
his hearers put their hands in sheir
pockets and made Rseehss's bsnevolenca
speak III tae clink of thousands Of dollars
sssi were dropped into The contribution
eex, hat the Tabernacle under TalmaSs
Vas saeered At for the ssnallness of its con.
ir.egtsoas Ter benevolent objects.
Ii Essehss s.aRsa as DAVID ahmed he