Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-25
DR.. Talmage Has Not Answered
the Call to Washington.
ACCEPTANCE EXPECTED THIS week
Dr.. Sunderland Tells a Star Re-
porter How 1t Came About.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW

No reply has yet been received from DR..
Talmage by the committee of the congre-
cation of the First Presbyterian Church in
response to the call that was sent to the
Brooklyn preacher Monday night. 1t is
hardly expected that he will reply before
the end of the week, If then, but meanwhile
the officers and pastors Of the church are
very hopeful that DR.. Talmage will accept
the call. Rev. DR.. Sunderland was seen by
Star reporter this morning at his home,
on c street northwest near the church. He
said that he did not expect there would be
cry response from DR.. Talmage for two or
three days at least, but he is very conf
dent that the reply, when it comes, will be
favorable.
Il cannot tell you exactly why feel this
way" he went on, but it is my certain
conviction that DIR. Talmage will become
our co-pastor. 1 know he is considering
other calls, and the suggestion is thrown
out that one of them is from another
church of this city. AS to that matter 1
have no information. 1 have no idea what
other church can be meant. l know that
there has been quite a pressure on DIR.
Iallnage ever since his church burned for
the last time to go here or there and take
charge of congregational work, but he has
refused all steadily. His best offer, from a
monetary point of view, was from a great
syndicate in London, which offered him any
salary he might name and further proposed
to build him an enormous church edifice
A Scheme to Go to Armenia.
Then there was another proposition
made to him lately, which he took under
serious consideration. The Red Cross So
ciety, I think it was raised large sum of
money for the relief of the Armenians, who
were the objects of the hatred of the
Turks not many months ago. They adj
dressed DIR. Talmage and proposed to him
ia in fhair halt md
pend the money for the benefit of the suf-
fering Christians in that prosecuted land.
He was naturally anxious about the safety
OF the expedition and there was some cor
Iespondence between him and the commit
tee in charge relative to this point. He did
not care to undertake the enterprise if
there was any probability that his head
would be cut off peremptorily, and as far
as know he put the matter by and finally
rejected the suggestion.
The Local Call May Have Been In
spired.
1T may not be definitely known, but the
calling OF Dr. Talmage is as much the re-
suit OF an accidental remark as anything
else 1t may have been an inspiration. 1t
came about from proposition to have him
come here for one evening to deliver
lecture. I happened to be in the city al
the time that the trustees were about &c
hold i meeting to consider the proposition
to have DR.. Talmage give a talk possibly
In Convention Hall. l attended the meet
ing, and approved the suggestion heartily.
Suddenly l arose, without really thinking
of what l was going to say, and blurted
out: Here We are talking about getting
this man here for one night; why not get
him for all time? Why not call him to be
our pastor?
THE words fell like flash Of lightning
1t actually dumbfcunded the trustees. 1t
was too gigantic a proposition to be COM
pretended in moment 1t frightened ME.
even, and the next moment L feared lest
had said too much. But we talked it all
over, and coolly considered the chances.
At first the trustees were not a bit inclined
to think it possible that DR.. Talmage
would even think of accepting such call.
But l told them that his circumstances
were greatly changed; his old ties that
bound him to Brooklyn had been very gen.
orally broken, he had lost not only his
church. but his wife. and he might be will
Ing to go elsewhere. Besides. 1 reminded
Il EN-, Washington is no SLOUGH of a place.
and 1t is a magnificent field. finally talk
ed them into considering the case as hope
full and then the negotiations progressed,
as has been told.
DIR. Tnlmagc No Coquctte.
There is one thing sure: DR.. Talmage is
considering this call seriously and con-
scientiously. He is no coquette. He can
be relied upon when once he gives US even
a tentative answer. We have had an ex-
perience with one who did not act thus
with US. Salary Is not such an object to
DIR. Talmage that he would play fast and
loose with us for such matter. No. we
can depend upon what he tells US in reply.
His answer will go to the committee on
correspondence. of which Mr.. Wight is
chairman. Let me thank The Star for its
kindly interest in our efforts to get DR..
Talmage. All the papers have been very
good to US in this case. 1t will be for the
good of Washington as well as of the First
Church to get DR.. Talmage here, and it is
gratifying to have the support of the local