The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-13
REV. DE WITT TALMAGE DEAD.
Great Pulpit Orators Work Is
Ended.

Great Pulpit Orators Work Is
Ended.
Washington. April 1s.-Rev. T. De-
Witt Talmage. the noted Presbyterian
divine, died at o'clock tonight at his
residence in this city. 1t had been
evident for some days that there was
no hope of recovery and the attend
ing physicians so informed the fam
lily. The patient gradually grew weak
er until life passed away so quietly
that even the members of the family,
all of whom were watching at the bed
side, hardly knew that he had gone.
The immediate cause of death was
Inflammation of the brain.
DR.. Talmage was in poor health
ton to Mexico for vacation and rest
six weeks ago. He was then suffering
from influenza and serious catarrhal
conditions. Since his return to Wash
ington some time ago he has been
quite i'll. Until Thursday, however,
fears for his death were not entertain
ed. The last rational words utted by
DR.. Talmage We're on the day preced
ing the marriage of his daughter, when
he said:
"Of course, l know you, Maud"
Since then he had been unconscious.
At DR.. Talmages bedside, beside his
wife, were these members of his fam
lily: Rev. Frank Dewitt Talnage,
Chicago; Mrs. Warren G. Smith,
Brooklyn; Mrs. Allen e. Donnan, Rich
mond; Mrs. Clarence Wycoff, and Miss
Talmage, Washington.
While arrangements for the funeral
have not been finally completed, the
family have about decided to have the
remains taken to the Church of the
| Covenant here on Tuesday, where SER
vices will be held. The body will then
be conveyed to Brooklyn, where inter-
ment will be made in the family plot
in Greenwood cemetery, probably on
| Wednesday.
A sketch of the Deceased.
Thomas Dewitt Talmage was born
at Bound Brook, N. j., Jan z, 1882 His
father was a. farmer. He was educated
in New Brunswick. N. J., and at the
age of eighteen Joined the church and
became a church worker. At nineteen
he entered the University of New York,
from which he was graduated in 1858
At the close of his studies he took a
course of law. At the end of three
years, however, he concluded that the
law was not his calling, and prepared
himself for the ministry in the semi
nary of the Dutch Reformed Church in
New Brunswick. He was ordained by
the Dutch Reform Chassis of Bergen,
and for three years filled a pulpit at
Belleville, N. ]. After that he was
called to the church in Syracuse. Dur
ink his ministry at this point he mar
ried Miss Avery of Brooklyn. From
Syracuse he went to the Second Re-
form Church of Philadelphia. While
IN TINS ministry DR.. Talmage had the
! misfortune to lose his wife by drown
| ing in the Schuyllzill river. Two years
later he married Miss White
more of Brooklyn, to whom several
children We're born. DIR. Talmage re-
manned in Philadelphia seven years.
When he accepted a call from the Cen
trai Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn.
This church then had a congrega ton
OF about thirty-five members. DR.. Tai
mage preacher for thirteen months in
the old church, when the building was
found too small for the crowds that
| attended and it was deemed advisable
to provide a large building. In 1873
the Brooklyn Tabernacle, with a seat
ing capacity for 1900 persons had been
built and dedicated, with DR.. Talmage
as the pastor. Twice the ediiice was
destroyed by fire, and each time DR..
Talmage rebuilt it greater than before.
Or. Tamage remained in Brooklyn I'M
til about 1891, when he severed his
connection with the Tabernacle and
went to Washington. During the time
of his ministrations in Brooklyn he
wrote several books, and syndicated
his sermons to a large number of news
papers. The "Talmage sermons" be-
came feature of many American pa
pers in the Monday editions, and were
continued practically up to the time of
his death. DR.. Talmage received his
degree of d. D. from the University
of Tennessee in 1884. He was noted
as one of the most eloquent divines of
the American pulpit