The age-herald., 1902-04-27
Memorial Sermon byRev. Frank
 De Witt TaImage, D, D.
SON'SVlEN OF GREAT DIVINE
Why the Famous Pulpit Orator Was Different from Other Mlnlsters-A Hardworkine, Cheerful conse-
 crated Genius Was His.

toucnlng and timely tribute to his late distinguished father. The text was I Kings xix, 20 Let me, pray thee, kiss my father"
 Anections most sacred form of salu- tation is a kiss. We bow to an acquaint- ance, We shake hands with a friend, but we press the lip against the lip of one
 whom we love. This statement is espe-
 cially true when applied to Elisha, the
 son of Shaphat, who was about to leave
 home and go forth into the great wide
 world. Elisha was summoned to carry
 cn the work of Elijah. Already the horses
 were being harnessed to the chariot of
 fire for the old prophets faIifous journey
 from earthly struggle to heavenly tri-
 umph. His successor, starting out on his
 arduous task, desires first to imprint on
 his fathers face the kiss of farewell.
 The salutation of the kiss is even more 1 sacred when used by one who is standing
 by the open casket of father whose elo- l quent tongue has so often spoken the
 golden words of the gospel to countless 1 throngs-who, with a pen guided by q 1 Spirit sprinkled with the blood of the
 Lamb, has every week proclaimed the di- l vine message to millions of readers who
 were wcaried with sin and heavy with l trouble. My fathers work for nearly twenty years has been the pillar Of cloud
 by day and the pillar of fire by night to 1 guide great muititudes through the dark wilderness of earth toward the brightness of the promised land.
 Many pens are writing eulogies upon
 the life work of Rev T. De Witt Tal-
 mage. Perhaps a few words may be well come from his sen. l speak as one hay ing authority. For over twenty years 1
 was his constant companion. When he
 was at home, l rarely left his study until after the midnight hour. Twice with him
 l visited the European cities. Once we circled the globe. Together we sailed forth from the Golden Gate Of the Pacific. Side by side we have seen the light at the
 entrance of New York harbor beclon us into the NarrcTs, welcome to ls as wGJ the star of Bethlehem to the three astrolo- gers wandering over the sea of sand. But no'more shall we have sweet companiGn- ship. The world becomes instantly chang cd to the son who is compelled to let his parent sleep among the flowers and who hears a summons to a more strenuous service. Before I start forth anew for my lfe's worl. I would with nlial emo tion, ask moment for the tribute of per sonal affection, as Elisha spake to Elijah in reference to Shaphat: Let me, l pray
 thee, kiss my father. Then 1 will follow thee"
 An Orig nal and Natural Man.
 My father was the most original and yet the most natural man l ever knew. original in the sense that he always dld everything in a way different from any one else. He wrote eifre rcntly, he lectur- cd differently, he preac.- l differntly. if two persons stood before him at the nur- tial altar, his marriage ceremony was unique. It was impossible to compare him to any one else. The mold used for the formation Of his chaIa- .er was spe- cial one. There has never been made another like unto it since he lay in his humble cradle in the Bound Brook farm house.
 Yet my father was natural in the sense that he never strove to be original and different from every one else. It was In his personality that he was different. He was the same in the home as in the pull pit on the street as upon the lecture plat form. He was the same original and yeu natural character when writing to one of i his children as he was when pennlng an articels for the press. He uttered the mes sage winch was given to him as natur- ally and vet with the dissimilarity that characterizes the notes Of the Dlrds or the forest. As the brown winged thrush lifts his treble note when he IS awakened by the rising sun, as a goldfinch chirrups when hopping between the garden rows, as a Baltimore oriole sings when he | swings backward and forward upon the tree branch which overhangs the brook, each bird is melodious in it's own way, vet each singing different song. He was so natural that he could not recognize hls peculiar traits. One day he turned to me and said Frank, people say am differ ent from other ministers; that l am diff ferent even in giving out my notices and the reading of Scripture. Show me how am different" When l attempted to show him the difference, he innocently re- marked, Why, 1 do not see anything peculiar about that" He was so different from other men that for many years sne American pulpit could not understand him. Under the scrutinizing eye of the theological critic there could be found no heretical flaw in his sermons When he arose to preach, a solemn stiffness ike the expectant hush of the coming judg- ment day silenced his auditors. Every eve was focused upon that tall, straight form and broad, massive, brow. Each ear was alert to catch the first word which fell from those wonderful lips. But though the buildings in which he preach ed in our own and in other lands were al ways crowded to hear him, though great mutitudes were brought to decision TOT Christ under his preaching in the Brook lvn tabernacle, where he passed the most active years of his l1fe'S ministry, yet TOT wears he was a minunderstood man.
 Swept Away all Pulpit cobwebs.
 With one wave of his hand he swept away all the cobwebs which had accu-
 mulated around the traditional meth ods of sermonic oratory. With his mighty original personality he broke the shackles of ecclesiastical slavery. He proved to the world that the ministers of the twentieth century could plead with sinners to come to Christ with the energy and enthusiasm and intensity with which the lawyer could nlead for the life of defendant false Iv charged with murder. He proved to the religious world that 1t was not so inportant what kind of a white linen operating gown the gospel surgeon wore as if was that the nerve of the operator he firm and the hand steady that held the keen sacred blade with which he cut out the cancer of sin. He dispensed with the ministerial gown and nur.ed from the church the old fashioned pulpit. but he still chung 70 the old truths. He spoke the gospel message in its simplicity. Be- cause the story was so simply told 1t was told with originality
 My father was gospel minister who completely consecrated himself, body and mind and soul, to his work. For thirty five years his pulpit was the sole business of his life. He lived and breathed and ate and slept and walked and nursed his strength only for that. He had the most tremendous capacity for work of any man ever knew, and even after he was turn ed seventy his form was as straight as