Connecticut western news., 1902-04-17

IN THE PULPIT.
 Hamlin, pastor of the Church of the Covenant, and the Rev. Drs. Thomas Chalmers Easton of Washington and s. J. Nicols and James Demarest, both of Brooklyn, officiated. The body will be inferred in Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn.
 Dr. Talmage was born In Bound Brook, Somerset county, N. J., Jan. [, 1892. His home was a small farm, and he was the youngest son of a family of twelve children. His parents were deeply religious people, and their great est desire was to see some of their sons enter the ministry. Their hopes were fulfilled, for the eldest brother at the close of his college life went to China Rs a missionary, while another became a minister. Dr. Talmage himself en- tered law. but his parents never ceased to hope that he would eventually fol- low in the footsteps of his brothers. In 1853 he gave up legal practice and went to the college at New Brunswick to prepare for the ministry.
 His first charge was at Belleyille, N. J., where he spent three years. He then accepted call to church at Syr~ acuse, N. r., and remained there until 1862, when he accepted a pastorate in Philadelphia. This gave him his first chance of reaching the people of a great city. His success was instanta- neous, and he finally received three si- multaneous calls from Brooklyn, Chi cago and San Francisco. Though the church which had called him to Brook lyn boasted only seventeen members, he chose that city, and the result of his choice is we'll known. Within a year 1t was necessary to erect a struc- ture capable of holding 5000 people. Two years later this church was burn ed to the ground.
 An edifice that would scat 5000 was then built, but was inadequate to ac- commodate the thousands that fiocked to hear the famous preacher. For fif- teen years the church had wonderful prosperity, which was rudely broken by a second fire that laid 1t in ashes. Undismayed. third tabernacle was built. It was completed in 1891, and its dedication was a great public oc- casion.
 This tabernacle was grand and beautiful place of worship, with a vast seating capacity and perfect acoustic properties, but it was not destined to stand long. On Sunday. May 13, 1894 shortly after the close of the morning services, fire broke out and before it was under control had left the mag nificent building pile of smoking ruins.
 Dr. Talmage for a time ceased active pastoral work and went abroad for a tour of the world. He preached to large audiences in Australia, New Zea- land, India and Great Britain and on his return wrote the story of his travels in a book called "The Earth Girdled." |" which enjoyed a wide circulation. He now devoted himself almost exclusive tian Herald, his sermons being syn dicated for weekly publication. In 1885 Dr. Talmage accepted for a time a pastoral call from the First Presby- terian church in Washington and was soon the most popular minister at the national capital. In 1900 he retired from active connection with the Wash ington church and devoted his time to editorial work, preaching and featuring. The passing years served to increase his fame, and an announcement that he was going to preach always attract ed a large audience.
 Dr. Talmage was d voluminous writ CT on religious subjects.