West Virginia daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1894-1902, 1902-04-14

state that his sermon was read eacn
week by several millions Of people.
1t appeared in at least six languages
and the combined calculations Of the
newspapers printing his sermons
were estimated at 100000.
Few men were capable Of doing az
much literary work in a day as the
4 NOUS preacher. When nearing
three-score and ten he often dictat
ed as many as 10000 words in day,
and on many occasions he has worn
out two or, three stenographers dur
| ing that time His sermons were all
first preached to a stenographer, and
when he was in the throes OF com
position he walked tirelessly up and
down his study preaching and gestic
ulating exactly as he did later In the
pulpit and almost with as great
rap;dity. Each week he read thor
oughly between fifty and hundred
papers, wrote the editorials for his
religious weekly, The Christian Her.
aid; dictated sermons, correspond
ence, iletters and books, saw scores
of friends, business callers. admirers,
cranks and imposters, and during his
lecture season lectured at least once
year in most of the large and many
of the small cities of the country.
| He once tried debating his ser
mons to photograph, but, as walking
about the room was practically ne
cessity and as he could not very well
carry the machine with him, he aban
doned the scheme. He often said
that in all his life he had never writ
ten a line or spoken a word with the
aid of a stimulant. AL one time he
was a habitual smoker, but ceased
one day with a sudden resolution that
was typical of his whole life.
A New Jerseyman by Birth.
Dr. Talmage was born in Bound
Brook, Somerset county, N. j., Jan. q,
1882. His home was a small farm,
and he was the youngest son of Il
family of IL children. His parents
were deeply religious people, and
their greatest desire was to see some
Of their sons enter the ministry.
Their hopes were fulfilled, for the
eldest brother at the close Of his col
lege life went to China as a mission.
airy, while another became minis
ter. DR.. Talmage himself entered
| law, but his parents never ceased to
hope that he would eventually follow
in the footsteps CT his brothers. In
1853 he gave up legal practice and
went to the college at New Bruins
wick to prepare for the ministry.
His first charge was at Belleville
N. j., where he spent three years. He
then accepted call to a church a:
Syracuse, N. Y. and remained there
until 1852, when he accepted a pas
torate in Philadelphia. This gave him
his first chance at reaching the PEG
pie of great city. His success was
instantaneous, and he finally received
three simultaneous calls from Brook
lyn, Chicago and San Francisco
Though the church which had callei
him to Brooklyn boosted only II men,
bers, he chose that city, and the re
!. suit Of his choice is we'll known
+, Within year it was necessary tt
+, erect a structure capable of holdin
: 5000 people. Two years later this
: church was burned to the ground.
I. An edifice that would seat 5000 was
then built but was inadequate to &C
commodate the thousands that flock
. ed to hear the famous preacher. Fol
" Is years the church had wonderful
, prosperity, which was rudely broke
by second fire that laid it in ashes
: Undismayed, third tabernacle wa;
built. 1t was completed in 1891, ant
its dedication was a great public oc
casion.
The Third Fire.
) This tabernacle was a grand anC
beautiful place Of worship, with a vas
0 seating capacity and perfect acoustic
4 properties, but it was not destined Il
l. stand long. On Sunday, May Is, 1894
n shortly after the close Of the morn
). ing services, fire broke out and be
fore it was under control had left The
:. magnificent building q pile Of smok
/ ing ruins.
e DR.. Talmage for a time ceased &C
). tive pastoral work and went abroa;
V for tour Of the world. He preached
D to large audiences in Australia, New
n Zealand, India and Great Britain
g and on his return wrote the story o
his travels in a book called "Tht
Earth Girdled," which enjoyed q Wild
i circulation. He now devoted himse
almost exclusively to his editOri:
q work on The Christian Herald, hi
: sermons being syndicated for week..
d publication. In 1895 DR.. Talmage &C
!. cepted for time pastoral call from
l. the First Presbyterian church i,
n Washington and was soon the mos
!. popular minister at the national car
9 ital. In 1900 he retired from actiy1
II connection with the washington
! church and devoted his time to ed
fnl T. &C