New-York tribune., 1902-04-13
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.

The sermons of the Rev. Dr.. Tamage have per-
haps been more widely read than those OF any
other preacher. While he was pastor Of the Brook-
lyn Tabernacle period of twenty-five years. he
filled large space the public In that period
three edihces were erected for his congregations
each larger than the other and each was destroyed
by fire.
Thomas De Witt Talmage who named for
a maternal uncle was born in Bound Brook, Somer-
set County. y. j.. January 7. 1892 He was the son
Of a farmer. and the youngest Of twelve chlioreh'
His early education was In the SCHOOLS or New
Brunswick n. J. He belonged to devout Re
formed Dutch family, three Of his brothers, a
hrother-in-law and two uncles being In the min
istry Of that denomination, and his father oelns
an elder. At the age of eighteen he became
church member, and entered the University OF New
York a wear later One of his classmates was
Lyman Abbott. afterward to be a fellow pastor
with him in Brooklyn. Young Talmage was grad
uated in 1883 and secured much applause by an
eloquent address The Moral Effects OF Sculp-
ture and Architecture"
Like DR.. Abbott he began the study of law after
leaving college; but after short time he decided
that he had been called to the ministry. and en-
tered the Rutgers Theological Seminar. His or
dnation the ministry was by the Reformed
Dutch Chassis OF Bergen in 1856. and his first
nasorate was in Belleville n. j. Three years later
he accepted a call 70 Syracuse. where he also
served a Reformed Dutch church, and soon had
crowded congregations. He remained there three
years and in this time he was married to Miss
a girl and boy. Soon after he had become pastor
of the Second Reformed Church of Philadelphia, in
1862, his wife drowned while she and her sister
were rowing the Schuylkill River with Dr. Tai
mage. Two years afterward he married to
Miss Susan Whittemore, Of Brooklyn, who bore
him five children. He remained in Philadelphia
seven years gaining high reputation as a pulpit
orator and becoming known on the lecture plat
form. In 1868 he received calls to pulpits in Brook
lyn. San Francisco and Chicago, and accepted that
of the Central Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn
When he undertook his work there in March 1863
his church had only a score OF members, and the
influence of Henry Ward Beecher was the dom
mating one in the pulpit Of that city But Dr.
Talmage at once succeeded in drawing many hear
ers 10 his old fashioned church. After fifteen
months he persuaded the trustees to sell the edice
and TO lots adjacent a different type OF
structure-the first Brooklyn Tabernacle. in Scher-
merhorn-st. 1t was immense auditorium IN the
shape of a horseshoe, the exterior of corrugated
iron. While II being completed DR.. Talmage
made visit to Europe lie at once filed the new
church with eager hearers on Its completion,
and a career OF prosperity was begun, to be cut
short the latter part OF 1872 by the destruction
OF the edifce by fire. DR.. Talmage arranged TO
preach in the Brooklyn Academy Of Music while
the Tabernacle rebuilt and the new structure.
on the same site, was opened early In 1874 ii was
said to be the largest church edifce at the time
in this country, and for fifteen years DIR. Talmage
preached to audiences which crowded 1t to the
doors He was also engaged in active editorial
work In publishing volumes of his sermons. the
circulation OF which from week to week IN news
paper publications was enormous. and In lecturlus
In all parts of the country. Out Of his relations
with The Christian at Work. arose his trial by
the Brooklyn Presbytery in 1881 on charges or
'falsehood and deceit" preferred by common
fame" in accordance with Presbyterian discipline
charges pushed by the Ry pF
Church although the ostensibe prosecutors were were
NfrC, ach- h1if Tamlge
by the Rev Dr. Spear and the result MAS Soe
by about two to to dismiss the charges, and a
snbsequent appeal to the SYNOD Of ORR Taeq
nace was having congregational singing NJ instead OF
being assigned 10 regular attendants. but in 1893
the sale Of the pews at auction was ADOPTED AT
A Tucker president OF the board Of trustees how
The v hSn bs1 TS1d Sad em m and
will seat 2s50 but the Dominic OR: .Talmage) al
bs We're repeated efforts TO free the Tabernacle
from debt, which at one time amounted to s12;1oo
been accomplished; but when the SECOND sdihce In
sriII IaIre in5ebtedness
Dr. Talmage aad arranged to make tt trip to e the
and he carried out his plans, sending sermons for
ne Church on another Site at Clinton and Greene
aves. was successfully made. and there much
from M his is trip Dr. Talmaee preached il the Acad
envy of Music in both New,YoIk and Brooklyn i 10, for
several months until the third Tabernacle vas com,
pleted in 1891. This was an immense structure, sad
10 be capable OF holding six thoussHo anu
costing $4,000, but the success or the church Or
ganization was not great. despite the fact that
large audiences assembled at the Sunday services
This building in its turn burned on May Is.
1894 and the congregation made no eHort 10 re
build. DR. Talmage in November, 1884 announced
his resignation OF the Tabernacle pastorate. which
he had held for quarter Of century. Inc church
Was scattered and nothing of the organlzation re
mained save tie Sunday school, which lasted a few
months
DR.; Talnage afterward preached for few months
city and then vent 9t to Washington where he
first assistant Dr. Sunderland In the First Pres
bsteri2n Church and afterward pastor OF the same
tor period, but later retired owing TO di1erences