The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-21
EUL0CY ON TALMACE
Rev. d. L. RAIDER PrOnOunces
Him an Incompatible
Preacher
POWERS OF ORATORY
Defends Him in Matter of Criticism
of His Actions When His
First Wife Was
Drowned.
POWERS OF oRAToRY

II | could leave this pulpit tonight, and
could feel that God would say: Go, you
have done your duty-you need not preach
any more 1 would never enter another
pulpit" So spoke DR.. Henry L. RAIDER,
in his lecture on Talmage, at the First
Methodist church, corner Third and Sum-
nit, last evening.
The greatest responsibility of prea CHI
ing Talmage felt and every minister has
felt it. People seem to think it is an easy
life, free from the usual care and vexation
of the toiler here below, but if Talmage's
innermost thoughts could have been read
what he suffered from fear of not doing
his whole duty to the cause would have
been plainly seen.
People have said that the world would
never see another Homer, another Shaks-
pere and another Demosthenes, but 1
say that the world will never see another
Talmage. Like every other COOL man, he
has not escaped the foul tongue of the
scoffer, and we have all heard of the
mean things they have said about him.
They may be true and they may not, and
[ am not here to defend him. He was
only human, and mad his faults.
That Drowning Incident.
''For long time there were people who
would tell you how Talmage let his wife
crown, every time his name was men
toned and there are many who believe it
today. Before he accepted the pastorate
at the Brooklyn tabernacle he made a
journey to Philadelphia, and he and his
family were boatriding on the river
There was falls, many feet high, below
the party, and of which fact he had no
knowledge. Persons on the shore in
formed them of their imminent peril,
but it was too late, and they went over
the falls
There were in the boat his wife, his
wife's sister, and his two daughters, and
he managed to save all but his wife, who
never came to the surface, after reaching
the water. Yet they criticised him for not
bringing her to the surface, and they tell
| you that he married his wife's sister six
months afterWard, when as a matter of
| fact it was over four years. Talmage
| did not mind their criticism though, and
| it was only a short time ago that the af-
| fair was cleared up, when Talmage told
| a personal friend how the accident oc-
| CURED.
"When in Brooklyn, I had a talk with
| DR.. Talmage's stenographer, regarding
the unique manner in which the sermons
are composed. The sermons are prepar-
! ed few days in advance for the news
| papers, and Talmage delivered then in his
| library, with as much care and precision
as if he was before the tabernacle full of
! people.
He would go laundering up and down
| the library, with perspiraton streaming
from his brow. Suddenly he would recall
some choice gem of prose, which he want
! ed to quote, and he would go and place
| his hand on the very book, without hest
| tatiOn, and turn to the selection readily
| And as soon as the quotation had been
| taken, he would tear the leaf from his
| book, in order that he might never make
| the same quotation twice. For % years
DR.. Talrnage delivered a sermon once a
week, and in all that time, he never re
! peated a sermon, except when sickness
! interfered with his work
In his tabernacle in Brooklyn, Dr. Tai
| mage had a rostrum that was four or
| five times as large as the ordinary one,
| and there was nothing on it except a
! small table. But every foot of space
| was utilized, at one time or another dur
! ing the evening.
| HE would fairly run up and down that
| stage shouting the gospel, and the people
! would sit as if riveted to their seats.
| Why, [ have actually known women to
! rise. in their seats and shrek when DR..
| Ialmage was describing a fire. His pow
| erS of description have never been equal
| ed by any other preacher
At the close Of the sermon Mr.. and Mrs.
". V: Baker, of Philadelphia, SANG
Peaceful Rest" Both are blind and
| they are on a tour of the country sing,
| ing in the churches as they go.
| Mr.. Baker accompanied DR.. TaImage
| on number of his tours in evangelical
| work. Il select this song tonight he
| announced before singing, because II
| was the song Talmage loved above ali
| others Many. time have 1 sung it is
| his meetings."