The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-04-18


vices were held at the Church OF the
Covenant Tuesday afternoon over the
body of the Rev. Dr. T. Dewitt Tai
mage. The large church was crowded
TO the doors.
Washington, April 14.-Rev T De-
Witt Talmage, the noted Presbyterian
divine, died at 8 o'clock Saturday
night at his residence In this city 1t
had been evident for some days that
there was no hope OF recovery and the
attending physicians so informed the
family. The patient gradually grew
weaker until life passed away SO
quietly that even members of the fam
lily, al! of whom we're watching at the
bedside. hardly knew that he had
gone. The immediate cause of death
was Inflammation Of the brain.
DR.. Talmage was born in Bound
Brook. Somerset county. n. j.. Jan. z,
1882. His home was small farm. and
he was the youngest son of family
of ~ children. His parents were
deeply religious people, and their
greatest desire was 20 see some Of
their sons enter the ministry. Their
hopes were fulfilled, for the eldest
brother as the close of his college life
went to China as a missionary, while
another became a minister. DR.. Tai.
mage himself entered law, but his par
ents never ceased to hope that he
would eventually follow in the foot
steps of his brothers. In 1853 he gave
up legal practice and went to the col
lege at New Brunswick 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 at
Syracuse. N. Y. and remained there
until 1862, when he accepted pas
torate in Philadelphia. This gave him
his first chance of reaching the peo-
pie of a great city. His success was
instantaneous, and he finally received
three simultaneous calls from Brook.
Ign. Chicago and San Francisco
Though the church which had called
him to Brooklyn boasted only II men,
bers. he chose that city, and the re-
suit of his choice is well known.
Within year 1t was necessary to
erect a structure capable Of holding
5000 people. Two years later this
church was burned to the ground
An edifice that would seat 5000 was
then built, but was inadequate to &C.
commodate the thousands that flocked
to hear the famous preacher For fif
teen years the church had wonderful
prosperity, which was rudely broken
by a second fire that laid it in ashes
Undismayed. a third tabernacle was
built. 1t was completed in 1891. and
it's dedication was a great public &C.
casion.
This tabernacle was a grand and
beautiful place Of worship. but it was
not destined to stand long On Sun
day, May 10, 1894, shortly after the
close Of the morning services, fire
broke out and before It was under
control had left the magnificent build
ing pile of smoking ruins.
DR.. Talmage for a time ceased ac-
tive pastoral work and went abroad
for a tour of the world. Afterward he
devoted himself almost exclusively to
his editorial work on The Christian
Herald. his sermons being syndicated
for weekly publication. In 1895 DR..
Talmage accepted for time a pas
toral call from the First Presbyterian
church in Washington and was soon
the most popular minister at the ma.
tional capital. In 1900 he retired from
active connection with the Washing
ton church and devoted his time to ed.
itorial work. preaching and lecturing.