The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-22

.ounced. Nf. Talmage WIN now adj
dress us on the influence OF the moon
upon vegetation I felt as though
had been struck with a baseball bat
But I rose pulled up my collar and
made a speech. / don't reuemeea
what I said. but it was as full OF serti
ous. fine spun resounding phrases a
though I had been q scientific professor
fresh from the study OF the subjecS
and IL passed muster. After that ex1
rerience." he added. laughing. Il felt
quite equal TO speaking ofhand on
anything.
~TALMAeisms."
As an editorial writer Or. Talmagei
was versatile and prolific. and hiS
weekly contributions on an immense
variety OF topics would oil many yoi1
umeS HIS writing was as entertaining
and pungent as his preaching and
full OF brilliant OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
magisms." as they were called Ha
coined new words and invented new
phrases. IL the topic was 20 bis hkingJ
the pen raced TO keep time with tae
thought. Ii was the same with his serI
mons. Once conceived In the busy
brain, the committing TO paper was
swift and exciting. Still, with all this
haste. nothing could exceed b scruS
pulous care he took with his finished
manuscript. He once wired from Gin
cinnau 10 his publisher In New Hora
instructions to change n comma IN lila
current sermon TO a semicoisn- he gao
detected the error while reading proofs
on the train
His phenomenal memory was never
AT n loss. He had spoken or written or
thousands OF topics. and he remember
ed almost everything be a every
preached. In preparing his twenty
volume series OF sermons he used only
500. OF less tina half the total number
he had preached. In addition 10 as
least a thousand N Of 4.ooQ
words each. az sermon differing
from the other. this vast pulpit reper1
tory aggregating probably f.Ooo.oOo
words. he was the author OF a number
Of lectures. the most popular being
1.-THE New Life Of the Nation" "GrumS
blers," Our New Home" "Big Biun7
ders'' and The Bright Side OF Things-
Originality In all things was perhaps
the most pronounced trait Of DR.. Tall
IMAGES character. In his literary work.
he scorned to borrow. though his own
unique phrases and ideas were the
prey OF. many petty pIagiarists. Ali
though his fame will rest chiefly upon
his sermonic writings. his treatment ea
lighter topics was brilliant and %cleyer1
But his finest work was not among the
shadows. His pen could go deeply into
the secrets Of the heart and soul. and
such was his rare gift that with a sim
gle sentence be could move a multitude,
Some of his volumes written In the
early part of his career show rare VII
vacity and wit and give q clew TO aisi
wonderful success as an entertainingi
lecturer In matt er years Among thc1
periodicals to which he contributed att
various times were the New York.
Weekly. Hearth and Home. The Inde-f
pendent and The Christian at Work.
About thirty volumes OF bis sermonsI
have been published. twenty volumeA
appearing In q single series In 1901
His other works besides those already
mentioned include Crumbs Swept Up"
around the Tea Table" Sparks From
My Anvil. "a Thousand Gems" From
Manger to Throne" Sports That KILL
THE Wedding Ring" Might Sides OF
City Life" The Poetry OF Life" "Old
Wells Dug Out" denominations OF
Modern Society and THE Earth Cir
died" Fol many years his
from his editorial and other literary
work. his book royalties and his lee
lures netted him the princely income OF
$4,000 4 year. these figures by no
means representing the maximum.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
In person DIR. Talmage was above
the medium height and well propor-i
toned. His head was Of average size.
with marked evidence Of intellectual;
power. His eyes were light and his
complexion fresh and Indicative OF ro-I
bust health. His face shone with aruia-i
bility and cheerfulness. His converse.
ton was animated. his manner gentIes
and cordial In the extreme. Self reii-
ance. calmness and Judgment were ap-
parent. and his bearing indicated dig
nifty and self possession. yet he was no.
wise ostentatious or affected. and his
hearty manner and genial Cow OF con-
versation placed eyen a stranger on
agreeable terms with him at once. He
was a most fascinating conversational,
ist- His language was marked By nobl.
sentiment. poetry and humor. aud he
talked with u fine originality. never Ls.-
ing afraid to show his feelings. Thea'
I'm the glee and enthusiasm OF the MO
ment at a church festival he exclaimed.
that he felt like a morning star" st
was not that his taste induced hiIo ID
take his illustration from negro crsu-
strelsy: but. acting on the impulse OF
the moment be seized upon a popular
saying 10 express his own feelings
Men OF stiff propriety aud starcted d.