Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1889 — TALMAGE’S MISFORTUNE. [ARTICLE]

TALMAGE’S MISFORTUNE.

THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE DEJFfcROYED BY FIRE. Loss Estimated at #150,000, Which is Covered by Insurance—Cause of the Fire Cnhnown. An Appeal for Aid. The famous Brooklyn Tabernacle, oi which the Rev. T. DelVitt Talmagtris pastor, has, for the ■second time in its history, received its baptism of fire, and for a second time has been destroyed. The fire was discovered. at 2:45 Sunday morning, by a policeman, who turned in an alarm. The flames had gained much headway, however. The firemen found the fire had assumed large proportions, and additional alarms were sent in. It became evident that the edifice was doomed to destruction. It burned like a tinder-box, and the firemen, despairing of saving it, directed their efforts to the adjoining property. Many of the occupants of the neighboring dwellings were already aiwake, and the police proceeded to arouse those who were sleeping. The residents of the neighborhood, awakened either by the roar of the flames or by the pounding of the police on their doors, became frightened, and rushed out, half-dressed or in their night-clothes, and the police had great difficulty in assuring them that they were in no danger. Fortunately there was no loss of life or limb. While the firemen and police worked for the salvation of property and persons, the;: church building was rapidly being consumed, and in an hour’s time only tottering walls remained. Dr. Talmage was on the scene soon after the first alarm, and did not leave until he had seen the edifice which had been his pride laid in ashes. Then he returned sorrowfully home. All day Sunday crowds visited the spot and gazed upon the ruins. Nearly all the members of the Tabernacle congregation received their first intimation of the fire upon rounding the adjacent corners and being confronted by the blackened walls and smouldering ruins. The origin of the fire is not known. The sexton denies the rumor that fires had been lighted Saturday in the furnaces, and this explodes the defective-flue theory. Edison’s men were in the building until 6:30 p. m., Saturday, arranging a new electric plant, and it is thought that during the thunder-shower which prevailed during the night, lightning had been carried into the building on the wires, which run around the gallery on a level with where the flames were first Been. The loss on the church building, including tho organ, which was one of the finest in the country, is $150,000. Itisßaidtobe covered by insurance in a number of companies. The building was of fourteenth-century Gothic architecture, and was dedicated Feb. 22, 1874. It was of brick, with stone trimmings, with a frontage of 150 feet, and a depth of 113 feet, to which had recently beeii added an extension sixty feet wide and twelve feet deep. The seating capacity was 2,800, and it was always fully taxed at the Sunday services. The previous structure, which was built of corrugated iron, was destroyed by fire on Sunday morning, Dec. 22, 1872. That fire was also of unexplained origin. The trustees were in session at the house of Dr.oTalmage, Sunday night, and stated the insurance to amount to $129,450. The building originally cost SIIB,OOO, to which improvements costing $85,000 have been added. The organ cost $20,000; church furniture, $26,800; new carpets, etc ,$5,800. Dr. Talmage has issued an appeal to the public for help, saying that the church has never confined its work to its own locality. The church, he says, has never-been large enough for the people who came, and he wants SIOO,OOO besides the insurance to bu ! ld a larger and more suitable structure. “I make appeal,” he says, “to all our friends throughout Christendom, to all denominations, to all creeds, and thoae-of-no creed at all, to come to our assistance. I ask all readers of my sermons the world over, to contribute as far as their means will allow.” The fire forces Dr. Talmage to postpone a trip to the Holy Land. The advisory board adopted resolutions expressing submission to Providence and a determination to rebuild, the locality and style of building to be indicated by the amount of contributions made. Services will be held hereafter in the Brooklyn Academy of Music. A letter was received from Dr. Abbott offering Plymouth Church for Sunday evening service- „