Part 20 (1/2)
”I would be very glad to see you on the 27th of May in Philadelphia on board the Russian flagshi+p 'Dimitry Donskoy' at eleven o'clock, to tender to you in presence of our brilliant sailors and on Russian soil, a souvenir His Majesty the Eentle year 1892
”CANTACUZENE”
Gladly I obeyed this request, and was presented, aold tea service from the Emperor Alexander III These were the sort of appreciative incidents so often happening in e the close of my ministry in Brooklyn developed a re those to whoe There was a universal, world-wide recognition of retted my decision to leave the Brooklyn Tabernacle, some doubted that I actually intended to do so, others foretold a more brilliant future for me in the open trail of Gospel service they expected me to follow
All this enthusiasm expressed by iven in honour of the twenty-fifth anniversary of my pastorate in Brooklyn The movement spread all over the country and to Europe It was decided to make the occasion a sort of International reception, to be held in the Tabernacle on May 10 and 11, 1894
I had limpse of the earth and the people on it who knew me, but whom I had never seen I had made preparations to start on May 14, and the dates set for this jubilee were arranged on the eve of lobe, and whatever my friends expected me to do otherwise I approached this occasion with a very definite conclusion that it would be my farewell to Brooklyn
I recall this event in led in ic i and the chastening
The church had been decorated with the stars and stripes, with gold and purple In front of the great organ, under a huge picture of the pastor, was the elical career:--
”Tabernacle his pulpit; the world his audience”
The reception began at eight o'clock in the evening with a selection on the great organ, by Henry Eyre Brown, our organist, of an original composition written by hie Silver Anniversary March” On the speaker's platform with me were Mayor Schieren, of Brooklyn, Mr Barnard Peters, Rev Father Sylvester Malone, Rev Dr John F Carson, ex-Mayor David A Boody, Rev
Dr Gregg, Rabbi F De Sol Mendes, Rev Dr Louis Albert Banks, Hon
John Winslow, Rev Spencer F Roche, and Rev AC Dixon--an undenoood men There is, perhaps, no better way to record my own impressions of this event than to quote the words hich I replied to the complimentary speeches of this oration They recall, more closely and positively, the sensibilities, the emotions, and the inspiration of that hour:
”Dear Mr Mayor, and friends before me, and friends behindoverrooraphed upon hts, the flags, the decorations, the flowers, the music, the illumined faces will remain withafter I have passed into the Great Beyond Two feelings doratitude first to God, and next, to all who have complimented me
”My twenty-five years in Brooklyn have been happy years--hard work, of course This is the fourth church in which I have preached since co to Brooklyn, and howthat implies you can appreciate This church had its randmother I could not tell the story of disasters without telling the story of heroes and heroines, and around me in all these years have stood men and women of whom the world was not worthy But for the reat happiness With all good people here present the wonder is, although they may not express it, 'What will be the effect upon the pastor of this church; of all this scene?'
Only one effect, I assure you, and that an inspiration for better work for God and hu reat uprising?' Here is n of harder work for God and righteousness than I have ever yet accomplished I have been told that soreat avalanches called down by a shepherd's voice The pure white snows pile up higher and higher like a great white throne, mountains of snow on mountains of snow, and all this is so delicately and evenly poised that the touch of a hand or the vibration of air caused by the human voice will send down the avalanche into the valleys with all-coht I think that the heavens above us are full of pure white blessings, mountains of mercy ondown the avalanche of benediction, and so I put up ht hand to reach it and liftcome upon your bodies, your minds, your souls, your homes, your churches, and your city Blessed be the Lord God of Israel fro, and let the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and Amen!”
On the next day, May 11, the reception was continued A the speakers was the Hon Williah advanced in years, honoured us with his presence and an address Senator Walsh, of Georgia, spoke for the South; ex-Congressman Joseph C Hendrix of Brooklyn, Rev Charles L Tho, General Tracey, were a
Froned by Count Bobrinsky, saying:--”Heartfelt congratulations froes from Senator John Sherman, from Governor McKinley (before he became President), fro others fro cable, which I shall always prize areatest testiland--
”Cordial congratulations; grateful acknowledg last twenty-five years Warned) ARCHDEACON OF LONDON, CANON WILBERFORCE
THOMAS DAVIDSON
PROFESSOR SIMPSON
JOHN LOBB
BISHOP OF LONDON”
Appreciation, good cheer, encouragement swept around and aboutdescribed as ”A walk aation” around the world
The following Sunday, May 13, 1894, just after the round