Part 21 (1/2)
The sudden exciteive the name of ”panic” is almost always senseless and without foundation, whether this panic be a wild rush in the money market or the stampede of an audience down the aisles and out of the s My advice to ation of people suddenly seized upon by a deterardless as to whether others are able to get out, is to sit quiet on the supposition that nothing has happened, or is going to happen
I have been in a large nu occurred except a deht in the Acadeation orshi+pping there, at the ti one of our churches, there occurred a wild panic There was a sound that gave the i way under the i about tensound aforesaid, the whole audience rose to their feet except those who fainted Hundreds of voices were in full shriek Before anist fled the platfor man left his hat and overcoat and sweetheart, and took a leap for life, and it is doubtful whether he ever found his hat or coat, although, I suppose, he did recover his sweetheart Terrorisation reigned I shouted at the top ofa cyclone Had it not been that the audience for the most part were so coreat loss of life in the struggle Hoping to caly, but struck it at such a high pitch that by the time I caentle well: ”Tho better than that?” whereupon he started the doxology again By the time we came to the second line scores of voices had joined, and by the time we came to the third line hundreds of voices enlisted, and the last line marshalled thousands Before the last line was reached I cried out, ”As I was saying when you interrupted me,” and then went on withof the snow from one part of the roof of the Academy to another part That was all But no one as present that night will ever forget the horrors of the scene
On the following Wednesday I was in the large upper roo, Pa; I was about to address the students No et into this room, which was on the second or third storey The President of the college was introducing reens, which had some six months before been wound around a pillar in the centre of the roo there was a pillar of flame Instantly the place was turned fro and congratulation coht and uproar The panic of the previous Sunday night in the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, had schooled lance that when the Christ all would be well
One of the professors said to me, ”You seem to be the only coot prepared for this by soive my advice: On occasions of panic, sit still; in 999 cases out of a thousand there is nothing the matter
I was not released from my pastorate of the Brooklyn Tabernacle by the Brooklyn Presbytery until December, 1894, after my return from abroad
Some explanation was demanded of me by members of the Presbytery for my decision to relinquishstatees because it is explanatory of the causes which carried me over many crossroads, encountered everywhere in my life:
”To the Brooklyn Presbytery--
”Dear Brethren,--After much prayer and solemn consideration I apply for the dissolution of the pastoral relation existing between the Brooklyn Tabernacle andthis As you all knoe have, during e churches and they have been destroyed If I re a fourth church I do not feel itThe plain providential indications are that my work in the Brooklyn Tabernacle is concluded Let o into idleness, but into other service quite as arduous as that in which I have been engaged Expecting that ranted I take this opportunity of expressing my love for all the brethren in the Presbytery ho and so pleasantly associated, and to pray for thes that God can bestow--Yours in the Gospel,
”T DEWITT TALMAGE”
The following resolution was then offered by the Presbytery as follows:
”Resolved--That the Presbytery, while yielding to Dr Tale's earnest petition for the dissolution of the relationshi+p existing between the Brooklyn Tabernacle and hiret at the necessity for such action, and wishes Dr Tale abundant success in any field in which in the providence of God he may be called to labour Presbytery also expresses its profound sympathy with the members of the Tabernacle Church in the loss of their honoured and loving pastor, and cordially coo forward in all the work of the church”
In October, 1895, I accepted the call of the First Presbyterian Church in Washi+ngton My as to be an association with the Rev Dr Byron W Sunderland, the President's pastor It was Dr Sunderland's desire that I should do this, and although there had been son his pastorate on account of ill-health I advocated a joint pastorate There were invitations from all parts of the world for me to preach at this time I had calls from churches in Melbourne, Australia; Toronto, Canada; San Francisco, California; Louisville, Kentucky; Chicago, Illinois; New York City; Brooklyn, NY
London had pledged eon's Tabernacle All these cities, in fact, proo there to preach
The call which caton was as follows:
”Rev Dr T DeWitt Talation of the First Presbyterian Church, of Washi+ngton, DC, being on sufficient grounds well satisfied of the ministerial qualifications of you, the Rev Dr T DeWitt Tale of your past eminent labours that your ministrations in the Gospel will be profitable to our spiritual interests, do earnestly, unani, call and desire you to undertake the office of co-pastor in said congregation, proe of your duty all proper support, encouragement and obedience in the Lord And that youyour well and wide-known ability and generosity, we do not assume to specify any definite sum of e and oblige ourselves, to pay to you such sums of money and at such ti the ti in the relation to said church to which we do hereby call you”
On Septe this call, I received the following dispatch froe, 1, South Oxford Street
”Meeting unani vote, all on their feet in a flash Call mailed special delivery
”B SUNDERLAND”
On Septe letter:
”The call signed by the elders, deacons, trustees, and ation of the First Presbyterian Church of Washi+ngton is before me The statement contained in that call that you 'do earnestly, unani,' desire reat and historical church has distinctly impressed me With the same heartiness I now declare ies of body, mind, and soul shall be enlisted in your Christian service I will preach , October 27”
Washi+ngton was always a beautiful city to htful President Cleveland was a personal friend, as were ton as a national opportunity It had been my custom in the past, when I was very tired froton for two or three days, stopping at one of the hotels, to get a thorough rest For a long time I was really undecided what to do, I had so many invitations to take upwas to be the eton that I could continue e for Washi+ngton, at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, in Brooklyn, before an audience of five thousand people My text was 2 Sao to Hi--a difficult hour of self-control I could not stop the flow of tears that caraph The words are s: