The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-09 00:00:00

MR. SPURGEON AT THE SURREY
GARDENS MUSIC HALL.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
On Sunday morning last we determined to hear
For ourselves the popular young preacher, and ac-

cordingly joined the immense throng, it could not be
less than from six to eight thousand, which in spite

of the tempestuous weather filled the Music Hall
on that occasion. Wishing to gain a good view of
all, we ascended by the fatal staircase to the re-
served seats on the second gallery. Many of our
readers doubtless know how imposing is the coup
d'ceil from that position. It is obvious enough
why the congregation and preacher were
for a long time not aware of the

fatal accident which had occurred, since no one

*rom within can see the staircase in the tower,

The service was of the most orderly kind, and
such as is usual in most dissenting chapels. The
singing from so many thousand voices had a
peculiarly solemn and impressive effeot.

The preacher had chosen repentance, and a
very solemn text, Psalms c. vii., v. 12, " If he
turn not he will whet his sword," for his subject.

His prayers wore appropriate to it, as were also
his remarks on the latter part of the 25th
chapter of Matthew, which was the portion of
Scripture read.
If what we heard last Sunday be a specimen of
Mr. Spurgeon's usual preaching, there was oertainly
nothing at all more extravagant than would be
heard from most of the Evangelical clergymen
and Dissenting preachers in the country. There
were no outrageous deseiiptions of Divine anger and
future punishment,nor any wire-drawn refinements
on the theology of repentance. His statements on
the latter point were characterised by remarkable
common sense ; they were forcibly expressed and
illustrated, as were his arguments for the necessity
of repentance. Indeed, there was little in which
preachers of all creeds would not have concurred.
His voice is a noble one, filling the whole place
with the greatest ease ; at the further end of the
building we did not miss a syllable. His manner
was perfectly unrestrained, but not irreverent.
His command of language is very con-
siderable, but does not lead him, for an
sestempere speaker, into verbosity. His style
is unfettered homely, forcible, and abounds
in pointed unfettered]
There was a total
absence of anything humorous or ludicrous, if it
has been his habit to indulge in such things. The
secret of his popularity, taking last Sunday as a
specimen, appeared to us to be something very
different.

It was impossible not to feel that the preacher
was absorbed, not in himself, but in his audience.
The formal separation of the pulpit did not sepa-
rate him from his hearers. He conversed with
them—he was one of them. He did not lecture
them ex cathedra, or indulge is disquisitions or
topics out of their line of thought, but spoke with
them as he would have done on a solemn subject
in their own houses. Most of our pulpits
" die of dignity," but while there was nothing
unbecoming on Sunday, the preacher placed
himself on a level with all. Of course a vivid
fancy, and considerable powers of expression,
aided by a first-rate voice, will account for much;
but we think what we have pointed out
Ras the chief reason why, among so many
thousands of hearers, we could not, and we
looked carefully, detect a single sleeper.
•ur more dignified preachers might study
with advaitage the phenomenon of this
youth's popularity. We can only say that, for
our part, his manner disarmed criticism, and we
could think only of his probable usefulness to the
thousands present who, we are confident, by their
appearance, are not listeners to our customary
pulpit prosaics. Lord Chief Justice CAMPBZLL,
with his son, was present on the platform, and
seemed to take the same view with ourselves ;
he remarked several times to one of the mana-
gers, after the service, in our hearing, and also
to Sir RICHARD MAYNE, who was likewise pre-
sent, " He is doing great good, sir—great good."
London could find room for twenty such
preachers ; they are just what the populace needs.