The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-20 00:00:00

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

The announcement that Mr. Spurgeon was to preach last
night in the large Music-hall of the Surrey Gardens, draw
together one of the largest congregations which has proba-
bly ever been assembled under one roof for the purpose of
hearing a sermon. Long before 5 o'clock thousands had
gathered around the entrance to the gardens, and before
six as many persons were admitted into the grounds as it
was thought the building would contain, the supposed ex-
cess of numbers being excluded by the outergates in Pen-
ton-place and the other entrances to the gardens. The im-
mense space was perfectly filled in the body sad lower gal-
leries, but in the upper ones there was accommodation for
several hundreds of persons. The proceedings commenced
at half-past 6by the Rev. Mr. Spurgeon taking his stand
in an elevated rostrum erected in front of the stage for the
orchestra, which was reached by a small temporary stair-
case. The first portion of the service commenced by sing-
ing one of Watts' hymns. This was followed by the read-
ing of the 16th chapter of St. Luke, containing the para-
ble of Dives and Lazarus, the preacher comineuting upon
the different portions of the narrative as he proceeded.
Then followed an extempore prayer, during the early por-
tions of which an awe-inspiring silence reigned over the
vast congregation. Continuing his player, the rev, gen-
tleman proceeded to refer to the various classes of sinners
present, the profligate man, the scoffer, the swearer, end
the infidel, and the sceptic, for all of whom he invoked the
forgiveness of an offended Deity ; and then came a refer-
ence to the young woman who night have disregarded the
warnings of a fond mother, and whose conduct was bring-
ing her aged father with sorrow to the grave. At this
stage, a faint scream was heard ; there was a rustle and
commotion to see the source whence it issued, some cries of
" Fire !" and "The building ! the building I" were heard,
and then ensued one of those scenes of terror and panic
which baffle all the powers of description. Every one rose
from their seats, those nearest to the door rushed out
screaming and shrieking with wild 'affright ; those in the
centre of the hall bore down on others nearer the places of
exit; the lower tiers of windows were smashed out, and
hundreds half-fainting and delirious leaped out, while others
fainting or in fits fell and were mangled by the rushing im-
petuous crowd. In the galleries the scene was even more
distressing ; the winding staircase were choked with hun-
dreds flying from what they conceived imminent death , they
met the streams of affrighted people who were hastening
from the ground floor, a portion of the iron railings gave
way, and numbers were precipitated upon those below. But
a moment the vast congregation presented one of the sub-
.limest of all spectacles—a gathering of thousands of human
beings; now the scene wee of the lowest description, and
urged forward by an uncontrollable impulse of self-preser-
vation, every one of that vast crowd, regardless of injury
to others, were intent only on their own preservation.
In order, if possible, to calm the excited scene, Mr. Spur-
geon
ands3me
all blessingsnfhisieae fl
deacons
s commencbuted
ainging"Praise
God from whom sounds of die_
cord which accompanied the singing completely drowned all
the efforts of the singers. There were shouts and screams
and violent cries ; shoats of " sit dawn," keep your
seats," "false alarm," and " take care of your poekess,,,
and other assuring exclamations of a sitnilar ciearacte r.
At length the perseverance of those engage tin singing had
the desired effect, and the fears of the crowds as to the
safety of the building, or the existence of tire subsided.
Tho Rev. Mr. Spurgeon at length made himself heard,
and stated that the false alarm had been raised by thieves,
end begged those present to remain quiet in their seats,
tahnedsenpotaratiies dinte eatehredteist,tatrubdegnacveeae•luutcthhe hitwyls the object of
n,
Salvation
—oh the joyful sound." W bile this hyena Was being sung
another confusion arose, and glass was heard smashing in
all directions, and one of the deacons ascended the rostrum
and said, " This gathering to-night has aroused Satan, and
mt7glifi.:iyol hundreds had
ha will not allow the service to go on withou; endeavour-
ing to interrupt it." Again Mr. Spurgeon stood forward
and " Let us praise God in the midst of this confu-
inthe building. Mr.
sion once more," •and gave out the lines of the version of
ftabereon thee" e nßory-
ilveeflosteei
v4J:teh osvuaehg's
lOdth
quitted the building, but ,thousands still lingered, some
thethe '.)tlisaelinfi,rs‘t‘
m paralysedeu e pressure
of fright, gthhte, and
crowdothersoutsidefeai
Spurgeon again addressed the ussembly and said, " Will
our good friends retire as quietly as possible, and may God
forgive those who have been the authoes of this confusion.
I cannot preach to you now, but we will sing you out, and
go as gradually and as quietly as possible." The announce-
ment that he would not preach appeared to give groat die-