The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-17 00:00:00

MR. SPURGEON'S NEW TABERNACLE.

Yesterday afternoon the foundation-stone of this 1
long talked-of building was laid in the presence of
some 3,000 spectators.
The spot selected for the site of " the Taber-
nacle," as it is termed, is at the corner of the New-
ington-road, facing the Elephant and Castle, and
at right angles with the very large building which
has recently been erected as a horse repository.
This was the ground formerly occupied by the
pretty little almbouses belonging to the Fish-
mongers Company, but which has since their re-
snoval to the country remained a waste and rather
uninviting looking spot. The erection of the New'
Tabernacle will, therefore, be a considerable im-1
provement to the neighbourhood, which it is but
just to say is capable of improvement to the very
Tallest extent. The portico, and main entrance to
the building, is to abut on the Newington-road, and
whether regarded as a church, or chapel, or taber-
nacle, or whatever Mr. Spurgeon's congregation
may please to call it, the whole structure will be
an imposing one, and one of the largest of its kind
in the metropolis. The style of the edifice may be
termed Grecian, the ground plan forming a large
quadrangle, the floor of the chapel being consider-
ably raised, and access gained to it by a broad and
massive flight of steps leading up to a portico sup-
ported on large Corinthian columns of Bute stone.
The total width of the building will be 86 feet, the
length no less than 195 feet, and the height to the
roof 85 feet, exclusive of the lanterns for light and
ventilation. As we have said, the floor of the
tabernacle will be raised some 14 feet above the
level of the ground, and the whole of this extensive
basement story will be entirely occupied by
spacious school and lecture rooms. Thus the chief
school will be 81 feet by 78, and about 15 high.
In addition to this there will be a lecture
room 81 feet by 56, and capable of accommodating
800 persons, with four separate class rooms,
each 14 feet long by 26 feet wide. The chapel,
which is over these schools, will be 146 feet
long by. 81 wide, and with two deep tiers
of galleries on either side. In this respect the
interior will rather resemble that of the well-
known Surrey Music-hall, but on a large scale, as
each row of galleries in Mr. Spurgeon's building
will accommodate six rows of sitters. The ground-
floor space of the Surrey Hall is only 8,625 feet,
whereas the proposed tabernacle on the ground-
floor will be no less than 11,242 feet, or one-third
larger than the fine structure in the Surrey
Gardens. The whole chapel is intended to accom-
modate no less than 5,000 persons with comfort.
The fronts of the galleries will be of ornamental
cast-iron, with enriched cast-iron columns support-
ing the galleries and rising from the upper tier to
the roof, which they carry on a series of small and
beautifully curved arches. Though no great efforts
have been made in the way of ornamentation, yet
the proportions of the interior are good, and the
effect of the whole when finished will be handsome
and striking. Mr. Pocock is the architect, and
the whole design. certainly does him credit. The
facilities for entering and leaving the building are
most ample, there being no less than 16 doors to
the chapel. Each gallery has its separate door and
staircase, and all the staircases are of solid stone.
The cost of the building is to be £21,500, but fit-
tings and other matters will probably swell this
amount to some £24,000 or £25,000 before the
edifice is opened for divine service, which can
hardly be earlier than the spring of 1861. Of
course, like all other buildings, it is effected by the
present strike, and no progress can be made till
the masters and workmen have settled their dis-
pute one way or the other. The ceremony of yes-
terday differed in no particular from other cere-
monies of the same kind, except that the very little
attempt which was made at display was both
vulgar and in ill taste. Stretched between the
poles which supported the foundation stone
was a strip of pink calico, on which laurel leaves
were loosely sewn in the form of the words, " Christ
is the corner stone." Immediately beneath this
were two or three boughs of evergreens covering
another strip of white calico, with the inscription,
" You are truly welcome."
Most of the visitors were in their places by two
o'clock, at which time Sir S. M. Peto, accompanied
by. Mr. Spurgeon, Mr. John Spurgeon, and other
ministers connected with the Baptist persuasion,
ascended the platform.
The Old Hundredth Psalm having been sung
and a prayer said by Mr. Spurgeon, a very long
document, called a Statement of the Deacons, was
then read. This statement gave a sketch of the
pastors and antecedents of the Baptist persuasion
in Southwark from the year 1652, entering at con-
siderable length into an account of the lives of the
chief pastors—such as Rider, Reach, Stinton Gill,
and Ripon, down to the ministry of Mr. Spur-
geon. Before that gentleman's advent it was
stated that the church of the congregation in Park-
street had become unsettled, the number in atten-
dance on Lord's Days being greatly diminished,
though there still remained a faithful band who
besieged the Throne of Grace with much earnest-
ness. But from the day when Mr. Spurgeon com-
menced his labours in their midst it had pleased the
Lord to grant a revival which had progressed ever
since. The limited accommodation of New Park-
street Chapel soon ceased to afford room for the
multitude that wished to attend, and the large
room at Exeter Hall was, therefore, engaged. By
this step the pastor's fame was, mach extended.
Frequent paragraphs in the newspapers helped to
make him notorious. Slander after slander grieved
his tender heart, but the grace poured into his lips
by his Master afforded aim the richest cordial.
In the autumn of the same year the Music-hall of
the Surrey Gardens was engaged with good results,
but with so large a family, and so small a dwelling-
house, the inconvenience of a temporary lodging
was more and more grievously felt. The necessity,
therefoie, of the undertaking they were met to in-
augurate was apparent to all, for all attempts to
trace the popular demand for Evangelical preach-
ing to spasmodic excitement had failed. The doc-
trines they set forth were identical with those
Which had been received by godly men of every
section of the Church since the days of the Apos-
tles. The weapons of their warfare were not
carnal, but they were mighty, and their progress
for the last five years was patent to the world.
With earnest, individual, and united prayer, the
present step had been taken, and to the exclusive
honour and praise of God their stone of Ebenezer
was that day laid.
At the conclusion of this statement Sir S.
M. Peto proceeded to lay the stone, under-
neath which Mr. Spurgeon then placed a
bottle, containing a copy of the Bible, of the
Baptist's Catechism, of Dr. Ripon's Hymn-
book, and programme of the day's proceedings, in
the cavity prepared Tor it. When these formalities
had been gone through the stone was slowly
lowered into its place and declared by Sir S. M.
Peto to be well and duly fixed.
Sir S. M. PETO, M.P., in addressing the specta-
tors, said that he congratulated his fellow-Chris-
tians and his excellent friend, Mr. Spurgeon, and
all who were then assembled on the completion of
the interesting event to which they had looked for-
ward with so much interest for some time past.
They had commenced an edifice in which they
might hope to see an era of greater usefulness en-
tered upon than they had yet witnessed. The ex-
cellent paper which had been read had given a
succinct and interesting account of the Church up to
the present time, and they must all hope that those
glories which had been so remarkably shown in its
early history would be continued in the salvation
of a larger number of souls than had ever yet taken
place; and that ix future years they might look
back with gratification upon the work which had
been begun that day. It was always well in com-
mencing any large undertaking to look and see
whether they were warranted in what they under-
took. They'had heard from the reading of the
Paper that the " church" in Park-street was larger
than atthegresent time could be accommodated
there,
and
that chapel for
there was, therefore, no room in
things whigrthe world. That was a state of
nothing but foerlettly showed that there remained
(Cheers.) He
was
church to arise and build.
aware that it might be said that
the Music-hall andotllerlarge places were avail-
able for the preaching
of m
pof Chortunity of r. Spurgeon, and would
searchable riches
afford him an
making known the un-
rest. But
withthen a there were
other institutions in connexion
this kind. They had to provide, not only edifice
yeefoor
the assembling of the church within its
walls, but for opportunities of gathering youth for
the purposes of instruction ; and when he found
that the edifice about to be raised would accommo-
date 2,000 Sunday school children, and
0,000
would form the congregation,
persons who
he felt that not only the church but the 'world
might be amply accommodated, while at the same
time they would be able to train up the youths in
the way they should go. (Cheers.) He rejoiced
to hear that the church, thong,:str
ictl denomina-
tional, would be in no respect sectarian. While
believing that there was no other mode of baptism
.than that prefigured in the Scriptures—being buried
"with Christ in baptism—his rev. friend, Mr. Spur-
;wen, would at the same time prod im that truth
in. such a spirit that all who might differ from him
would only regret the difference, while they loved
him not the less. He wished also to state to his
dear Christian friends that this church would not
only be their church, but it would be a point from
which. Christian influence would emerge to the
furthest ends of the world. His friend, in preach-
ing the Gosßel there, would not forget upon every
fitting occasion to urge the claims of the heathen
upon the attention of his church ; and he rejoiced
Ito know that while the hearts of the congregation

would be sufficiently expansive to grasp the whole
world those who were perishing at our own doors
would not be forgotten or neglected. (Cheers.)
There was a great work yet to be done, and those
present who were connected with other churches
had gladly come to their aid and assured them that
they would do all in their power to assist them in
that work. (Cheers.) He could not but rejoice
that this would be something of a cathedral to
his denomination. It was quite right that they
should have a Tabernacle in which not only the
largest congregation could assemble, but which
should, when schemes of Christian usefulness were
to be promoted, be placed at the disposal of persons
of any other denominations. (Cheers.) This metro-
politan Tabernacle would therefore have claims upon
other denominations. Those whom he addressed
had a large and heavy burden to bear, and they were
delighted to bear it, because it enabled them to
evidence their love to Christ ; yet, still he could
not but feel that Mr. Spurgeon and his deacons
had a very strong claim for assistance upon all
other Christian churches of the metropolis and of
the kingdom at large; and he trusted that, when Mr.
Spurgeon ascended the pulpit for the first time,
he would be enabled, while preaching, a full, free,
and finished salvation, to say that he did so in a
chapel entirely free from debt. (Cheers.)
The Rev. Mr. SPURGEON and the Rev. H. Dow-
SON having each delivered a brief address explana-
tory of the doctrines of the Baptists and of the ob-
jects they were met to carry out, a hymn was sung
and the avenues leading to the platform thrown
open for all to see the stone, on which it was ear-
nestly hoped the friends of the cause would place
an offering as they passed by. This appeal was
most liberally responded to, the amount collected
showing beyond a doubt that there was no luke-
warmness on the part of the supporters of the pro-
posed edifice.
A friend at Bristol, through Mr. E. T. Inskip,
placed on the stone a cheque for the munificent sum
of £3,000 sterling. Mr. Inskip, while placing this
generous contribution on the stone, stated that if
40 gentlemen could be found to give £5O each, or
20 to give £lOO, his friend would undertake to
double the total amount. On the spot several gen-
tlemen immediately accepted this challenge amid
much cheering. Mr. Spurgeon himself laid down
£lOO, Mr. Passmore £5O, Mr. Morgan £5O, and
Mr. James Low £147. In addition to these there
were many sums of £5, £lO, £2O, and £25, the
total amount given being between £4,000 and
£5,000.

In the evening a large number of Mr. Spurgeon's
congregation assembled in the galleries over the
late horse repository at a tea meeting. Later in
the evening a public meeting was held in the same
place, when the objects and usefulness of the Taber-
nacle were forcibly pointed out by various speakers,
and a liberal collection towards the expenses of the
building was made at the close of the proceedings.