American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1858-09-03
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NEAR view OF sPURGEoN.

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NEARvlEW OF STURGEON. :
Il From the original corresp pondence of
{ the Evangelist, (H. NJ. Field, ESQ. )
: we take the following graphic portrait
OF the world-renowned Spurgeon, which
with the interesting personnel of the
audience of tho Music hall, will be
J. found highly interesting: 4. r,grr- !,
I aHs afeg LONDON, June %, 1858.
No preacher in England, since Ed
ward Irving, has had such popularity
as Mr.. Spurgeon. He is one of the Ii
ons of London-a rather young lion, to
DO sure, butone who, since his appear
Iance in the fold, has roared so loudly
as tomake the nation hear--and every
stranger who wishes to "do" the sights
| OF this Babylon, must for once, at least,
see and hear him. Accordingly We set
apart our first Sabbath to this purpose.
We arrived before the gates were opcn-
ed, but saw the crowd already beginning
to collect. Having letter to Mr.. Spur.
|geon which 1 gave to one of the officers
OF the church, who Immediately admit
| ted andinyited us to sit on the platform,
but We preferred scat in the side gallc-
Try, from which We could overlook the
audience, which was almost as much a
matter of curiosity as the preacher. -
Soon We knew that the gates were
opened by the hprrying of those who
had tickets to secure good places. 1t
was interesting to see the audience as.
sembling--to mark the hurried step
and eager look of the multitude. ~
| Music Hall, as it is named, is situa-
ted IN the centre ofthe Surrey Gardens,
n place of resort and amusement during
the week. The hall was designed, as
its name indicates, for monster concerts,
such as those given by julien. 1t is
built with three or four galleries, like
the Academy of Music in New York,
though, from its great length, it can.
hold much larger audienco---it is said
i that il will contain eight or. ten thou
sand people. But vast as was this
omphitheatre,- it was soon filed. Tier
taboye tlerro tho dense array ofhcads.
The admission is by tickets, though the
price is so small that it is but a trife
to those who wish to attend. Thus, q
/ shilling buys ticket which is good for
a month; and five shillings for the same
time secures reserved seats. At half
past ten the doors wero opened to those
. without tickets. Then came second
rush, which filled up every aisle and
passage with persons standing. But
at length the trampling ceased, for the
building could hold no more, the audi.
encc hushed to quietness, and the
Ipreachcr assembled the pulpit. , 80
j Never had apublic speaker more un-
promising exterior than Mr.. Spurgeon.
} llo is very short and very fat, and alto
+ gether whatwc should call chubby, and
as he goes waddling up the stairs he
looks more like an ovcrgrown boy than
r a fully developed man. Nor does his
1 countenance betoken superior intellect.
His forehead is low, and his upper lip
is so short that it shows his teeth, which
8 gives his mouth the appearance Of a
. simper or grin. Sure, / thought, ,elo-
quence cannot come out of such mouth
, as that.
Butthc impression which, physioe-
. nomist might form from these duh and
} heavy features, is dispelled as soon as
, he begins to speak. Then his counten-
ancc lights up with animation. His
, voice is full and clcar,an rings through
r the hall like a clarion, filing every ear
, with the nolodious sound.
The Introductory services were not
, of any special interest beyond the ordi-
, nary services in every church. AS is
, common in England, the reading of the
: Scriptures occupicda longer time than
: with us, being accompanied with an
5 exposition The prayer which follow.
, ed was appropriate and ferven., but not
, remarkable for thought OF expression,
t as were the prayers of Edward Irving.
: The singing, though of the plainest
! kind, was grand from tho multitude Of
voices which swelled the mighty chorus.
, MIR. Spurgeon read the words, verse by
d verse, and o prcceptor, standing in
front Of the pulpit, gave out the tune,
and led the singing. It was noble
J sight to sec tho whole audience rising
and joining in that majestic hymn of
which each verse ends with the line
"Rejoice aloud, ye saints rejoice
The text was Ecclcsiastes viii. 10 /:
"And so / saw the wicked buried,
!, which had come and gone from the
place Of the holy,ond they were forgot.
. ten in the city where they had SO
done this is also vanity"
The subjectwas "The Wicked Man g
8 Life, Funeral, and Epitaph." The i'm