Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-08-04
MIR. SpurgeoA-
A correspondent of The Baltimore Amer
ican writes from London as fnflnws.

ican writes from London as follows.
In personal appearance, air. Spurgeon
has none of those characteristics that would
impress you with an idea of extraordinary
capacity as public speaker. He IS about
five feet Eve inches in height, rather stout,
with round, fair, smooth full face, and low
forehead. His hair is black, and is parted
in the centre, whilst his eyes are blue and
his complexion fair. His countenance is
mild and pleasing. and he wears no hair on
his face, except small tuft under each ear
Indeed. his face looks SD smooth that you
would scarcely suppose that he was troubled
with any beard at all. As 20 age, he does
not look to be thirty, though learn that he
is about forty.
The services commenced with reading a
hymn, showing that he is a beautiful and
| impressive reader, and that his voice is at
tuned and capable of the most distinct and
impressive enunciation. After The hymn
was sung.by the congregation, he opened
the Testament and commenced reading por-
tions of the 22d chapter of 81. Luke, rela-
tive to Peters denial of Christ, comment
ing upon them as he proceeded. in a con-
versational manner, applying the course OF
Peter t. many professed followers of Christ
at the present day. When alluding to
Christ's exclamation TO Peter, "Simon!
Simon! behold, Satan hath desired to have
you, that he may sift you as wheat" he
/ exclaimed, All, brethren, il is well we should
all be slted at times. eeuen If the DiuH do
hold the seire. 1t " i'll do Us good, even as
it did Peter good. and prepare us fer that
true repentance and conversion which many
of us need" These quaint expressions oc,
cured all through his remarks, but they
seem to flow from him so naturally as to
the impressiveness of his language rather
than mar it. He took for his text the 62d
verse of the same chspter:--"And Peter
went out and wept tteriy"
The subject he proposed to expound to
his hearers was True Repentance. and he
would use the case OF Peter to illustrate -
LIST, its cause; 2nd, ITS object; Sd, IT'S nature;
Ash. its signs: 9th, the place for repentance;
and 9th, its effect. He took up each of
these divisions of his subject separately, his
manner being that OF person in careless
convers alton with one or two friends Most
of his time he leaned down with his elbows
on the Bible, but occasionally rose as he
fared up with his subject with startling ener-
gy and thrilling effect Still it appeared so
entirely natural that no one could possibly
accuse him of any studied effoit. In fact.
his style and lai guuge rather impress one
with the feeling that he speaks without
preparation. and withou: caring whether he
pleases or displeases his hearers
When speaking of the nature of True
Repentance and the tears of Peter, conslG
er;ng that he was speaking to his own con-
gregation in his own church, lie fully illus
lrated this independence of style. As to
the tears OF a man, he placed grea, value
on them, especially if he was strong
minded man like Peter, full of power, ener-
gy and determination. But there were
some persons whose tears flowed at trifes
-even at reading eickly and sentimental
story-there were silly women who were
always crying. and be knew some persons
,1hose tears are not rorh a farth,ng q
quart. Some who applied to him for ad-
mission to church membership did not know
what true repentance was, and some who
are already in the fold want 20 be sitted y
Instead OF being prompt in doing good. they
are dissentious, and quarrel over matters
that have nothing to do with the saving of
souls or the advancement of the Kingdom Of
God on earth. He wanted t. hear nothing
of these dissentions and divisions, but hoped
that all present Who heliauad in Christ and
were truly penite Mt would meet him at the
communion table without regard tc sectar-
anism OF any kind.
At another point in his discourse he said
he had no confidence in those who were al
ways praying in public and weeping in pub
lie, any more than he had in those who
jump INTO religion at a spring. He was
always afraid of them-he feared there was
wantof deep tender feeling. Peter, when
he wept, went out from the company he
was in-he wanted TO be in pr;vate-and so
every one who is truly repentant seeks pri-
vscy for prayer and tears. Speaking of the
bitterness OF true repentance, h. SAID it was
like breathing the teeth up t0ith oraUel stones,
it was crushing out the Internal impu-
dence and sel6shness from the heurt OF
man.
| His easy and graceful Conversational
manner is undoubtedly the great secret of
his success, whilst his earnest aud impress
sive style must always carry with it con-
vict:on OF deep-toned pieiy Several times
curing his discourse he repu lated sectari
anism, and declared that II had nothing 10
do with true reigion--that men were vast
ing their energies and throwing dissenslons
into the Kingdom of Christ on earth by the
discussion and propagation of views and
doctrines that were Rot essential to saliva
,ion. and therefore of no importance.
His style of preaching is more that Of the
Methodist than The Ba ptist pulpit, and
Methodist congregation under one of his
stirring discourses, would be very apt to
respond with all the enthusiasm ihat usually
accompanies ME powerful exhortation of
! Father Slicer. Yours, &C., c. C. F.
|
FoRGIvIkG A DEBroR There is q story
which has been often told of Daniel Web.
ster, bet which will bear repetition, how e..
after continued provocatitn, he wrote to
the editor Of a newspaper, which referred
to his private affairs, and especially TO his
not paying his debts. He said substantially
l-.sft is irue that have not aivavs yaid mv