New-York daily tribune., 1859-07-07
JUDGE iLARRISS IMPRESSIONS OF
SPURGEON.


The following letter to Smith Shedon, esq, of this
city, from the Hon. Ira Harris, dstei EdInburgh,
Nav 70, 1859. was not written for publication. Bat
believing that lsrge number Of the readers of TIE
Examiner would be glad TO know what such man 50
Judge Harris thinks of Mr.. SpurgeOns preaching, we
have sough. and obtained Mr.. Sheldcn's permission
to publish s of the letter that relates to ihst subject
-Ei. Exam.
Upon landing 81 Southampton, we spent two or
three days in thai vicinity visiting the beautiful Isle OF
Wight, ard cached London Saturday evening Inc
frs, question Sunday morning was, Where shall
We 20 10 church II was proposed that we should
al once go to Surrey Gardens sDd hear Mr. Spurgeon.
The vote unanimous; 80 We obtained cab aud
rode three miles. We reached there just after the SER
vice had commenced, and though it IaiDed little, we
found that immense room. with Its three tiers o gal
l.ries entirely full. The engraving in the book you
were 20 kind as TO give leaving, is an unusually
accurate likeness Such things are oiien oyerdrawn,
but in this case able to verify the accuracy OF
the picture 81 once. ! suppose there were eight
thousand people present There Dot vacant seat.
was obliged myself to stand during the entire service.
Perhaps You will be interested If give you, as well as
l can, my own impressions OF wha saw anu heari.
was exceedingly Interested, 80 much 81 that heard
him preach three times during the two Sundays spent
in IOndsn. wanted 70 satisfy myself what constituted
his grea. sttracon, and studied him as well as was
able. When | entered thought he was preaching
and It was several minutes before | was undeceved
He was in fsc. reading the Scriptures at the COM
mencemen of the exercises bnt his exposition was so
full and earnest that 1t might well be mistaken fr
discourse. One thin < that impressed me very much
was the grave attention of his vast audience. Many
Of them had their Bibles and followed him in his com
mentary as he read In this way he made this one OF
the ost interesting of the services. Having closed
his remarks, and, as thought, bis Sermon ne read
bymD. In these selections, noticed toat be uniformly
chose euch hymns were most familiar aud deyo-
tional and then, such singing Just tbiok OF hymn
aboundipg with the most pious sentiments, sung in
a familiar tune by several thousand people, every
one of whom seemed to feel what he was singing. 1t
was the most impressive thing OF the kind ever
heard.
say, mportunate. Another hymn was sung, the mass
Of the audience having provided themselves with
books and heartily uniting. 1t was sublime specte.
ce shall never forget it. He read bis text: 81 will
put my spirit within you" He described, in simple
and the sep % ,S fon1a a o. s1a
The Discourse ike thoee | heard subsequently, was
highly Calvinistic. His great aim seemed TO be to
show ard make his hearers realize, how hepess they
were and at the same time what ample provision had
been made for them in their helplessDess There was
no attempt at eloquence nothing to excite admiration
You feel You listen, that what you hear is just what
faithful preacher, careless of himself, aud resolved
upon making bis hearers feel and act upon what he
says ought to cay, and might well be expected to say
He makes rhetorical display; has Lo remarkable
beauty of expression. On the other hand, in all his
sermons discovered nothing of rudeness or vulgarity
and earnest This it seems u me, is the secret Of his
wonderful success. He makes his hearers feel, what
ever they may think of themselves that be believes
what he says, and is earnest with them. He has an
excellent voice, and every word he utters is heard
without difficulty by every person in the audience Ia
accomplishing this he was very much assisted by the
audience ITSELF Not cough or q movement OF the
foot could be beard while he was speaking. Fixed at
tention visible in every face left the place feel
ing that had heard plain sound and very faithful
sermon; and still wondering that such preaching
should Sabbath after Sabbath attract such immense
audiences. / do not believe the effect would be as
great in New-YOik, because l think you have more
evangelical preaching there; and yet sm persuaded
that be would attract great crowds anywhere.
In the afternoon went to Westminster Abbey.
In the ayenpg heard Baptist Noel, with whom was
delighted, but have not time TO speak Of him now.
The next Sabbath started Oat in still greater force
to hear Mr.. SpurgeoD. Several Of fellow psssen-
gers, who were staying at the hotel, went with u.s. |
bad then received your letter OF introduction but had
not presented it. We went early, and had procured
tickets Of admission. The house still crowd
ed than before. l was again obliged to stand during
the entire service. The text was The kingdom OF
heaven sufereth violence, and the violent take by
force" The sermon was characterized by the saHis
earnest simplicity, and what impressed me most, was
his apparent orgefulness-if I may such an
eupresson-hs self abandonment, for the sake OF NOV
ing bic bearers and inducing them to act for them
selves The general impression was the same as be-
fore. / felt that heard man preach, whose whole
soul was engaged in the work OF saving souls-who
determined TO convince his hearers that ne wa IN
earnest with them.
Surrey Gardens, where be breaches in the morn
ing isabou two niles from bis residence, and from
his OWE church. He stopped for q little while at
house by to rest, ard TO aov the throng TO dis
perse ventured TO cal upon him there, and there
presented your letter. was pleased with his simple
and unpreterdipg manners. He told me ne was to
leave town the next morning, 10 attend some public
meeting in the south. west Of England. He gave me
a line " the effect that should be admitted snd pro-
yided with seats if went to his church in the even
ipg So, in the evening, i found su the party
al 1ious TO go. He preached in bis church-near
London Bridge. 1t the same church in which DR..
Gil and DIR. Rippen had presched-s small, plsin
church, but packed full, outsde and inside. Before
commencing his sermon, be announced what vii, 1
am sure strike you it did me- az novel arrange
ment in relation To the communion which wast take
place the 6rst Sabbath in june The number Of CON-
mupicants had become so large that the house would
not hold them all at once So, upon deiberetou, he
had resolved 70 administer the Lords Supper two
successive Sabbaths, and requested the members of
the church 20 to divide themselves, that half might
atteLd on each Sabbath lady with whom / sat
gave statistics which may be familiar 10 you,
but they were and interesting TO me. she said
that when Mr. Spugeon became pastor OF the church,
less than five years ago, toe number of members
little 200 and hat since that time, be had bsp-
tized over eleven hundred persons. Think Of Il.
What wonderful success. And this, too, for Q man
not yet twenty four years Of age. He tert, in the
eyeDiIg led TO a doorinal discassioa-which he
handed be bed hi other subjects with great fear
lessness as well earneetness: Other sheep have
which are not Of this fod-them also I NUT bring
and they shall hear my VOICES text which pretty
PisIiy, as suppoee involves the doctrine Of election
50 have written much more than I intended when
commenced. As you zee, l have been very favor
ably IDpressed-rnore 20, indeed than expected to
be. never before realized 80 sensbly the power
which there ], in the foohshness Of preaching Mr.