Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-07


This gentleman preached yesterday after
noon at Pixies Opera-house, to an audience
as large as that place could contain. The
public has a natural curiosity TO know the
peculiar preaching qualitiesthat draw uncom-
mon crowds Of our British brethren and to
compare them with those of our own preach
ers. The extraordinary success Of Mr.. Spur
geon has excited much of their curiosity,
which finds but little explanation in his
printed sermons. MIR. Guinness has also been
attracting large audiences in Great Britain.
The American people naturally inquire
whether these men are wonderfully gifted, or
whether they have acquired celebrity by in
novations upon a somewhat heavy pulpit
style at home, which in this country, where
there is so much versatility in preaching
would fail to excite public interest.
The discourse Of Mr.. Guinness, yesterday
made no attempt at eloquence or logic. It
was fervent exhortation to fee from the
wrath to come, not different from style of
preaching common atour camp-meetings, and
at times Of unusual religious interest, though
in amore cultivated elocution. His elocution
ls as careful as that of tragedian, and his
countenance wears tragical expression. He
preached the terrors of the law, without
blinking or mitigating in the least its severity.
He urged the terrible justice of God
who could not look on sin with the least
allowance, the absolute necessity that he is
under to punish the guilty lest they should
taunt him with threatening what he did not
fulfil and thus set his power at naught; he
warned his hearers that the greater part of
them were on the road to He'll. There was
almost an entire absense of illustration and
the power Of the preaching consisted entirely
in the force of the terrors of the Judgment to
come.
Some death-bed scenes, which came under
his own observation, were related, as is
common in revival-preaching to make the
feelings of the audience impressble. One of
these was the case of an estimable man, who
had every thing that was lovely but con-
version, and lost his soul. The stern Justice
of God was the great theme, rather than His
love and mercy; although the Reverend
gentleman did relate an affecting instance,
which came under his own observation, of
His kind dealings with nobeman who in
heriteda vast estate and lived worldly life
till all his wealth was swept from him;
then he turned to God, and his property was
restored to him; but 10 secure his affections,
God deprived him of health. The Reverend
gentleman also remarked on the singular fact
that the unconverted usually die easy in
their minds; that, in the words of David,
"The wicked have no bonds in their deathn
while God, to test the righteous in the hour
ofdeath, often, apparently, deserts them for
short time, when they feel as if the pillows
were overwhelming them; but this is only
for a trial of their faith and if they stand the
test, their troubles are soon over.
The inilexible terrors of the law, the total
condemnation of all mankind under it, the
stern justice of a God, who could by no means
clear the guilty, and the inevitable perdition |
of his hearers unless they repented, was the |
theme of the discourse, with such illustra-
tions of the glory of God, as exhibited in his |
wonderful dealings with men, as we have |
mentioned above. There was nothing sensa- |
tional in the sermon; it was simple and !
earnest, and presented the wrath of God in |
light well calculated to alarm the guilty, and
which, it is hoped, will be the means under
Providence, of bringing many to repentance.