Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1863-07-16
Rev. Mr.. Surgeons Tabernacle in
London.

WE arc warranted in drawing special at
tention to this chapel by the amount of in
terest which it has excited in London and
England generally. Visitors to London are
almost sure to pay visit to "Spurgeon's
Chapel" Whether they succeed in hear
ing the preacher is another question alto
gether, for every Sunday hundreds are ex-
cluded, as the building, vast as it is, VIII
not hold all that come. Long before the
hour for opening the doors, streams OF peo-
pie are concentrating at the Tabernacle
Seat holders are admitted at side door be-
fore the general public are allowed to enter,
and as every seat-or almost every seats
let, the result is that when the doors are
opened, and the public are admitted, moth
ing but standing room can be obtained
Most people, however, are very well content
to find standing room, and in all parts OF the
building thanks to the architect-We may
see Mr. Surgeons face and hear his voice.
The assembly Of the crowds outside is IN
itself great sight. There are densey COM
pact masses swarming everywhere around
the chapel, like people round opera-house
doors on Jenny Lind night. Very dissat-
isfied are those who have to so away after an
hours patient waiting, and crowds still lin
ger around the doors in hopes that some
body will come out and make room for
somebody else. Outside also are police
men, and carriages of all sorts, from my
lords carriage, with its emblazoned panels,
to the humble four-wheeled cab. 'Busses
drive great trade, as the people who at
tend Spurgeon live at all parts of the town,
and comparatively few possessa carriage OF
their own, or care to hire cab. The scene
outside the building on Sundays-or, in
deed, any day that the chapel is open-is
particularly exciting. Throngs of people
who have no intention of going in, stop to
look at the throngs of people who have that
intention, and to pass their comments on
the structure, or the preacher.
The exterior Of the building presents no
thing very attractive to the eye, except in its
magnificent facade The lofty frontage,
supported by six Corinthian pillars, forms
a noble portico the ascent to which is made
by broad flight of steps. The grandeur
and boldness Of this part of the building
are deserving of the highest praise, and
are, of their kind, altogether unrivalled.
The length of the Tabernacle on the outside
is 200 feet; its breadth is 104 feet. 1t is
provided with sixteen doors for the exit and
entrance of the congregation, besides one or
more private entrances; and it is lighted
and ventilated by number of handsome
windows and Louvre lights in the roof.
The inside dimensions of the chapel are
JAG feet long by 81 wide; the height is
So feet. The roof is concave; the ceiling
supported by sixteen iron shafts the pillars
being ornamented, and united at the top
by semi-circular arches. There are two gal
leries of light iron-work, painted white and
relieved with gliding. The pulpit is quite
unique. 1t is capacious gallery, with a
table, desk, and "a sofa for the preacher S
use." 1t is large enough to accommodate
twenty or thirty people. The walls are
painted light green, and the pews are
stained Of an oak color, and are unproyided
private staircase at the back, as well as by
a double flight Of stairs from the platform
below The baptistry is of white marble.
The effect of the whole appearance of the
building is exceedingly light and agreeable;
there is no extravagant display-no osten-
tatious ornament, neither is there any bar
renness or show Of poverty everything
is well done and the place is made to hold
5000 persons namely, 4,200 sittings, and
standing room for about 1000.
A building such as this is questionably
one of the sights of London, and is well
worthy of visit on its own account, to say
nothing of its minister. But visitor who
would obtain admission had best procure
the entree of a seat-holder, so as to secure
an early admission; failing this he must
be content to go early and wait long, and
take his chance of standing-roOm when the
doors are opened. 1t is probable that this
immense building-exciting the emulation
of other denominations-may lead to the
erection of similar structures If the demon
ination of Baptists can raise $l5o,Oo0 for
one chapel, what limit can be placed upon
the efforts of Independents or Wesleyans
But what is really wanted, is not great chap
els, but great preachers; when the latter
are secured, the former become easy.
Avo1D THEM-Profane language is
I