The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-04-22
aBur1eigh" at Spurgeon's
Church. eF

/ On Sunday morning | heard Sturgeon
nreach. The audience was large, but by
M means as crowded as when heard him
two wears ago. Then at quarter before
tho commencement of service. the yard,
stems and streets in front were crowded;
and five minutes before the commence
n,ent of service the doors were thrown
omen Deople came in with a rush, filled
eTery seat in an instant, crowding all the
aisles, and occupying every available
space. 1t was not so yesterday. A half
an hour. before service commenced the
gates were opened, the rear church doors
were opened, no guards were at the door
no tickets were demanded. / walked into
the house and looked around without be-
ing disturbed by ane one, Fifteen ml--
utcs before service commenced there were
not fifty people in the house. When Mr.
Spurgeon opened the worship the house
was probably three quarters full. 1t kept
filling up duringthe Introductory services
There are no carpets on the floor OF the
chapel, and the incessant tramp, tramp,
tramp of the people made it almost I'M
possible. to hear what the speaker said,
especially as universal cold seemed to
pervade the congregation, and each per-
son present seemed to take part III the
At no time were the seats all, filled. "A
few persons only sat in the aisles Two
years have wrought some changes in. Mr..
Spurgeon He has had much sickness,
and his rheumatic govt has made great
inroads on his physical energy. He has
grown very stout. He is less careful in
his dress and personal appearance than
formerly, He gave total abstinence a linn
tied trial, Finding it did not agree with
him, as he supposed, when the period was
up that he allotted to the trial he went
back 70 the English custom. His voice
| is mellow, sonorous and bewitching as
ever. His sermon on the efforts people
make to. render themselves Wretched, was
in his best vein, sparkling, eloquent, i'm
prcssive. He seemed like a man whose
spirit and resolution outran his strength.
All his services were very long. His in
Itroductory prayer reached fifteen minutes.
Three hymns were sung, and all before
the sermon. He reads the entire hymn,
and then reads it again verse by verse
while the congregation sing. His exposi-
ton Of the chapter was longer than an
American sermon. The allotted time Of
| the sermon is one hour, though he often
exceeds this. The singing was especially
grand. No instrument of music of any
kind is allowed. The leader stands On
the platform from which Mr.. Sturgeon
breaches. The congregation rise at all
the singings, and begin With the first note
of the chorister, and sing full, CHEEKY,
prompt and in unison, | don't believe
there is such singing elsewhere in. the
world The pulpit has q miscellaneous
look On the platform from which the
pulpit springs, stands huge table, suita-
BILE for warehouse, and around it sit a
company of men, women and children
in the very eyes of the congregation, and
sadly disfgure the whole. From IN
American stand point there isno elegance
in the London churches. They are with
cut carpets. They wear asombre look,
as if unclean Little scraps of cushions
are in the pews, made up of different
colors and ages. The walls are placarded
| like depot The yestibule and surround
ings resemble an exchange or mart, in
which all sorts of wares are set forth on
show bills The most fashionable churches
are the oldest, most uncomfortab Die and
ugliest.--Letteg. to Boston Journal.