The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-09
SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 1S72.-TRIPLE SHEET,

few years ago there arose man In Ireland by the
can order whS attractea somo local ' sms as
preacher. He has, from the first. been under the
especial patronage OF Cardinal Cullen, and for the
on all important public occasions. But he was, how
eY9r unknown here until he came. But now his
name and fame are on every tongue. And Il ne
would be called the greatest preacher In the Eng
ish language, 1t would be no more than just praise.
Here comes Q man, dug out, as 1t were. Of the
ssS hs Of cnss ms is9 S
progressive liberty and steam; here Golnes man
tSs h ny Sa ts osps II t al
the severity Of d0gmas and morals, with all
the earnest JUNCTION and enthusiasm OF Ventura,
clothed In the golden rhetoric OF Edmund Burke.
Standing in his ecclesiastical Dress the picture OF
holy, sacerd0tal vocation, the living evidence OF
the faith that he teaches-0f untiring industry in
teaching and preaching and an incorporating
enemy OF the licentious spirit Of the age-it can
then surely be said that in the evangelist Is lost the
man. In the year ls47-twenty-fve years ago
mouth church there. The church was Congrega-
tional; but suitable compromise was made This
than thirty years old. He was from the first man
Of talent and ability, and soon, therefore, began to
attract attention outside OF his congregation
He took up the slavery question, and for
than zen Now M the
American people as preacher OF the Gospel, and
his name is q household word In half OF the homes
Is 1t notoriety or reputation VIII Henry Ward
Beecher live In history He Is said to be eloquent
In Plymouth church, but his published discourses
are, for the most part disjointed, mechanical and
nonsensical, deficient In either sustained manly
argument or eloquence; and his sermons contain
about grain OF wheat In bushe of chat. His
elOquence Ia spasmOdic and rhapsOdical- no sus-
tanned lofty appeas-nO nnll flowing, rounded
peri0ds-but mechanical small talk, conversational
glib, which can have no abiding hold in the minds
0fintellectual men. He has, however, humor and
fun, and says attractive and even original things,
but there is no backbone in his utter
ances; his preaching is buncombe sentiment
and maudlin slop; he caters to the social corrup-
ton OF the day, and only debauched and dement,
ed age could st0Op TO notice such man. About
the year 1855, young man appeared In London as
preacher, by the name OF Charles II. Spurgeon.
He had no education, he had no eOquence OF
language, but he developed vehemence, theatrical
style and certain air OF roughshod earnestness
which began soon to claim the attention of middle
class John Bull. From the first SpurgeOn developed
until his day, was excluded from the pulpit. II he
could not preach the gospel he could act 1t on And
this Is his forte. He Is however, more sincerely be-
llevng Christian than Beecher, his preaching being
live in the mind of the world. He Is
at times coarse, vulgar and even bias
phemous, and the robust thought OF the eighteenth
century would boot such man down in derlsion
suitable comparisons and puts old things in new
light, and possesses that rough and ready, demo-
cratic, familiarity style of talk that catches the
ears of the crowd in these days; but his sermons
only con hold the half-educated superficial thought
OF the age. What relief 1t Is to turn to such genu
Inc orators as Hyacinthe and Burke. Hyacinthe,
remains. He is giant OF intellect, giant OF elO-
quence, q giant OF Christianity. To him do send
the nquring Christian OF to-day for counsel and in
sruction for edidcation for thorough building up
Hyacinthe, the sckly sentiment OF Beecher and the
bungling OF Spurgeon. w.. d.