Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-07-27
A Roadside sermon by ur. snurr.o,.

The eccentric Sturgeon, who neglects no on
Eortunlty OF disooursing to an audience, has
oonVered roadside sermon under the historic
oak tree near Addestone, England AN oal, nm
der whose branches il is said WvclifFe nreached
ana Queen Elizabeth Gined. The occasion NJ
Ihe appearance OF hr. Sturgeon in this spot
was tie laying Of foundation stone of a new
chapel, which is 10 be built for the accommoda-
uon OF the Baptist congregation of Addlestone
pace OF worship formerly stood upon the site
OF the projected new erection, but il was in a
dllapiGated condition, and the Congregation.
which rs comprised almost entirely OF the work,,
ing classes, boldly undertook the task of tiudiny
FUNDS 10 build another. Tie modest sum ~
f1,2i0 is all that was REQUIRED for the hniiJin,
lund: vi TINS sum nearly Gee has been pro.
nIued, ana, deSlrous OF aiding in the work Mr.
Srulseoh' Ia sdcltl9n TO forwarding handsome
uOhatlOn, undertook TO officiate at the LAYING of
the foundation stone, and to preach a sermon.
ne TOOK lOr ms text a portion OF the Both verse
OF me 9th chapter OF Matthew-"He was moved
win COMPASSION" At the outset the preacher
sketched with rapid eloquence the historv OF
Jesus Christ. The first declaration that rnf,bt
have startled one not accustomed to the breach
ers style OF oratory was his expression of a
preference for people who absolutely hated re-
lglon over those who simply regardedi IL with in
difference. These were people who showed tn
ILey 1ld thinE, and, like Saul of Tarsus, there
was nope or their conversion. at iso he
said, "a great time when the Lord goes into
the DeylPs army, and looking around him
sees some lieutenant, and says to him Come
along; you have served the black master
long enough, L have need of Won now,
1t is astonishing how quietly he comes along
and what a valiant fight he fights on the side of
his new master" Mr. Sturgeon had a protest
TO make against the practice of refusing to helm
the poor except through the machinery of the
poor law. Referring to Christ's having com
passionated the hungry crowd and fed them.
he said IF Jesus Christ were alive now and
presumed to feed crowd of people, he would
be had up by some society or other and prose-
cuted for mendicancy. If he were alive in these
days he would, much fear, have occasion to
say, was hungry and We fed me not; thirsty
and ye gave me no drink destitute and Won
told me TO go on the parish"
a, ar. SpurgeOn thought tracts were very good
things In their way, but should not be relied
upon solely as means of bringing poor people
to the Lord. 81 believe a LOAF OF bread often
contains the very essence of theology and the
Church of God ought to lock to il that there
were at her gates no poor URfed, and no sick un-
tended" He was rather hard on "the clergy of
all denominations" regretting to saw that sas
hsh always stunk first at the head so a Church
When IL goes wrong, goes bad first amongst its
ministers" he concluded by an eloduent aDpeal
TO his hearers to lose no time in seeking saliva
ton, calling "heaven and earth, and this old
Tee, under which the Gospel was preached five
hundred years ago, TO bear witness that he mad
preached to them the word of God, in which
alone salvation was TO be found"