, 1876-11-19
SPURGEON.

The following account OF Charles q. Spur
geon's great work in London Is taken from a
review of his latest book published in the Lon
don 'Athtpeum, and written, Of course, by q
sound churchman:
1t is curious characteristic Of Baptist history
that the '*chnrchcs - seem to have always possess
ed few members at the close of q minister's ca.
reer. and to have received great accessons Of con-
yeEts under new pastor. an increase that gradu-
ally vanished the city Of the new leader wore
of. This was, at oil events, the case On the sacred
grounds OF Southwark. Splits, rents and divis-
ions in congregations took things in that dircc-
tion, and, quarter Of century ago, 1.-THE an-
cient society in Southwark was apparently fast
boxes were equally empty, md probationers prov
ed unequal to the task OF filling them. At length,
news came Of clever, guileless, simple minded
poor poo seaaty handful Of Baptiss, at waterbeach in
Cambridgeshire. His name was Charles Hadoon
Spurgeon, and he jumped, by no mems eagerly. ut
the invitation to preside in the New Park Street
Chapel, which wis six times too large for any con-
gregation that then dropped into it.
The young gcntlenun's reply to the invitation is
worthy Of the complete letter writer. 1t s strong
ly marked By consistency, logic, and tender sim
Had been uncomfortable in my present situ.
prospect Providence seems to open up before me;
but having devoted and loving people, feel
know not how One thi,g know, viz. that I
must soon be severed from them by necessity, for
they do not raise sufficient to maintain me In com
tort. Had they done go should have turned q
deaf to any request to leave them, at least for
the present. But now my Heavenly Father drives
me forth from this little garden OF Eden. and whilst
see must go out, leave 1t with reluctance, and
tre1nblc to tread the unknown land before
ts e 1e { seam % e IL the Of
another Christian letter. writer, who informed
correspondent: II viii be with you u; " on
may remember the old Scottish lady. in Cats An
nails OF the Parish who. afflicted ut the announce
ment Of her young, favorte pastor, that call from
asked him If he would get greater stipend
in the new district The reply was in the atirml-
tive, and the old ladys comment thereupon was to
Lord mignt have called in vain, for the minister
would not have needed it.
ts5 entering bis dntss Mr. spargeon
lie had asked those in authority to luye regard to
his youth and ine1perienc, aud to judge leniently
any OF his hasty and unprecedented words He
tile black hole in Calcutta. y Ills own soul lacked
pulpit sky-rockets which be delighted in exploding.
fell down, and by faith this wall at the back shall
prudent Deacon, " who, ''in somewhat doinineer-
never hear Of that asain!'' What do you me,n:''
rejoined the young and inexperienced lad; "rou
will hear no more about it when it is done, and
room were laid into the chapel, while the conere-
gn1n assfbed @ a at Exeter Hall N spusgsep
olden time, ''since our sojourn in
London ;" be remarks, - we have
tlemanly men, rather stiff and unmanageable; not
quite to onr mind. but respectable, prudent gran-
dees Of dissent, in semi-clerical DRESS with white
cravats. His present staff OF Dcacons be describes
as peculiarly loyable energetic, warm, hearted,
generous men, ~ a description which he seems to
make tue more readily, ms we may hope to live
with them another quarter OF century," The
Deacon who gave his young minister the first rap OF
the knucklcs had been in authority under DR.. Rip
pun and under IateF pastor, James Smith, whose
dyin. words may be said to jump with Mr. Spur
geon's humlor, and are thus recorded: ''1 nm Just
like packet that is all ready to 60 by train, pack
ed corded, labeled, paid for, and on the platform
waiting for the express to come by nnd take NE to
glory. I wish could hear the whistle now!' This
is much in the Spurseon way, with lcse audacity-
When he speaks 9f his present Deacons az hearty
and good Joke fellows, we reminded Of an OBJ
servatlon We once heard him make, which showed at
least his sympathy for humankind and intelligence
When IN @ afulties m be &C. eould only be
indeed, II in Baptist business perpexities, the
angel Gabriel were to come 70 him with an offer or
aid, he would say, - Gabriel, go back TO your
singing, and leave me with mortAls, who under
stand my condition and need" III the same SER
mon in which the above observation was m,dc, u
sermon preached in .'our brothers, chapel in
western suburb, Mr.. Spurgeon remarked that the
crowded congregation before him comprised more
than ''our brothers. ordinary audience" Such
sapsti!nx . he llunorously characterized as being
tVc-k.,own refined playfu1ncss that he should like
to send such vasrants away with flea in their
ear We remember, too, that some portions of
paradsiacal pleasures for the faithful elect would
consist in the consumption of stlumps Of delght!''
These illustrations were made with 4 dry sim
levers. " It will De remembered that. in
in the 5se na na IL R'iaos IT, srrsS y
which seven lives were sacrificed, and many were
grcvonsly wounded and mutilated. The chapel
minutes thankfully record that in this sad ca
lamity, the lives Of their beloved pastor, the dca-
cons, and members were nil preserved" Mr.. Spur
gcon himself sees III the calamity means to an
end: III turned out in the Providence Of God, to
be one OF the most powerful means Of turning pub
lie attention to special services, and do doubt
It has Is been the mother OF multitndes Of
blessings" To tue special services held by this
admirable logiclan. he says, ''nll classes came,
both high and low. We have before US list OF the
noelilty VINO attended the Nusic-Hall." but, lie
aids, as we never felt any great cntion at their
attendance. or care to have their presence blazon
cd abroad, we Will not in sert the names. 1t was
far greater joy TO liz, says Mr.. Spurgeou ..that
hnaaded cane ; hG o. wfre led o seek te and
detested the wicked aristocracy; he received their
alns but he was not to be deceived by their libcr
aisI: ne showed himself to be almost as acntc as
the famous monk of PEnsue, who professed to be
nble to tell an honest mnn from knuye simply
by the smell
tt4t4ouSu LIZ. CpuTbeOns QOOK1 IS o1teu mlrtCG bV
bad tast:. vnigasity, and offensive familiarity
with Providence, there remains the irrciutablr
proof OF his having accomplished much. Out OF
the old chapel, with its scuuty congregation. has
sprung the Tabernacle. holding its thousands, and
in connection with it has arisen the Pastors COL
le$c. sufficiently endowed to send Baptist mission
aries to tho ends OF the EARTH What the one soli
tary calv1nistic missionary, who is ser down ut
work in China. can be doing among the millions OF
yellow he:thcns Is not told, but we readily give
him credit Tor courage as great thar OF Francis
Xavier. To the other achievements named above
must be added the osphanage, which is open, Us
spective Of creed and without any canvassng for
votes 1t is clear that Mr.. Spurgeon cannot only
work upon the feelings Of his audiences, but can
get to the bottom Of their purses. He can
do more than open hearts Nand wiring
shi1linys from the brethren; he has found
sister voluntarily furnishing tens OF
thousands OF pounds for really useful purposes,
but before taking her money, he ascertained that
none OF tho heirs OF her own household suffered
unjustly By her gifs to him Mr.. spnrseon has
won thousands Of hearers, az well as Of pounds.