Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-25
STURGEON ON PREACHING
The Great Divine Makes Some
Happy Remarks OH the Sub

JtCts
From the London News July 8.
Mr.. Samuel Morley, member OF Parlia-
ment, presided last evening over the
third anniversary festival OF Christ
Church, Westminster road, which is
under the pastOrate OF the Rev. New
man Hall The tea was served in Hawk
stone Hall, and the company afterward
adjourned TO the church, which was pro-
fusely decorated with flowers in perpet-
uation Of an old custom observed for
many years at the Surrey Chapel. The
Rev. &. II. Spurgeon was present, and
spake at some length on the subject OF
preaching He remarked that Mr., Nor
lev had said that the habit OF staying
away from place of worship was get
ting common. He would ask the hon
Orable gentleman whether he himself
would like to 90 and listen to some OF
his reverend brethren. He confessed
that sooner that 20 to hear them he
would have the govt. Loud laughterJ
Those who had had the govt would APP
preciate what he meant. twas awful.
Renewed laughter. He had the priv.
lege once OF hearing reverend brother,
he would not say how, when or where;
but he always considered he should be
rewarded for it at the resurrection OF
the just. Laughter. a preacher
should try TO make his preaching good.
In Germany it must be made evangelical
to the extent of Ii ounces TO the pound
if the church was to be kept full; but
regular attendance at places of worship
there had gone quite out of date.
Would any man 90 and listen to some
German divines if they preached their
books? Ii he were bad with the head
ach, and wanted to sleep, he certainly
would go They had some OF the best
books printed from the German, but
they had some almighty dry
books which cOund interest no persons
unless they whey wanted to have sin
taken out of them in the same way as
Eve was taken out OF Adam-when in
deep slaep. Roars OF laughter liza
preacher did not preach well, pray
him up, added Mr.. Sturgeon. II they
did not profit, let them still go on pray
ing. Any of them would preach well
when they preached to congregation
coming fresh from their knees, having
prayed to God to help them. Then
they should back the pastor up inevery-
thing as one man. There should be no
hestancy, no questioning; it was
church work; therefore, the clergyman
should be backed up and carried
through. lie should be the point of
the wedge: let each behind push on and
the deed would be done. What a
splendid history exclaimed Mr.. Spurg-
con, the Surrey Chapel people had, and
if they did not do wonders for God after
Rowland Hill they deserved to be tied
to carts tail and whipped. Laugh
ter. They did not know how down IN
the dumps sometimes man who had
to cheer every one else was. They
should speak a kindly word to the pas
tor whenever they saw HIM. There was
a story often told oS a man in the Gray's
lnn-rOad when there was a fire. The
escape was put up, but it was found to
be little too short. There was a wo-
man to be rescued who was near the
window, the fireman went up, and just
as he reached the top the people gave
three cheers, for they thought that he
had rescued her, and he did. But he
said he could not have done it if it had
not been for those cheers just at that
moment. Laughter. When he &C.
cupied the pulpit, and saw two or three
old ladies shaking their heads, he
always preached to perfection, those
who smiled and were pleased he thought
were persons of great judgement.
[Iaughtcrl In conclusion, he said
they would all remember a verse which,
he thought, was by Sir. Walter Scott,
and which he would apply to them as
church workers, "On, on, on, were the
last words Of Sturgeon" Roars OF
laughter.