Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-08-12
MR.. STURGEON ON PREACHERS.
He Would Prefer the GOut to Listening
to Some of His Brothers In Christ.

The London Daily News in recent
issue says
Mr. Samuel Morley, NJ. P, presided
last evening over the third anniversary
festival of Christ church, Westmin
ster road. The Rev. G. H. Spurgeon
was present and spoke at some length
on the subject of preaching. He
remarked that Mr.. Morley had said
that the habit of staying away from
a place of worship was getting com
mon. He would ask the honorable
gentleman whether he himself would
like to go and listen to some of his
reverend brethren. He canfessed
that sooner than hear them he would
have the gout. Those who had had
the gout would appreciate what he
meant. 1t was awful. He had the
privilege once of hearing a 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. A preacher
should try to make his preaching good.
In Germany it must be made evangel-
ical to the extent of sixteen 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quite out of date.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?' If he
were bad with the headache and
wanted to sleep he certainly would 60
They had some of the best books
printed from the German, but they
had some almighty dry books, which
could interest no person, unless they
wanted to have sin taken out of then
in the same way as Eve was taken ou
Of Adam-when in a deep sleep. /
a preacher did not preach well, "pray
him up" added Mr.. Spurgeon. |
they did not profit, let then
still GO on praying. Any of them woul,
preach well when they preach to
congregation coming fresh from thei
knees, having prayed to God to hel
them. Then they should back tn
pastor up in everything as one man
There should be no hesitancy, n
questioning it was church work
therefore the clergyman should b
backed up and carried through. H
should be the point of the wedge; lie
each behind push on and the dee
would be done. What a splendid his
tory, exclaimed Mr.. Spurgeon, the Sur
? rey Chapel people had, and if they di,
not do wonders for God after Rowlan,
Hill they deserved to be tied to a cart
tail and whipped. They did not knoy
how down in the dumps sometimes
man who had to cheer every one els
was. They should speak a kindly wor,
to the pastor whenever they saw him
There was a story often told of mai
in the Gray's Inn road when ther
was a fire. The escape was put up
but it was found to be a lit
tie too short. There was a woman t
be rescued who was near the window
The fireman went up, and just as h
reached the top the people gave thre
cheers, for they thought that he ha,
rescued her, and he had. But h
said he could not have done it if itha,
not been for those three cheers just a
that moment They should give thre
cheers for the preacher instead of
, ing him a greeting which would pu
him in trim to preach in a dolorou
manner. When he occupied the pul
! pit and saw two or three old ladie
{ shaking their heads, he alway
, preached to perfection. Those VIII
smiled and we're pleased he though
persons Of great judgment. In cor
e clusion, he said they would all re
member a verse which he thought wa
$ by Sir Walter Scott, and which h
! would apply to them as church work
} ers; "0lI on on were the las
words of Spurgeon,