New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26
MR.. SURGEONS PERSONAL RECOLLEC-
TONS
r,,,n IN. Hanehest<r Examiner.

Mr.. Sturgeon. whose address was delivered In
fragments during intervals which occurred dnrin8
the singing of various hymns by the Evangelistio
choir referred first to his early life with his grand
father who was preacher and who was In tho
habit of giving ,peppermlnts 10 children ana VINO
ten children, and his principal income was derived
from farming about twenty-eight acres of land
belonging to the chapel Once when he was drv-
ing a COW into the stable yard, il took staggers
and died to the great grief Of his grandmother but
his grandfather said God could send them another
COW, and the same day letter came with t2o, sent
by several gentlemen, who having charitable
fund to dispense, and finding that there was some
thing over, had made it mp to Ego and sent 1t him.
When he became pastor of BAPTIST chapel at six
teen years of age the people could do very little
for his support, and therefore he was an usher III
school at Cambridge at tlle same time. Alter nmo
he was obliged TO give up the latter occupation
and thrown on the generosity OF the people, and
they gave him salary OF f45 year but as he had
to pay for two ROOMS which he occupied l2s week.
the salary was not enough but the people, though
they had not money, had produce and he dId not
think there was pig killed by any one Of the con-
uegatlon that he had not some portion OF, aud ono
or the other of them would bring him bread, so that
he had enough bread and meat to pay his rent
with. There was an old man IN that place who was
O great mser, and it was said of him that he never
gave anything to anybody, but ono afternoon he
gave him three half-cIo and as he was wanting
"A new hat at the time he cot II with the money.
The following Sunday the old man came to him
again and asked hun to pray for him that he might
be saved from the sin OF covetousness and he said
"The Lord told me to give you half sovereign,
and kept half crown back, and can't lest OF
q light for thinking of it,
In the early part of his ministry he was rather
popular, and he was often asked 20 take part in
anniversary services. On one occasion he was
asked to preach in neighboring village, aud when
he called on Mr.. Brown, the pastor, Oh the Sunday
morning. Mr.. Brown SAID to HIM: l did not know
you were such boy, or would not have asked
YOU to preach for me' "Well," be said, I can 20
back But said Mr.. Brown, the people have
from all parts IN all kinds OF vehicles" and
then he put his hands under his coattals and asked
what the world was conlir TO when the boys who
had not got rid of the taste of their mothers milk
went about preaching. However, he did preach,
and Mr.. Brown planted himself the pulpit stairs
lie read a lesson from the Proverbs, and upon COM
ing to the passage, Gray hairs are q crown Of
glory TO a man, he said he doubted that, for he
knew man who had gray head and who could
hardly be civil But the passage went on to say:
III it be found in the way of righteousness" aud
that he said. was a different thing. When he came
down from the pulpit, Mr.. Brown said to him
Bless your heart l have been thirty years a min
lister, and ! never better pleased with u
mon but you the sauciest dog that ever banked
in pulpit" and they were always good friends
afterward.
On one occasion he was dining at gentemans in
Regents Park when the Orphanage was in course Of
erection. A thousand pounds wero wanted to pay
the builder the next morning. He did know where
il was to come from. but he said he had p,ayed for
il and had confidence that he should get it but Mr.
Brock said he thought they ought to speak with
caution about such matters. During the dinner,
however, a telegram was handed To him stating
that a gentleman had called at the Tabernacle and
left $1,000 for the Orphanage.