, 1881-07-10
PULPIT DIFFICULTIES.
SpURGEON'S EXPERIENCES IN Regard TO
PRAYER AND PREACHING.

SURGEONS EXPERIENCES IN EEG-al:D TC
PRAYER AND PREACHING.
The Spectator.
"Thirdly," said Paley. i'll giving his rea.
SONS for shifting from Dalstun to Stallwix,
IL begin to find my stock of sermons coming
over again too fast" Mr. SDurge0n, ut /;
conference at his Pastors College, has been
taking his friends, and though them the rest
of lis. into his confidence on the subject OF
his difficulties with regard to praise, prayer,
and preaching. KS to the last, he had moth
ing more to say than is familiar. ''11e often
walked up aild down, anxious to find some
thing to say to the people OH Sunday. Lie
would sometimes get the outline of sermon
in his mind, with a good text, and: after say
ing tu himself, THAT will lo,' he would find
in lis well-1narkcd Bible how it had been
preached before, while what he had thought
out closely resclnblcd the printed copy.
Time had been when at 10 O'Clock
on Saturday evening, Or even Oh
Sunday morning lie hal found himself with
out 4 text; but sometimes, when thus driven
i'll a corner, with nothing to say, he did best. :"
What a contrast to the practice Of Sir Roger
de Coverley's chaplain, or the frankless with
which the author Of the ''Ior:e Pauline"
informs us that lie changed his quarters be-
come, saved him double housekeeping, and
enabled him to dispense with the task Of
writing frestl sermons. To be sure, Mr..
Spurgeon does not write books like Paley's,
nor are his sermons so full of sober thought.
Eut many 4 preacher will feel for linn.
There was clergyman who. OIL being COM
planned Of to his Bishop for delivering the
same sermon over and over again, declared
that lie intended to go OIL preaching 1t till his
congregation had appropriated all the teach
iny it contained. Is some not wholly dis
similar resource beyond the reach Of a
humorist like the POntlH of the Surrey
Tabernacle ....-...
Mr.. Spurgeon was exceedingly frank upon
tile subject OF praise and prayer Inc repors
SAYS that lie *'auyocated praise meetings
Prayer did mt always come from his pump
when wanted, and it was gool to pour lit
tic water down." This. from ulaii with so
great 4 gift Of improvisation, is interesting.
II hits, almost biuntly, one source Oh ine
pain which solne tleyout .people-Silo value
the prayer and praise 4 little more than Tue
sermon, perhaps would feel in listening to
anything like - tile long prayer" 1t Is Only
too plain that, too use My. Spurgeon's own
words inc p1aye1h yxh.n aoes 5n1 moi iW1s niay S we
complete the image by Saying, When the
handle is worked UP and down.? Hear few
words FROM living tiiyine:.. The thoughts
and aspirations which look direct 10 God, and
Tie lIind1in5 of which among 4 fraternity OF
men constitutes social worship, are natives
of Solitude: the spectacle Of all assembly is
!, lli,drancc to their occurrence; and though,
Where they have been deyoutly set down b.
forchand, they may be reassuned under sue!
pbstacle, they would MOI. SPONTANEOUSLY
rise. till the presence of multitude
vas forgotten, anu by !; rare effort. Of alb
straction the loneliness of the spirit was
restorcd.'' Such testimony might be multi
piled Indemnity; but there is evidently !; a
very great difference between the splilt II
Which the subject-or the fact-of prayer IS
,ppruached. Some look upon prayer as the
nrostration of the soul in waiting commun-
IN: seekmg and asking, 1t may be, but not