The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-11-01
LONDON PREACHERS AND
OTHER MA TIERS.
Editorial Correspondence
ToNDoN Got 1O+l 1000
LONDON, Oct. 10th, Il

FAMOUS congregational preacher at d0l-
burn Viaduct-a heavy, tall man, with
broad face and black hair. He breaches
in gown, and uses moderate liturgy
L was rather disappointed in him. The
discourse lasted only twenty. FIVE min
utes, and if was not satisfied, there was
one man in the church, at least, who
was-I mean DR.. Parker. He is evident
ly a strong man, conscious of his ability,
and entirely at peace with regard to him
self. Very dogmatio in expressing. his
opinions, he has way of shaking his
heed-a slight vibratory movement of
that member at the close of declaration,
which says very plainly, Now you have
it, and if there is anything else you want
to know, you have only got to ask about
it. He speaks with great deliberation
and distinctness, and has fine, strong
voice-the physique and bearing, in
word, of king of the platform. His
sermon, if l correctly apprehended what
he meant, was bitterly anti Calvinistic,
and an attempt to present that doctrine
as unworthy of benevolent being, and an
insult to the human understanding. The
freeness-the freeness of the gospel was
the theme Of the discourse, and he sought
to convey the idea that the doctrine of
the ninth chapter of Romans, as laid
down by Calvinists, is utterly at war with
true Christianity. l am not sufficiently
familiar with DR.. Parker's views, to be
sure that 1 correctly interpreted him;
but if Gas believe) he is Arminian or
seni-Arminian in his theology, then I
have not stated the matter at all too
strongly, 1 thought of Spurgeon while
he was denouncing Calvinism as diabol-
ical doctrine, and asked myself whether
the life-work of that great preacher could
be the outcome of such horrible system.
And without depreciating DR.. Parker,
Spurgeon struck me as truer, nobler
man than the representative of what is
known as Liberal Christianity.
The last Sunday that 1 spent in Lon
don, NY wife asked me to go to hear
Canon Farrar at st. Margaret's church.
near Westminster Abbey. I was feeling
tired and wanted rest, and I was disin-
cined to go, but yielded to her wish Gas
I always do), and went. On arriving
there half hour before the service com
menced. we found a great crowd already
assembled, and patiently standing until
the ushers should remove the cords which
were stretched across the aisles, and give
them seats. We were fortunate enough,
after struggle, to get seats right at the
pulpit Gin the pew of an M. P.); many
persons had to stand during the entire
service. My reluctance to 90 had pro
cesded in large measure from a slight
prejudice against Canon Farrar on &C
count Of some of his theological views,
and partly from an idea that I would
hear formal, modifying sort Of service,
made up Of lntonings and music. Neither
did expectto hear anything very uncom-
mon, for l have heard public speaking now
until do not ordinarily expect very much
from speaker mean 1 do not expect
to be carried away. 1t is good frame
of mind, and more just to the orator
for in youth we expect impossibilities,
Just as we fail to be satisfied with Mag
ara and the beauties of nature. And so
| was prepared to applaud Canon Farrar,
it be did well-and so it turned out, for
| listened to him all through with rapt
attention. 1t was the annual Harvest
Thanksgiving. Day in England, and the
pillars of the church were entwined with
flowers and fruits and vegetables-grapes,
pears, apples, turnips, beets, etc. DR..
Farrar is tall, large boned man, with
sandy hair, and reminded me little Of
my old and gifted friend the Rev. DR..
Philip Slaughter, Of Culpeper. His voice,
however, has not the richness nor ten
derness Of DR.. Slaughters, nor has he
like DR.. Slaughter, the graces Of the ora
tor; on the contrary, his voice is dry and
husky, and, if am not mistaken, he is a
little cross-eyed-at least he looked so to
me. His text was, Take no thought for
the morrow" and he used the manu-
script closely-in fact read the whole