Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-08-14

that any seat not occupied, is free to any one
who may be so fortunate as to get it. So
soon as the little bell is rung, there is a gen.
eral rush by those anxious to see and hear
the World-renoWned preacher. l was ex-
ceedingly fortunate in getting good seat on
the first gallery, on level with the pulpit
and near by it.
The Tabernacle is a plain building, in
striking contrast with the other places OF
divine worship in the city. The body of the
the semblance of the gaudy. 1t is capable
of accommodating between three and four
thousand worshipers. There are two gal
leries, which, together, are capable of seat
ing comfortably as many Worshipers as the
body of the house. Yesterday there were
present about seven thousand Worshipers.
The pulpit is simple platform, surrounded
with plain railing. On the platform there
is small table, on which lies Bible OF
the small pulpit size, a single chair, and
that of the plainest kind, and plain sofa.
Just in the rear Of the platform there are
several Seats designed for the ofice-bear-
ers of the Tabernacle. These last seats
form a part of the platform. The whole
| furniture of the platform, not including the
platform itself, could be bought for twenty
HVe OF CnlrCy uOlldrS.
Exactly at eleven o'clock, Mr.. Spurgeon
walked down an aisle in the second gallery,
from q room in the rear of the platform
He was followed by some half dozen OF
| laymen, officers of the Tabernacle, whom
| understand, Mr.; Spurgeon calls Elders
The Elders took their seats very orderly.
MIR. Spurgeon walked forward to the railing
of the platform, placed his hands upon it
and after moments pause said, "Let us
address God in prayer" He stood up dur
ing the prayer the congregation inclined
forward on their seats.
lido not know certainly, but am inclined
to believe that many of the readers OF the
ENQUIRER are anxious to learn any and
everything they possibly can about Mr..
Spurgeon. Such being my belief, shall
give, as best possibly can, the Impressions
made on my own mind by the services OF
yesterday. In the outset, I must be per-
mitted to say, that. the Rev. Charles H.
Spurgeon is the greatest of living preachers.
This is the estimate in which he is held by
Christians of all denominations. For a
period of more than quarter OF century,
he has been regarded as the great preacher
Of the world. Every stranger who visits
to himself, to hear Spurgeon preach. The
question naturally suggests itself, "In what
does Mr.. Surgeons greatness consist?' 81
The reply which would give to this ques.
tion is, that Mr.. Spurgeon is justly regarded
as the greatest preacher because he has
learned to preach the gospel in it's purity
with great simplicity. Everything about
the worship conducted in the Tabernacle is
of the most simple character. There is no
organ or melodeon in the church, nor is
there single stained glass window. There
is no trumpery to get up excitement, yet
the congregation is moved.
The order of worship in the Tabernacle
is first the invocation prayer, to which
reference has already been made. Then a
hymn is sung-the precentor standing on
the platform by the side of Mr.. Spurgeon-
all the congregation standing in the peWs
during the singing. The tunes sung were,
on yesterday, old familiar tunes; but the
music was pronounced by competent judges
to be grand. After the singing of the hymn,
mented upon. Yesterday the last chapter
the fifth-of the first Epistle general of John,
was read. This done, another prayer was
offered up, then another hymn was sung,
and then followed the sermon. AT the close
of the sermon, the congregation was dis
missed by simply pronouncing the Apostolic
benediction, without eitherpray or praise.
Mr.. Surgeons text on yesterday was the
18th verse of the 5th chapter of the first
epistle general of John. The sermon, / sup
pose, will be or is published, since there
were two reporters on the floor, taking down
the words as they fell from his lips.
1 will not attempt to give even synopsis
of the sermon, although that would be east
ly done. In fact, l am persuaded that, at
this moment, l can, with little effort, re-
,o x1,bn1a A ii thot I will
say of the sermon is, that it was rigidly text
ural. The divisions were those suggested
by the text itself. In it's delivery there. was
not the least effort at OratOrical display.
Still, it was truly eloquent in all the parts,
and sometimes thrillingly eloquent. Every
person in the house was made to feel, sim
ners were aroused, and believers were COM
forted.
Mr.. Spurgeon is a low, heavy set man.
His height is, l suppose, about five feet
eight inches, and he will weigh about one
hundred and sixty pounds. There is moth
ing very striking in his appearance. In a
strange place he would be regarded as man
of good sense, and of gentlemanly educa-
tion, but no one would at first sight, take
him to be the wonderful man that he is.
He dresses neatly, butvery plainly. Every
article of his clothing is in becoming taste,
DuG IIleIe ID HOGllinS dDouI IL "Hioil iiis'i ND
it's Wearer.
Mr.. Surgeons voice is clear, melodious
and strong, and his articulation distinct.
This is one Of the pillars of his strength.
His language is chaste and dignified, with.
out being richly classical. In the delivery of
his sermons, Mr.. Spurgeon shows most clear
ly that he is intensely in earnest. In fact,
he said to me in private, that he often had
to preach to himself Such being the case,
he is at such times full of strong feeling
Strange as it may appear, although Mr.
Spurgeon comforts others in all parts of the
world by his preaching, he is himself often
greatly discouraged. God keeps him hum
Bile by filling, at times, his mind with mel
ancholy.
In private, Mr.. Spurgeon is exceedingly
pleasant. He meets you with smile,
which you recognize as the offspring of a
heart brim full of charity toward all men.
r. LATHAM.
HIGH PRESSURE DREAMS-The New
York star having told of a locomotive en-
gineer's falling asleep and having a long
dream while going twenty-five rods in four
seconds, another writer says that while the
III 10 fho D,,cc;on NJinicfar