The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-27

room was left Goodwin Smith was over faIM
Canada-whcre he Is most of the time. Alt-ad
lllingwOrth, the radical member of Parliament
from Bradford, Sir WillIcd Lawson NJ T., Tie
witty ubiquitous cold water advocate withotteE
attractive platform orators, We're pld"arded "
speak at the meeting. Mr. Surgeons was me
last name on the list.
Goodwin Smith read drearv academic raIVr
that had little to do with the subject Sir W.
fred ratified off his wit much to the pleasure #
all listeners-the more as their intellects weg
not called upon to exert themselves on a rather
warm night at the end Of May. Alfred Hing
worth is always interesting. He is honest AMI
earnest He stirred his audience. and left q
solid conviction Of duty upon thcir conscience
Next. and last came Spurgeon. lie was pe
celved with round upon round of anplauseA
believe this is the way to put IT, He began
playfully, and his wit was wise aud worthy
He made logical propositions amt built ~
upon them strong. proportionate, practical arSp
ments His touch was delicate. his attitude e
mind respectful toward opponents His illus
trations were historical, scriptural opposite, apY
threw light upon his propositions and ga99
charm to his discourse. For thirty minutes In
was supreme over the minds and convictions #
the 1000 people who were listening with eager
ness to his words. When Snurceou sat down
all other thoughts than his and Of him had bean
driven out of my mind.
No, he is not a charlatan he is a genius Fa
sinks low and he rises high. lie IS like all ma
of genius-his inspirations possess him He
His sermons are built up upon old models Ea
sticks to the old method Of constructing his ds-
courses-he has introduction, firstly, secondgr
thirdly, application and rousement'
lie never reads a sermon AM never takes
scrap of paper upon his platform with him lis
has no pulpit but stands behind ustal looking
drawing room center table His sermons ava
commonly an hour, and are always-at least
when have heard them-doctrinal and pras
tical The estimate forced upon Discriminating
critic who has often heard him must be that fs
range of information is limited 10 degree, ott
that his resources Of common sense are wlthoTt
measure. lie strikes home. like man vino has
won and is wearing the belt
What is his Dowerl First Of all be is a Os-
lever. He just won't disbolieve. lie does net
read speculative philosophy Or science. lie dGes
not not preach to people who DO Ne
and stretches it till he makes it lit in with
common sense, if at any point it requires suda
straining and stretching. His speech is simpa
Saxon going straight to the mark. he has an
ann. lie is doing all he knows to save soutE
He believes that souls need saving Here is, &C
once, the prime factor of power Revolutions
religious wars fanaticisms moral reforms haVs
had their roots alike in this soil. Darwin and
Spencer are no more than flies Oh the wheel %
Sturgeon. He believes that God III His justio9
will sweep them and their vain babblings out u
His almighty march when the fullness of tiEa
comes He reads the old English homists, AMI
models his sermons after Hook and Jeremy TaY-
lor No essayist is he. He never read TO tha
people an essay in all his life. fancy he nevT
wrote one. He is a preacher-a grand, earneEr
divine preacher. And such voice. 1t is swees
sympathetic, appealing 1t fills ali space, ard
fills it easily and adequately.
Sir. Spurgeons presence is far from engaging
His face is indeed positively unattractive. HIS
forehead is uncomm0nly low; bis eyes are smaAs
and just bit snakey his chin is heavy aud pro-
truding. and he has another feature that is
the border land between beauty and deformitF-
| When the upper lip is short. especially in d
shapely and white, if not too pronounced,
may, and often does, give beauty to the face and
expression Mr. Sturgeon has short upper Lip
aud wide apart teeth, and so these make the eE-
preston of the face almost disagreeable HIS
complexion is sallOw and his neck is heavy. HIS
face has no trace of refinement in it. 1t is nat
the typical face of "a saint. At present he wears
full beard.
Mr.. Sturgeon is of medium height is growing
outward unto a large circumference His habits
formerly were not those OF an anchorte 1t IS
given out that he is now more careful in hIS
regime, having been driven to moderation bF
the pains persistent. of rheumatism and govt.
which have Of late years disabled him much Gf
the Time. He is hearty, whole souled, indus
trious unpretentous. magnetic man. He mss
banners in the breeze, and in ali things ne is out
of himself and planning and working and living
for others.
He has been much ridiculed aud has been this
object of spiteful criticisms and of shocking
toons He has fought valiantly the battles Of
the Lord. Through evil and good report he has
stood his ground To-day he is the most con-
handing voice IN the pulpit of the Christian
world.