New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-23
Mr.. SURGEONS TABERNACLE
A GLANCE AT THE GREAT LONDON
PREACHER.

Il
! PREACHER.
| HIS METHODS. MANNER AND cHURcH-THE PEOPLE
| WHO GO TO HEAR HIM-soMR OF HIS SAYINGS
PROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
| LONDON, Aug. 1O.-Mr. Sturgeon and his
Tabernacle of the sights OF London and nobody
who "does" the city thoroughly fails To pay visit to
this Institution" The Tabernacle is In the Borough,
the part of tho city the Surrey side OF tho Thames is
called and faces the street called Newington Butts.
suppose the street named because there formerly
rino In the nelghborhood but could get no
information this point although made inquiries OF
several persons who ought to know. walked to New
ine,on Butts from st. Paus going by way Of London
Bridge and the Boronsh Highest The most direct route
would been by Backfrars Bridge and Blackfriars
Road bat curious to go through tho neighborhood
OF the Bank and contrast the Sunday quiet with the
week day hustle that crowded quarter In the streets
where day two before had found IL almost danger
Gus TO attempt to cross only and then bus
occasional hanson 20 be The contrast was
aim Ost startling.
The great preachers Tabernacle Is a solid looking
structure with no caiu DO called handsome There
large portico In front supported by six massive
columns The evening service begins at $3.50. When
arrived 5l5, bnt already people were assembling
OH tho sidewalk and In minute or two the high iron
gates were thrown back and the people allowed 20
take places in porco. some stood in front OF the
oak doors while others sat the steps or the pediment
of the columns Tho crowd gathered slowly. Meantime
PEI holders and fayo red persons passed In by side
entrance by 6;i5 the portico was pretty we'll ned
there being 800 400 and women In waiting. Tho
doors were opened until seven minutes later and by
that umo the crowd had nearly doubled.
Tho i've or ak doors opening from the portco were
thrown back At the same moment, and rush made
for the Interior There pushing and jostiing
bat not much Plenty OF seats" cried On usher Go
as far "a yot oan" Room enough at the bottom"
said another. meaning the pulpit got good
sea, near tho mide OF tho church Oh Ia only chapel
here boweyer IN spite OF ia prcsntious nainel and
while Others were being seated had an opportunity ~
glance about The building Il rectangular in shape.
with two galleries running all tho way round Il. The
windows and plain The gas was lighted.
but turned low Tho odes; thing in tho buidng Is the
pulpit IL IL n small platform built out a level with
tho bottom o, first gallery. railing extends around
H. and stairway UP each side within tho rail-
Ing aru table aud red upholstered chair Underneath
ti- pulpit Platform and extending little distance Is
u small platform i've feet above tie ground floor
Tat FIST supposed that this the place Tor tho choi.
bur found that there Is choir Neither Ia there
organ or any instrument Tho singing Il oongre
atonal beng LODI by what young nan who sat next to
me called pfeoentor"
When looked at the pulpit again the chair was occu-
pied by a stoutly built with iron gray hair and
wlskers rather closely cut When he rose, minute or
two after $780, he seen TO be above the moliim
Albert coat. unbuttoned He introduced tho service
with a brief hut earnest prayer The nrst impression
was that simple sincere. Straightforward man; and
the impression strengthened as the service pro-
oeeded is voice N easily heard throughout the hinge
building. yot he speaks without apparent effort lie
announced "a hymn. reading the first stanza and repeat
ing first two lines; when that waa sung he reads tho
second stanEa. and 40 on reminding ono OF tue frontier
preachers Who useJ TO 1ns the hymn, because tho
were not all Supplied with hymn books
The -ec0nd hymn, however, Mr spurgeOn rea enure,
BIZ the wsr, il favorite ana familiar one in revival
meetings Before reading the third or fourth stanza the
st only the sisters Voices lie heard = and t sung
through by the women alone Aor tho nrs hymn came
preacher hestated for word, and rarely selected
1 the os sso sSa l fogS$ Sy
at rrst leaned partly upon the railing; then ne wo1d
grasp %s o So SSa ssrs re half
amens and similar eaculations hero and there IN the
congregation. which was composed OF respectable people
After the third hymn preacher put HIS spectacss
forward tho railing and began talk In simple. easy
fashion. There was no rantng; His gestures were
oaiy ZIMMERMAN In gesture that noticed was that
several no raised his right hand 70 his head and
aud easily unde stood by people below the average
In intelligence Saxon words predomins.sd ana OIL the
sentences. were short There rounded periods
hate cratory" he said. go down a. low As can
High nE AMI hno liza sS that 20 as
people London did not TO hear preachins adding;
And good dsa or tue reaching
IL Is In what may be- called IatniLed English Thsy
ought the good Old Anglo. mother tongue
All ns Illustrations OF the simplest Kind arawn
from every day life. He described IN most vivid
the roading of will TO the siis and relatives 81
dead man; aud be told how no had stood not lang
ago under beech tree. which he saw squirrel ara
his feongs toward the tree With those OF the
squirrel. who made his home there aud lived on tho
nuta. Hs oniy classical allsion 10 Ulysses ana the
seas. He used odd word, convinccmenti and once
reversed the usual mode pf expression, romarkng
quantity; Say then this much and nave done" He
ronounccd filed" In two sylobles ..nllsd 70
lmpress tho points OF his sermon on his herers ne
found In his text preeept, proyerb and promise
certainly easy things 70 remember He aiso urged MS
people 20 hear atentlvely ahd retentiyely. -
eome Of HIS expressions were singular. but no douot
and well suited to hts auditors May
fish for Yy you shall catch The best preaching Of the
Gospel s when the preacher enjoys It." He .aia there
was cornucopia In the hand Of God" end spoke or
:" stopping away from preachng." He used the OK
PRESTON Run in aud get smack" and advised bic
Is FED on music etc" have great pleasure in obgng
peopIe who want 10 find fault with my preaching ne
said at one tune 'hyou want to you can Ind plenty
VI faults ~ ind" |
The sermon lasted Just forty minutes The gas was
not turned up until five before 10 ended Though
had dusky and the preachers face could not DO
distinctly The sermon ended. MI. spurze9n saa
people bowed their heads instead OF standing Ths
closing appeared rather abrupt The service occupied
an hour and haf aud the congregation slowly ds-
persed some staying behind 70 attend prayer mee.g
" sud impossible Tor any ono o 60 TO sleep under
such preaching. I came away from Newington Butte
with favorable impression OF tho tabernacle preaoner
Earlier In the day hid gone 70 Westminster Abbey ana
again should certainly or0ss tho Thames.
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