The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1885-01-17
The GREAT ENGLISH DIVINE.
6pureeOn - Preachcr-Eeeret Of H1
P@wcr-6imple Saxon Speech.
Hpcho-% nSra C<,lfec. 4

6purseon - Preachcr-Eeeret Of Ixi,
P~wcr-Simple Saxon Speech.
(Robe.t Laird Collierl
Spurgeon is not q charlatan. He is a
genius. He sinks low and he rises high.
He is like all men of genius-his in
spirations possess him. He never
Possesses his inspirations. His sermons
are built up upon Old models. He sticks
to the old method Of constructing his
dlscoursas-he has introduction, firstly.
secondly, thirdly, application and
''rouscment.
lie never reads sermon and never
takes a scrap of paper upon his platform
with him. lie has no pulpit, but stands
behind usual-lookiny drawing-room
center table. His sermons are com.
monty an hour long and ara always
ut least when have heard them-doc.
trinal and practical. The estimate
forced upon discriminating cr tc who
has often heard him must he that his
range of information is limited to a de-
gree, but that his resources of common
sense are without measure. He strikes
home like man who has WOE anl is
wearing the belt
What is his power' First of all, lie is
believer. lie Just won't dlsbclieye.
lie does not read speculative phi osophy,
or science. BE does not preach to peO-
pie who do. lie takes the old Calvin
istic theology and strains and stretche.
it till he makes it fit IN with common
sense, if at any point it requires such
straining and stretching. His speech is
simple Saxon, going straight 70 the
mark. He reads the old English homil-
lists and models his sermons after Hook
and Jeremy Taylor. No cssayist is he.
He never read to the people an essay in
all his life. fancy lie never wrote one
He is q preacher q grand, earnest, di-
vine preacher. And such voice! It
is sweet, sympathetic, appealing. 1t
fills all space, and fills it easily and
adequately.
MIR. SpurgeOn's presence is far from
engaging. His face is indeed positively
unattractive. His forehead il uncom-
monty low; his eyes are small, and just
a bit snaky; his chin is heavy and pro.
tubing, and he has another feature that
is on the borderiand between bcanty and
deformity. When tho upper lip is short.
especially in lady, and the upper teeth
are particularly shapely and white, if
not too pronounced. it may, and often
does give beauty to tho face and express
sion. Mr.. Spurgeon has short upper
lip and wide apart teeth, and so these
make the expression of his face almost
disagreeable. His complexion is sallow
and his neck is heavy. His face has no
trace Of refinement in it. 1t is not the
typical face OF a saint. At present he
wears fu beard.
Mr.. Spurgeon is Of medium height, is
growing outward unto a large circum-
terence, His habits formerly were not
tho ,e OF sn anchorite. Ii is given out
that ho is now more careful in his re-
g:me, having been Griven to moderation
ty the pains, persistent, of rheumatism
and gout which have, of late years, dis
abled him much Of the time. He is a
hearty, whole-sou.ed, Industrious, un.
pretentiOus, magnetic man. lie has
great sympathies; many irons in the
fire; many banners to the breeze; and in
all things, he is out of himself and plan
Alu8 SAAN WI nIu9 clu NV IiI5 lOI VluSlS.
Gymna,tic Exercise.
Tile Month";
Gymnastics arc not and cannot be the
ordinary mode of exercise for the COM
munity at large. Their influence is
chiefly concerned with youths, and with
them it is of great Importance. Much
of their future health depends mainly
on the physical training received in
childhood and boyhool, and We hope to
see systematic gymnastics, Under ex-
perienccl masters, gradually introduced
into all OR schools. 1t will, OF course,
have to be something very different from
that.which is at present professed to lie
taught by Sergt. So and-so at most
sc hools. 1t shoald also begin earlier
than is usually the casa.
Much would lie gained if this should
be found to take the place of those VIC
lent exercises which give too great a
to the muscular system,
in the case of young men
occupied with intellectual studies; for
where regular ira ming has to be gone
through, such as is re uired to fit one
for competition, these exercises often
end in running the constitution which
they had at first been intended to
strengthen.