, 1886-10-31
sPuRo=oN IN THE PULPIT.
Listening to tho Noted Baptist Preacher
The Opening Service.

Listening to tho Noted baptist Preacher
The Opening Service.
Very fortunately Spurgeon was at
home OF this our last possible 6 ,bbath
In London. AMI no time was lost in de-
Gliding to hear this great B,ptist preacher
and divine. The day was delightfully."-
cool. and ut an early holr we were Oh
top Of a bus and headed for this -tabe--
nacle." The service was announced for
ii n. M. mt at 1870 we stood in front
OF the great plain structure that stands
in a rather poor part of the east s.le of
the city. People were gatherin, hur-
riedly. thou IN not in gre It MI mars rs
vet. and we were directed to enter
through n gateway leadin5 along by the
side of the church. o. the inside OF the
gate we were handed what We sup
posed were tickets of admission, but o.
examination proved to b. little envel-
opes in whic the visitor is requested to
place what he chooses to give and drop
the amount in a box by the way, as he
pas es into the church. This we did,
and once ON the inside we found a
long row of earlier corners than our
selves seated in chairs by the wall. We
F' ~ Oh aio 90 Ota
places." and these we found by the side
or rather back of the high platform and
nnd pulpit; but the kind usher said:
Wait here and | will do the best for
you | can" and as lie hurried from point
TO point directing others where to 20. in
passing us woull say. -B. patient, and
! will see what | can do" We heard
him ask n after another OF the pew
holders if they had any room and as
room was found some one was quickly
shown to it. SO that just before the min
ister took his place upon the stand we
we're all provided with good seats just
IN front. tine only Inconvenience being
I'll It we had to look up mt an angle of
al ont go degrees to see his face.
All this impressed me the more from
the fact that l rave 80 long been accu4-
toned to seeing audiences nss mble, and
seeing persons waiting for seats. an |
recall the saying of Mr.. B ,ecoer, that he
thought tlnlt a COOL usher 8t the door
could 10 about as much cool as the
preacher in the pulpit: and surely this
one usher ut Mr.. S %)urgeon's church had
said his prayers that morning. and no
one could have lone more or better than
did he. l should like to some time give
him n seat at our table in Chicago, and
a good bed at night.
Mr.. SpurSeon. in appearance. is n low,
heavy-set, typical EnSlishman; younger
in oolts than | had expected to see,
showing but few gray hairs. but inclin-
ing to an excessive corpulency. We
were told that his health is not firm:
but in voice and movements he showed
no sign of weakness. He impresses one
"a being n man of deep, honest convic-
tons and purpose in his Ifs work. and
he is wholly free from mannerisins and
Alterations. When the great audience
was seated he arose and Offered a short
but impressive PRAYER; after this he an
nounced a hymn, which was led in the
singing by n plain nun with a
strong, clear voice. tho au lience
seemingly all joining. There was
no instrumental music. and the
song service, if not of a high order
nr:istically. was certainly not want.
ing in volume and earnestness; / likel
Il; and wishel sonathin like it might
be in every church in America. After
the ~hymn-tie stanza' Of which the
preacher real before they wore sung
came the reading or the HUN Psalm
nnd the seventh chapter of Hebrews with
lengthy comments. and then a secon
hymn after the mlnner of the first; and
this was fo,uwed by the longer prayer.
One coull readily TN i.rsttnl that the
preacher prayed not alone S iniav anil
and in the pulpit, so full WIS the PRAYER
of personal experience. ard of deep.
heartfelt communion with Gid. and re-
allzations Of the needs md sulIerinss Of
mankind.
The opening service. including n third
HYMN. lasted most tiree-quarters of an
hour, and then came the sermon from
Heb. vii, 1925. IL IVES upon the inter-
ces-ion of Christ, and throughout was
natural and easy in delivery. plain in
language and simple in method. The
great preacher is not what one would
call II great thinker; his mind works 10y
nccretion. or gathering, rather than by
evolution. or unfolding and growth in
the development of IA theme. But lie is
earnest and honest, and evidently be-
lieves what he says; nor does he make
any apology for saving it De. ii. w.
Thomas in Chicago Tribune.