Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-04-15
ANECDOTES OF STURGEON
He Could Not Preach with His Wife
Looking at Him.

He Could Not Preach with His Wife
Looking at Him.
Among the crowd of apocryphal an
.cd otes concerning Mr. Spurpeon let
me record two for which l can per-
sonally vouch. writes Edmund Yates
in The London World. At the Surrey
Gardens Music hall. If / mistake not
in the year 1856, where / heard
Thackeray's four lectures on the
Georges, and where Sturgeon preached
regularly before the tabernacle was
built there were French windows
opening out into the grounds. The
place was crammed one hot Sunday
morning, and these windows were
many of them left open. so that q
fringe of the congregation was stand,
ing half in and half out Of the great
building.
New corners gradually edged some
of the others onto the floor. some OF
whom remained covered. as they were
justified in doing so long, and no
longer. as their standing ground was
in the gardens. These unfortunates
Mr. Sturgeon spoke at thus from the
pulpit before beginning his sermon in
an easy. friendly manner. but in those
magnificent tones which vibrated
through the building: ii regret to see
that there are some present who are
so unaccustomed to attend public wor-
ship that they have quito forgotten it
is the practice to take Oft their hats"
This | heard. and shall never forget
its effect in the immediate dofflng OF
male headgear and in a sort OF smoth-
cred hum OF amused approval from
the crowd.
Another personal experience of Mr.
Sturgeon was at the Crystal Palace.
where he preached TO rs, 00) people.
Seated near to the pulpit / observed
Mrs Spurgeon take her place just be-
fore her husband appeared and that
she was visibly affected by the mighty
concourse of souls. all with upturned
faces and fixed gaze upon one man.
and 81 about to be thrilled to the
core by that mans imprisoned APP
peals to them 10 be saved alive.
While Mrs. Spurgeon was conceal
ing her emotion as best she might--in
other words, dealing furtively and
shyly with her pocket handkerchief
l saw the pastor beckon far off with
his forednger to one of the deacons.
a stout and solemn gray-hair man OF
rubicund complexion and defect in
one eye which | remember made me
speculate whether it was natural or
acquired. He was in the very glossy
black which was the orthodox dissent.
ing uniform in those far-otf days and
walked with a limp which made his
progress up to the pulpit or rather plat
form, stairs tantalizingly slow.
Some brief but evidently important
instruction was at last whispered by
Mr.. Sturgeon in the lame mans ear
and %. 600 people were at once agog
with curiosity to know what this could
possibly be at such time when the
whole vast place was quivering with
anticipation End suppressed emotional
excitement l happened to be seated
so near to Mrs. Sturgeon that when
the worthy deacon made for her" in
his crab-like, ponderous way, it was
that /. at least out OF
that vast and silent crowd of expect
ants should hear what had delayed
the pastor. and what the urgent matter
was he had. at such a critical moment
to communicate.
In q hoarse, ileshy whisper | heard
this: Mr.. Sturgeon says" Gould
help listeningp-the interlude was
serious and even dramatic, and my
ears craned that way whether / would
or noD-'Mr. Sturgeon says please
will you change your seat so that he
will not be able to see you. it" lit"
was doubtless Mrs Sturgeon obvious
makes him nervous" and
the lady moved Immediately to anoth-
er seat not visible from the preachers
place.