San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-02-03
REV. CHARLES STURGEON.

REV. CHAhLES PURGEON.
A San AntOnian's Visit TO the Great
Tabernacie-Extrac From a
Personal Letter.
The recent death of the Rev. Charles
Huddon Sturgeon, at Mentone, Italy,
where he had gone to seek rest from
his excessive labors, too late to repair
the wastage of a most laborious life,
invests with fresh interest all that
surrounded him and his work for the
poor of London. The following de-
scription of Spurgeon's tabernacle is
from the pen of an old resident of this
city, two years since ia London for
his health, and will be of more than
passing interest:
LONDON, England, Sept. =, 49,.
DEAR M.
have few spare moments, and az
L have just returned from Surgeons
famous Tabernacle and was much i'm
pressed with what L saw and heard
there L will tell you all about it.
L took cab at Chariug Cross
Station, where l am stopping,
and in fifteen minutes after hav.
ing paid mo doubt overpaiG1 the cab.
bic 1 found myself at the entrance of
the great Tabernacle. / cannot give
any correct idea of the exterior OF the
building, except that it is very ordi-
nary looking and the brick work some
what dingy from long exposure to
London smoke and CRIME. AS L en-
tered deacon hailed me knew he
was deacon. Why is thai one never
mistake s a deacon and asked me il
l had ticket, at the same time ten
dering me one. 1 was confused and
put my hand into my pocket to re-
spond to the rules of the Tabernacle
as to price. When he saw my inten.
ton he said that there was no regular
charge, implying as / thought an
irregular one, but he was PARTICULAR
to say that might put anything thai
1 liked into the large box on my right,
which of course I did. Alter this /
felt relieved, as did also the deacon,
for he smiled, but not in the
San Antonio way, although ]
would not like to tempt him on a
week day. Of course on Sunday il
was not to be thought of. now
thought myself at liberty to enter the
races mean the race for good
seat. 1 finally picked out the b t
and sottest place that was handy,
and as the services progressed took
the following summary. The room is
oblong and evidently built for ac-
coustic effects and large seating
capacity, which latter / should say
was about five thousand There are
two galleries running around the
room, and the pulpit is on level
with the first gallery, the choir being
just in front of the pulpit l should
think that there we're one hundred
choir boys, but the singing was OF
the most simple character and always
joined in by the congregation. By
half past ten the Tabernacle was full,
and those arriving after that were
glad OF standing room. All classes
were there, but thought the middle
class the more numerous, and there
We're evidently many strangers. 1
was impressed that Sturgeon was the
Beecher of England, in popular
sense. Mr.. Spurgeon entered the
room from the rear, accompanied by
several other gentlemen, apparently
connected with the church. His
theme was we'll chosen and his dis
course of q character and so handled
as to make him beloved by the COM
mon and lower classes. did not no
tice many arristocratic faces, 1 sup.
pose because Mr.. Spurgeon is really
the other peoples preacher. And by
the way, 1t seems to me pity that
preachers have to cater to classes, 1t
was not SO with the Great Preacher.
A gentleman on my left said that
Mr.. Spurgeon was not in very robust
health, and no doubt his great load
of responsibility and work was tell.
ing upon him OF course everything
was English from the pulpit to the
pronunciation, but left the church
feeling that Mr.. Spurgeon was good
man, and on the principle that 1t is
better to be right than To be president,
felt drawn to him. He impressed me
as having a great heart, and love
for his fellows so strong that he felt
called upon to better their condition,
and there can be no doubt that the
simple though fervid eIoquence of
| Spurgeon has done more to raise the
moral tone of London's poor and
middle classes than any other one in
lfluence. The Dear Old Man is near
ing his end, so his friends fear. When
he has gone his place Will be hard to
| fill, both because of his own peculiar
genius and power, and also because
there are so few noble and unselfish
i =