New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-13
A LIFE OF STURGEON.
y ,x.rrprsTINc; PICTURE OF TIE MAN.

Az INTERESTING PICTURE OF TIE MAN.
t,rrrs uADDON sPIRGEON. Ey the Rev. James
Ell,. ovo PIP. Al. 2l0. fleming IL. Ec'ch
Company.
rbis Is a qDnghy and interesting sketch OF h'ai
ON tie author introduces TO IL, wish pardonabe
u.r,ole rs the Elijah Of his No profound or
.,te ANALYSIS Of Surgeons power IS attempted ~
nd OF such anlysis, we have great H"i'oer Va
quaint sayings and anecdotes relating ID mn winch
..te = life like picture of the a. he was. re"
en- appear at their best IN the light oil such "o"oN
rovel1,ons: even the halo that surrounds ne names
~ a Tennyson or O Gladstone might become JUST
mn. less dazzling II some bi)g1pher were 10 fea'o
their Jokes good bad and Indifferent, as Wei s INC
multitude OF little ephemelal incidents III th"r NJ
which have no intrinsic importance III 'heihsel'''
II speaks well for Spurgeons Ieai greatness ''.
reading OF Mr.. Elnss cosby BOOK c'es Io o' Wv
whole. diminish oar respect ior mm' We !o'' W
Wit WAS sometimes ponderous and his !ohe' 'iu"1''
a, he had some Of the defects well as many 81 inc
,,,,pcs NJ The micdlccass Englishman. thdt ne was
conteoptuousy Indifferent TO many tendencies VI o
and thought Ia which intelligent men anu "oc Ni'
nrc profoundly Interested that lie hao 10 part Vi l' ~
the intellectual and religion, movement Oh 'he age VIM
:, n compIetelv rcvolutionizng the world, ana mat
Ms '"'"' ord rnsoti. factory But
painfully narrow anu ,oar
90 olo fool that within his limitations, he was man
=, s,rnassinc force who wrought great ana iasuhs
work I'm his DAY and generation. NJ Sprsco" P0'
sessed the power, only given to men OF superior cn"
ments Of making his very defects and limitations 'c'i
in his work. Being such man a. lie was u "ouo
have becn a signal misfortune for him 10 have grown
into larger sympathcs 70 have gained q "'ocr o"'
,ooL lie was one of those men whom Il liberal edu-
cation I'm a university an acquaintance VIII t"c
higher aspects OF intellectual culture, would nave
ruined. such trimming woalf nave o'ssip"e" INV
rude and rugged strength Of the man. ana Dc'aueo
foreign 10 his nature. would have given MN ho'm"s
10 take It's place Happily for his fame ana We may
add for the world he was allowed to grow INTO the
,yorl he WAS so nobly fitted to do unspoi!cd by inc
doubts that knowledge suggests, or the dliieah'>Ii
which the higher culture often produces. lie oio
not see a great deal, but what he ala sec NJ sd"
with wonderful distncnesS, and believed win all '"o
speudId earnestncSs Of his nature. HIS executive
ability as an organizer his homely sympathy with
lomely folk his "Sanctifcd common sense IN uea""s
with all sorts and conditions of men, his bohhoMlc
which mt linn IN touch with everybody. and MS
earnest simple and powerful if not brilliant preach
ing of righteousness, made lin easily one OF the great
est moral forces in his age. His tabernacle arou"u
which rs centre grouped 50 many rehsIo"9
benevolent and educational impulses. became many
wears ago. vast peoples cathedral radatins moral
influence in every direction; and settling an eAahpe
which the cathcdras of the Established Church wou"
honor themselves in initiating
II would be childish well as unfair, TO clucise
such a man because he was What he was ana ho'
something else His Characterization of modern re-
ctous thought In recent controversy, rs the GOWN
grade in theology" ard his refusal to ASSOCIATE WIN
those who sympathized with it, exposed him to much
harsh criticism But his course In that controversy
was 50 entirely in keeping with his often expressed
opinions that IT should not have excited SURPRISE
nor indeed Indignation; for believing as he DID, ne
could not honestly have taken any other course. III
should be remembered of SpurSeon that In his the
olocy, and in lis conception OF Christianity. ne oc-
lonced to the pas and he should be Judged there
fore by the standards Of the past lie was probably
the last Of the long line OF brilliant ana fOrceiui
preachers whom Calvinism has produced In the Eng
Ushs speaking races. That lie did what he did at
lime when the tendency of religious thought was 50
strongly away from much tiat he held VITAL Is
striking proof Of his power preacher and leader
Of men. lie will take his place In history as one
Of the greatest figures In English Protestanism worthy
TO stand in that noble and brilliant company OF men
who have she'd an imperishabe glory ON Scottish Cal
vinism and English Puritanism