The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1892-02-13
c. n. SpuRGsOn


Spurgeon, the news OF whose death at
Mcntonc, France. has just reached
us. Mr.. Spurgcon was born at kcl-
Weldon, Essex, in 1884, Of humble
parentagc, but received fair gram
mar school education at Colchester
At the age of fifteen he removed to
Royston, Cambridge, where for three
wears his studies were advanced.
st the age of seventeen he com
mcnced his impromptu evangelical
career. and his friends advised him
to enter on a course of theological
study in a college in order TO better
qualify himself for his adopted mis-
sion; but he said life was too short
his message was plain, and the path
of duty lay straight before him. |
think it was in 1858 that the "boy
preacher" first appeared in London,
where in the quiet of Sunday after
noon in some of the public squares
he could be found with audiences
composed chiefly of members of the
humber classes who rarely visited a
church, There were peculiaritieS
about the young preacher which ar
rested attention. There was the
freshness of the Cambridge meadows
in his voice and manner, as there
| - sll
The bov had the earnestness and
vigor of a man, and the soul of q
giant. He evidently understood the
sins and sorrows and wants of a
great city. 1t was the gospel of
humanity - the same that had been
preached and practlced in Judea
centuries ago, but Time and the
World had covered it with barnacles,
and Spurgeon in his unconventional
way kicked them off.
Mr.. Spurgeon realized in England
what Henry George wrote years after
wards in America, that the World
had captured the Church. Spurgeon
always spoke from the heart with a
burning, touching eloquence, and the
common people heard him gladly.
The condition of the London poor
touched him and he went alone into
lanes and alleys where single police
man did not venture. He helped to
establish meetings where he could
sup with, and address men whose
sole claim to be present was that
they were professional thieves. Again
he would in like manner meet with
an audience of fallen women. He
founded female repuges, the Stock
well orphan asylum, night schools,
prisoners aid societies, training
college for young ministers, in addi'
ton to ragged schools. Spurgeor
impressed on others what he fell
himself, that life devoted to hoard
ing shekels was generally violation
of the golden rule, but to he lp the
needy and lift up the fallen was s
Christian duty. 1t is safe to say tina
out of the large sums entrusted tt
Spurgeon, none of it clung to hi
fingers, and like John Wesley b,
died poor. AT about the age o
twenty-five Spurgeon married and the
only children were twins, one o
whom, Charles, entered the ministr,
and settled in New Zealand.
There was a humorous vein run
ring through the serious in Spur
geon's nature, as when he adopted
the music of "AuId Lang Syne" TO
sacred song, declaring that the devi
should not have all the good music
He declared that man was made tt
laugh as well as weep, and frequ Mt
ly shocked the more grave by caus
ing laughter in the church. His mo
bility of facial expression, thougl
not in any way eXtrayagant, was
powerful aid to a voice of great tlex
ibility, in addition to which he rivet
ted his eye on every one before him
Spurgeon had no love for doctrina
disputation. His sympathies wer
broad and he enjoyed the friendshi
of DIR. Tate, Bishop of London, Dea
Stanley, Archbishop Manning, Canol
Farrar, and all Christians of broa'
views. Although Baptist his churc
was what in England is termed a
open Baptist communion. "SpuI
geon's Tabernacle" as the grea
building in Kensington Road is call
ed, seated about 5000 people an
was built chiefly by the workin
classes, Well may the great Londo
dailies edge their sheets in mourning
} for friend to humanity has passe
over the river, ID. Nj, G.,