The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1892-02-09
DR.. Howard Henderson's Tribute
to spurgeon.
[oincinnati Post.l

Spurgeon is the greatest preacher Of
the century. As soul-saver he is
without a peer among pastors. He
was prolific thinker.
His sermons passed from his pulpit
into print and he never repeated them
after they were published. They
were stenographically reported and
had much OF the charm Of spoken adj
dress. They did not smell of the
shop, yet they were not without liter
airy merit. He made his own illus
trations and did not attempt to
ongraft block of wood into living
1 free..
He was evangelical and believed
THAT in theology nothing is true that
is not old. With Sidney Smith he
thought 'the ancients have stolen our
best IDEAS" "rhe Fathers" had lei
no saving doctrine escape them. He
took the bullion and minted it, put
ting his own superscription on the
coin and gave it currency. His ideas
were legal tender with the Calvinistic
world. He did not boggle over cleo
ton and and reprobation and the final
perseverance of the saints. Esteem
ling those doctrines scriptural he pro-
Sclaimed them. No preacher since
Jonathan Edwards, was more stalwart
IN holding "the five points,"
He was an Open Communion Bap-
fist. He invited all Christians to tho
Cords table. He was Catholic in
spirit, and mathematical none who
loved the Lord Jesus. His sermons
were tonic--full of heavenly oxygen.
He had marvellous facility in trans
porting tones. Though his voice was
orbtunde rather than staccato, he
never smothered a vowel, rang an ''r"
ormufiled an "o." His articulation
was as clear as the silver trumpets of
the LeVites or the calls of a cavalry
bngle. He was candid, sincere and
tender. He launched thunderbolts
forced in the fires of Sinai, and yet
itfeathed the love of God and gentle
ness CT Christ as softly as a shepherd
voices his pipes.
lie was without affectation in his
manner. He stood like a cedar on
Lebanon, yet like the modest violet he
courted the shade. He had that
Spartan tirmness that would not
"hatter Neptune for his trident nor
Jove for his power to thunder"
However severe in denuncialion, his
rebukes entered the heart obliquely.
He wounded to heal, killed to make
alive. He had beef as well as brains,
and his strong body enabled him to
stand the strain of public life, the ex-
elements of great occasions and the
pressure of many concerns and cares.
He was an ecclesiastical Briarens
and kept his many hands busy in
labors of love. He founded philan-
thropies and multiplied his power
through the training of many young
theologues. A
Up to 1859, 10000 copies of his
sermons had been sold in America.
They have been as staple as classics
since, and series after series have fol-
lowed and met with ready sale. He
was a voluminous author, and his
preachers Bible" and commentaries
on the Psalms are theological Colossi.
He was repeatedly invited to America,
but never found time to visit our
country. Had he come, city after city
would have repeated ovation honors.
He stayed in his tabernacle pulpit,
where multitudes flocked to his min
istry, as doves to the windows. He
preached to more people than any
man since the days of Whitfield.
No one thought of leaving London
hearing him. He was access
sible and loitered after a public SER
vice to shake hands with hundreds.
He could win by word. He will be
by Christendom, whose
property he was. His sun
ias gone down while it is yet day.
A theological Atlas, his shoulders,
while broad enough to carry tho
world. were not strong enough to bear
ongcr the burden he has for 40 years
,orne. He was born June l9, 1884.
His father and grandfather were Con-
Ministers. While he
lad some academic training he was
Tot collegian. He was an omniver-
'us reader and his memory was vast
tore-house Of varied miscellaneous