The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-01

WIG LIE. fltZlenry, ana MrG. Ilorne were
present at the bedside Of the dying man
and remained there until he breathed his
last.
THE ONLY STURGEON.
Sketch of the Life and Labors of the Emf
nent Divine.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born in
The little village OF Kelvedon, in Essex,
England, June IS, 1884. and was therefore
not 5S years old at the time of his death.
He was Of Dutch descent his ancestors
having emigrated to England during the
reign of Elizabeth. From the earliest times
The family seemed to have held indepen-
dent views Of religion. and one member
suffered long imprisonment under the
laws in the time of Charles
I. Both the father and grandfather Of
Rev. Charles Il. SpurReon were ministers
entered the ministry in middle life after
youth spent in business pursuits. The
grandfather. Rev. James Spurgeon.
preached at Hoxton and snbquently at
dying at the latter place in
1864. He lived to see his grandson a fa-
nous preacher, and took the greatest pos
sible pride in the young mans fame and
gifts.
Young Spurgeon had an excellent aca-
demic training at Colchester, Cambridge
and elsewhere. At the age of ]5 he left
school as pupil, and engaged as an assist
ant teacher in the academy at Newmarket.
During the following year his thoughts
pastorete by a peculiar religious experience
which is thus described: He fell into Il
state Of religious dependency similar to
that from which John Bunyan suffered,
and determined on visiting all the chapels
in the neiRhborhood with the view OF OBJ
tanning relief. After going to one place
after another without result he entered a
pale thin man came into the pulpit and
preached from the words, 'Look unto Me
and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth"
That preachers rendering of the sacred
text entered the young hearer's g soul the
chains of bondage were snapped; he went
forth feeling freedom he had never ex-
perienced before. That preacher was. a
year, while studying the New Testa
ment in the original Greek, young
Spurgeon also changed his views on
the question of baptism; and thus, in 1850,
formally identified himself with the Bap-
tist denomination. He was at this time an
assistant master in q grammar school at
Cambridge. and he preached his first SCR
town and was heard with much interest.
He preached frequently at neiehboring vii
lagos after this, and in 1851 became the res
ident pastor of the Baptist church. His
extreme youth and wonderful oratoricHl
talents caused his fame to be greatly noised
throughout the country, aud in 1868 he
was called to take charge of the New Park
Street chapel, Southwark, London. Before
this time certain friends urged the young
man to suspend his preaching for a time
and take course at the Baptist Theolog-
ical school. He was inclined at first to
take this advice, but receiving what he re-
garded ns a supernatural warning against
the plan, he gave it up. His friends, of
course. regarded him as very unwise, and
on hearing that he was going to London
assured him that he could
never retain pastorate there. his educa-
tion was too deficient. How far they failed
to understand his true mission was shown
by the result.
In the metropolis he speedily secured
Sunday after Sunday, eager hearers in
vaded all the standing room aud struggled
for entrance ut the doors. 1t was soon
necessary to enlarge the chapel, and while
this was being done, from February to
May, 1856, the young pastor preached in
Exeter hall twice each Sunday to an audi
enoe of 1000. London was beginning to
appreciate tho original genius of the new
preacher. In October. 1856, the enlarged
chapel on Park street proving far too small
to take in the increased congregations,
Royal Surrey music hall WAS engaged. The
building had capacity for an audience of
10000. and it was always filled to over
flowing. This building was used until the
Metropolitan tabernacle, with seats for
6,0O0 people, was completed for Mr.. Spur
geon's especial use i'll 1861 Oct. Z,
1867, Mr.. SpurReon preached to an audi
ence of 24,0OO people ut the Crystal Pal
ace, II really phenomenal gathering for the
purpose. 1t was tho dsy that had been sot
apart for national humiliation on account
1867, while the tabernacle was undergoing
needed repairs Mr.. Spufgeon preached for
several moths i'll the Agricultural hall, Is
lington. to regular audiences of 10000 peo-
pie, the largest audiences, it has been said,
that were ever brought together for conseo-
utive Sundays under one roof for religious
purposes. or course there were not want
ing persons to eritioise this preacher and
endeavor to detruct from his merits, but
most honest christians regarded his re-
markably successful work az it's own vindi-
cation, whether it followed time honored
methods or not.
The most remarkable thing in Mr.. Spur
Spon's career has not been the mere fact of
extraordinary popularity, but the lasting
nature of this favor. For forty years he
continued to draw these great crowds with
soarco any peroeptibe abatement. This is
partly explained by those who have heard
him by the exceptional qualities of his
voice, which was not only so clear that ii
10 every part of the largest
building, but had no lees sweetness than
power. Add to this the intense earnestness
OF the man, the simplicity of his languages,
his graphic power of illustration and the
warmth of his direct appeals to the emo
tious. and one can understand, though per-
haps but imperfectly. the secret of Mr.,
Spurgeon's power over his hearers. power
hearts, and holds them with u spell that
cannot be broken.
Tho work which Mr.. SpurReon had done
outside Of his pulpit labor has been enorm-
GUS. Hs had been since 1856 at the head OF
q theological college which has sent forth