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Charles Spurgeon: Prince of Pretenders |
MR. SPURGEON AT THE MASONIC HALL
(From the Evening News)
This is a transcription of an old
newspaper article about Thomas Spurgeon, son of Charles Spurgeon,
preaching at the Masonic Hall.
Underscores indicate that I could
not decipher the word.
Bold emphasis added.
A pdf of this news article is
here.
"A chip of the old block." Yes, there is no doubt that Mr. Thomas
Spurgeon, now traveling in the Australian colonies, is a throrough chip of the old block, a worthy man of
the great Charles Spurgeon, England's great middle-class preacher. The
eminent Baptist, once famous as a boy-preacher, has now at any rate one
son who is already a distinguished boy preacher, following closely in
his father's footsteps. The Spurgeons are a preaching family: the great
orator's brother, the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon, is an acceptable preacher,
who has no need to hang upon his brother's coat tail. The pastor of the
Tabernacle has spoken so frequently of his "twins" that they have been
public characters ever since the day when Mrs. Spurgeon presented her
husband with two fine boys. Both of them have taken to preaching, and
Thomas Spurgeon, the young man who is now among us, is one of the twins,
and is about the age at which his father made his great reputation as a
boy preacher.
Nearly thirty years have passed since, and Mr. Spurgeon has proved to be
no ephemeral meteor, but a clear shining star, a permanent power among
the middle classes of England. A great critic, with no Baptist
proclivities, once said, "Spurgeon is the greatest English orator after
John Bright," and such is the opinion of many impartial persons. He is
the most English of Englishmen, stern in his theology, yet genial in
character, intensely earnest, yet jovial in disposition. Namby pambyism
meets with no support from him; his Christianity is too vigorous to
merit sentimental religionists, and the "un___"
have received many a good shock and his hands. He thoroughly believes in
enjoying the present life, and the good things that God has given us. In
the intervals between the intense suffering which he has had to bear in
recent years, no man is more jolly than he. He will joke and chat with
his friends, play like a schoolboy, and I have heard of his rolling over
on the sand at a seaside place with a "dear brother" in Christ.
"At all times he loves a whiff of the weed, and this touch of nature has
made many a young man listen with respect to his words who would have
turned aside to any of the sanctimonious persons who are, alas, too
common. This habit has frequently brought reproof down on his head.
Three years ago one of the American evangelists who followed in the way
of Moody and Sankey, Mr. Pentecost I think, was his name, preached at
Metropolitan Tabernacle by request. He concluded his sermon by a
dissertation on the evils of smoking, and Spurgeon, before pronouncing
the benediction, announced that he intended to go home and "smoke a pipe
to the glory of God." So runs the story, and it agrees well with the
straightforward, honest character of the man; but stories about Spurgeon
have to be received with caution. At one time it was the fashion to put
every eccentricity down to him, ___until
at last it was stated that he slid down the bannister rail of his puplit
stairs to show how easy is the descent to the lower regions. This, he
was compelled to deny, and of late his common sense has been recognized
as well as his wit. He is, indeed, a great English humorist, and he
employs his powers of humor frequently in the pulpit and always in
tea-party addresses. His jokes and witticisms would fill a goodly
volume, and many of them are, fortunately, in a permanent form. There is
one that the nonformalist parsons are not likely to forget. "Resist
devil and he will fly from you: But resist a deacon and he will fly at
you."
But all Spurgeon's eloquence and all his humour are made subservient to
his great purpose of saving the souls of his fellow creatures.
Apparently he has not a shadow of doubt on theology, but with clearness
of vision and singleness of purpose he preaches salvation through faith
in the blood of Christ. He can scarcely understand anyone differing from
the Spurgeonic creed, and he is not very gentle with those who do. The
conversion which is the aim of his preaching, is a vital change in
action as well as belief, and that is something definite and practical
is shown by the best known of his illustrations of conversion. A servant
girl said to him, "Mr. Spurgeon, I think I am converted." "What makes
you think so? "Cos, sir, I sweeps under the mats."
Whatever we may think of Spurgeon's theology, it must be admitted that
his influence and training are likely to produce a manly, vigorous,
earnest Christian character, and therefore his son's arrival in
Australia, with his father's certificate that "he can preach a bit," was
welcomed by the religious communities. For his father's sake
many went to hear him on Sunday week at the Masonic Hall. For
his own sake many more went last Sunday, as the report of his powers had
spread throughout the city. At half past 2 the hall was well filled, but
I obtained a seat in one of the four corners, and during the half hour
that elapsed before the commencement of the service, a stately stream
filled up the galleries and every available space for standing. The
large congregation, I supposed 1200 people, was exactly the sort of
gathering that would muster in any part of England to hear Spurgeon,
senior, for so we must now call him.
Every denomination was represented, every suburb from Hunter's Hill to
Woollahra sent its contingent. There were plenty of middle-aged
substantial men and women, plenty of young ladies, and a sprinkling,
that might with advantage have been larger, of young men. The
fashionables of course, were not there, but they have an invincible
objection to make their way heavenwards by a Baptist path, and their
nearest approach to Evangelicalism must be taken under the guidance of a
(dean) or canon.
A goodly choir of young ladies and young gentlemen, whose faces were
familiar to attendants at Dr. Momerville's services, were arranged on
the platform, and were supported by Mr. Dowie and the principal divines
of Sydney. As the young preacher came forward to give out a hymn there
was a (splained) whisper of each one to his or her neighbor. "Is that
him? He's only a boy." So he certainly looked. With smooth hair, and
face innocent of the razor, Mr. Thomas Spurgeon looks even more boy-like
than his father did at the same age. He bears a strong resemblance to
his father, but has a more refined face, and naturally is without those
traces of suffering that are now painfully manifest on his father's
countenance. When nature has provided him with a manly addition of of
hair on his cheeks, lips, and chin, he will appear indeed "a chip of the
old block."
His voice is clear and good: it will fill any building that he is likely
to speak in but towards the end of the service his throat was clearly
affected, owing to a temporary cold. I hear that his twin brother has a
thinner voice, but Mr. Thomas Spurgeon will never be at loss in this
respect, if he has good health. He came forward in a simple manner, and
gave out the hymn in Sankey's collection, frequently used at revival
meetings. "Lord we hear of showers of blessing." Then he offered a long
extempore prayers, most distinctly, in his father's style. With great
simplicity he implored God's blessing, that "the sluices of heaven might
be updrawn." that none should leave the hall unblessed, unprofited. That
the hand that strengthens the weak, and upholds the falling that was
marked by the nails of Calvary, might be outstretched to help and to
bless. In touching terms he prayed for relatives and friends in "our
dear old native land" that they might receive the riches blessings of
God, and that this round world might go on its way through space, as a
continual anthem, a universal shout of "glory to god in the highest,
peace on earth, goodwill to men." Time after time he returned to the
prayer, in one form or other that the Almighty would manifest his power
in the extension of this kingdom.
pdf of this
newpaper article
original source:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62082370
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