THE REV. MR SPURGEON ON LONDON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 304, 22 December 1881, Page 4

THE REV. MR SPURGEON ON LONDON.

Mr C. H. Spurgeon, minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington Butts, in presiding at n weekly lecture «'i sliort time ago, cbserved in opening the proceedings, that never, perhaps 5 , was it more necessary for those livin^ in London to pray earnestly than at the present time. He had heard it- said that there were now 4,700,009 living souls within the metropolitan district! Such a city never existed on the face of the earth. Ancient Rome was immensely large and magnificent, while it was difficult to accurately make out what was its population, but, of a certainty, in the days of its highest glory and splendour, it never even approximated the size of London to-day. Nor could China with its teeming millions, and its great cities, such as Pekin, boast of any city to be compared with London to make up which it would take the two largest cities in the world, while it would require five of the other foremost cities. Perhaps many of his hearers had not even an idea of what a million meant, If there were any such present he would recommend them to count a thousand, and observe the time occupied in so doing, though they had only got one-thousandth the way to the million, Then to think the enormous multitude making up modern London was continually increasing, not only by births, but by those daily flocking into it from various parts of the country. Well might they cry out to God that the people might be blessed. The worst of the matter often was that people coming from London from the country, did not find the usual place, of worship to go to. Frequently they went to live in streets the denizens of which never went to a church at all, and, thus situated, many of them by degrees ceased going to a church too. He (Mr Spnrgeon) war often struck by the fact that many persons joining that church (the Tabernacle)* were those who had come from country districts, and who had ever the sense of religion in them. There were many Abrahams to-day required to pray for such a city as this. He (Mr Spurgeon) had often heard a great deal about plans that were to convert tho whole of London in a short time ; but he candidly confessed that he believed in none of these "plans" whatever. In God and the Holy Spirit where he and hearers — was every individual, in fact — to reply, whilst each one tried to give light and example within his own sphere, whatever might be— were each one so to act there would be very little need for " plans. If they were faithful in what was least. He would give charge of what was great. At all events, when they looked round them they saw enough to pray for • then let them pray earnestly.