SPURGEON.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 47, 24 August 1878, Page 4

SPURGEON.

Imagine a man still on the norning side oH'ortv-five. a littlo below tho ordiaary heiglit, solidly built, with ;' large, and", as tho phrenologist would sa\. r >und and well-balanced head, covered with a strong growth of hair, closely-cut, full beard, and a face more homely than handsome, yet expressive of ajreat e irne <tness and sincerity, and at tunes even beautiful, whon his soul i; stirred wit i spmpathy for his fellow-men—and me will have a tolerably correct idea ot tut man as he appears in the Metropolitan Tabernacle. When he is standing at a side or profile view, I a u constantly reminded of D. Ho e•. rhisresnmbh..*. to the honored New . ;v> •> am toll, been notice ! by v:i the streets, wearing - over his fa e, a. i very p.«".il» . he passes among strangers asa:i .1 man, attracting to himself no special at tentiou whatever. In private life he is warm-liearte I and geui 1!; in » 112 'i > : Id, pep- Liwy, mi 111 ■ ,;. He is fond if 1 iey«'i bends in their sieiety, and in u.geiolt 1 with tbein iu tlwir inu»:uni i-8.-rnitioj-i and pastimes. He is endows I Wi«u plenty of wit and h:i 1 ir .v i.e.i hj ■ rarely employs in the p'llpit, 0111 win 11 he can use, with telling e.i.vt, upon the platform, and at anniversary gatherings. His chief bodily trials are gout and rheumatism ; and be is boUoiii free from pain of one or other of these trying maladies. It therefore happens, frequently, that he is in the pulpit when it would seem that he had better be in bed. 1 saw him once enter the tabernacle from

the roar of the platform upon winch he preached (ho has no enclose. 1 pulpit but a platform, surrounded by a railing extending quite out into theaudienoe room, upon which is his ohair and table, with his Bible and hymn-book), so weak in body' that he could hardly stand. Advancing to the front, and partly reclining upon the railing, with one foot nnpriorted by the ohair/ he prayed 1 thus: • Bles.se 1 Mister, we are very weak this I morning! Our poor limbs have hardly beon able to bear us hither, yet, Do*r . Lord, wo have so longed for thee, as , pilgrims in a dry and thirsty land, thai we oould not stay away from thy oouiri, and tho place where thine honour dwolloth. Now, in our weakness be thou our strength. Without thine aid, we shall utterly fail in all our attempts to servo thee to-day. And then it seemed to me there came • au instantaneous answer to his prayer, and out of his weakness, he triumphed i gloriously. He has a superb voice, full of strength and melody. Tuke him for all in all I never knew a better reader. Whon he is well gives the dca.ou out his hymns, one verse at a tune, A brother staiids by his side who gives the pitch to the tuue, when the congregation, rising, unite in Hinging, producing at timos a wavo of harmouy inspiring and grand in tho oxtromo. I would willingly walk a mile at any lime to hem him' read " Josus, lover of my noul, or " lvock of ages oluft for me, or " All hail ( tho power of JesuV name." Then I muster-pieces of Cnnttian ptalutodyj

fairly glow and barn under his magical ami almost inspired rendering of them, lie is said to be growing more mellow as he grows in years, and that ho does not take so much pleasure as he did in his early ministry in using his sharp and well-p ilished map >ns of defence and at--1 lack. W.iile. therefore, he is not less faithful in declaring the whole truth its enemies do not array themselves against , him as formerly. Indeed there are hut few so!) M-min led people who do not now s,iea. if him in terms if high resp- . i I • i i • 11n, .1 -:[ F Vashon) i in ilia iV'aW:i u i i