Chapter 69: Work and Progress in 1868

Chapter 69.
Work And Progress In 1868

State of London—London Baptist Association—Disaster at the Orphanage—Princely Donations—Bury St. Edmunds—Fourth Conference—George Moore and Spurgeon—Messrs. Binney, Brock, and Martin—Exeter Hall.

The opening of the year 1868 was a time of great distress among the poorest of the people, and among the working-class population of London generally. We find one trustworthy authority writing on January 3:—"No adequate conception can be formed from the newspapers of the amount of real distress now prevalent; you must go into the poorer districts accompanied by those who know them well, and visit the inhabitants in their houses, to understand the extent of suffering induced by prolonged want of employment."

It has also to be borne in mind that quite apart from periods of distress occasioned by stagnation of trade or severe weather, London was then in a squalid and insanitary condition, far surpassing anything which is now generally to be seen. A typical mission-station was that established in Golden Lane about seven years before, and which, as has already been shown, has developed into the present comprehensive work at Costers' Hall, Hoxton. Mr. Spurgeon always regarded Costers' Hall as an outpost of the Tabernacle, Mr. Councillor Orsman being the pastor's son in the faith. In his report for 1867 we find the hon. superintendent saying, "Our Sunday morning meetings are usually interrupted by. a clattering of empty beer-cans, or by the shouts of Sunday newspaper vendors on the stairs." It is added, "Within ten minutes' walk of the General Post Office and Bank of England there are nearly ten thousand human beings of the lowest class of society." The area over which the mission extended its influence was about half a square mile in extent, and its condition, as described a quarter of a century ago, was neither better nor worse than that of many other plague-spots of London:—

"The houses are generally three rooms, and are without either back windows, doors, or yards. Each room is let unfurnished at an average rental of 2s. 6d. weekly; and a floor, ten or twelve feet square, serves at once as a kitchen and bedroom for a family varying from three to ten individuals, exclusive of cat, dog, birds, etc. In the midst of these houses are several closed burial-grounds, the receptacle for dead cats, dogs, and other refuse of the locality, whilst the fragrance of slaughter-houses and close dairies mingles with the rich ammoniacal odours of rotten fish and vegetable matter. Cologne and its smells, or Constantinople with its open drains, are tame when compared to the offensive stenches that generate fever in Golden Lane and Whitecross Street."

Mr. Spurgeon showed the greatest interest in the work in progress in this headquarters of costerdom as it was called; and while helping to collect the necessary funds for current expenses, he said he knew of no evangelistic work which was more effectual than this in good results. Soon after I became associated with Mr. Spurgeon in literary work, he asked me to visit Golden Lane and to write a full description of the locality and of what his friend Orsman was doing. That article was published in the magazine, and overflowing was the delight of the great preacher when, soon after this appeared, Mr. Orsman received a thousand pounds by post from one anonymous donor.

There was a boys' catechumen class held at the Tabernacle on Sunday afternoons, with an attendance of about 130. It was conducted by several friends, and the object was to promote the study of the Assembly's Catechism. Mr. Spurgeon presided at the annual tea-meeting on New Year's night, and after he had himself given a telling address, he was gladdened by hearing a most satisfactory account of the spiritual progress of the members. A few of the former members were even pastors of churches, some were in the College, and others were advancing. The class had collected £30 during the half year for the College funds. The second anniversary of the London Baptist Association was held at the Tabernacle on January 14, all the representatives being handsomely entertained by Mr. Spurgeon and his people. Dr. Brock had been President for the first year; he was succeeded by Dr.

Landels, who was followed by Mr. Spurgeon in 1809. The latter gave it as his opinion that no church belonging to the Association should omit to make a collection for the Baptist Missionary Society. In the course of a more general address at the evening meeting, Mr. Spurgeon found cause to lament that the increase of the London churches during the year 1867 had been only 1,700, while some churches had remained stationary and others had even declined. The number of members belonging to the associated churches was stated to be 23,000. "I earnestly hope that our increase will be much greater next year," he added, "and that the Holy Spirit's influence will be manifestly felt both by ministers and deacons, and churches and congregations."

He appears to have discontinued sending articles or letters to The Watchman and Reflector; but that transatlantic journal at this time published the discourses given at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. It was remarked that "the sermons of the London preacher are a source of spiritual comfort and strength to many thousands of our readers, as we have reason to know."

While the work at headquarters was ever growing on his hands, Mr. Spurgeon seemed to be continually assisting some cause in the distance, either by preaching on its behalf or by giving his money. During the early days of 1868 we find him contributing £50 to the new chapel at Nailsworth, the members of which had separated from an older congregation on account of disagreement in doctrine. Mr. Spurgeon was not able to preach at the opening, but he sent his brother, the co-pastor, in his stead.

Saturday, February 1, was remarkable for a heavy gale, which swept across the southern part of England, and among the places damaged was the Stockwell Orphanage, where a large wooden building, erected as a playroom for the boys, was blown down. As the structure had cost £600 to put up, while a large amount would be needed to complete the boys' houses, the loss was not a small one; but the new interest which it awakened was very widespread. "We desire," said The Morning Star, "that this heavy blow upon a most excellent institution will awaken public sympathy, and that Mr. Spurgeon's good work may not be hindered." This wish was altogether realised. Mr. Spurgeon himself made the best of the affair by looking on its bright side. The wind had destroyed the building, and of course that could not be helped; but it was needful that the public should raise the wind in another sense to repair the damage. It was arranged that a great bazaar should be held at the beginning of the summer on behalf of the funds of the institution. The loss occasioned by the gale was soon more than made good by large and small donations coming for the Orphanage and also for the College. On Thursday evening, February 20, Mr. Spurgeon conducted the usual week-night service at the Tabernacle, and on his return to Clapham, at nearly eleven o'clock, there lay on his study table an envelope which he had seen before, but the writer did not give his name and could not be identified. The note was from a person who had sent £1,000 to the Orphanage a few weeks previously, however, and his somewhat mysterious note was as follows:—

"My Dear Sir,—You will remember my intention to send a donation to your College. I have this day dropped into your letter-box an envelope containing bank notes (£2,000), one of which is for the College, and the remaining £1,000 to help complete the Orphanage. The latter led me to contribute to the former. I am a stranger to you, but not to your sermons (printed.) May the Lord give yon health and strength many years to preach His Word and carry on His work.—A. B." A little later another anonymous note came to hand, but it was quite of a different kind, and the enclosure amounted to one pound instead of a thousand. This note ran thus:—

"Dear Sir,—The enclosed stamps, £1, is money that was begged from you wrongfully. God has taught me to make restitution; I thank Him for it. Kindly acknowledge in The Christian Times. May God bless you."

Mr. Spurgeon's example in dropping the title of Rev. was now being followed by other eminent ministers. The name of the present Dr. R. W. Dale and that of the late Charles Vince, of Birmingham, would be advertised without any prefix whatever. On March 17, "a very interesting and pleasing ceremony," with which Mr. Spurgeon had had something to do, took place at Garland Street Chapel, Bury St. Edmunds, of which Cornelius Elven was pastor. Mr. William Cuff, whose extensive pastoral and evangelistic work in Shoreditch during the last twenty years is well known, was then recognised as co-pastor with Mr. Elven. Some years before, while working as a young tradesman at Cheltenham, Mr. Cuff had been introduced to the great preacher by Dr. Brown in the vestry of Cambray Chapel. The result was that the youthful aspirant was taken into the Pastors' College, and was so successful even as a student, that during his educational course he never had even one Sunday to himself on which to hear the pastor preach. Mr. Guff settled in the delightful Bedfordshire village of Ridgmount, bordering on the Russells' princely domain of Woburn Abbey, the old chapel having pleasant memories of John Bunyan clustering around it. Here he was abundantly successful, and greatly attached to his people; but on a certain summer morning in 1867, while reading in his garden, a note from Mr. Spurgeon was handed to Mr. Cuff:—"If you hear from my good old friend Mr. Elven, of Bury St. Edmunds, please give it your best attention." A note from Mr. Elven followed, and Mr. Cuff soon after settled at Bury. The meeting to welcome him was a crowded one; and after Mr. J. A. Spurgeon had given a charge to the younger minister, a collection was made for the Pastors' College. The fourth annual conference of the students and the ministers educated in the College opened at the Tabernacle on Monday, March 23, the number in attendance being one hundred and eighty, forty of whom were students who had been in the institution six months. On the following morning these reassembled at Trinity Chapel, John Street, Edgware Road, of which Mr. J. O. Fellowes was pastor.

After the usual hour had been given to devotional exercises, Mr. Spurgeon, as President, gave an address on Ministerial Difficulties and Success. He first of all referred to the difficulties which young ministers more especially met with in their work, and such as they were likely to experience as they grew older.

It was pointed out that on first entering upon their work everything seemed to hear a roseate hue; but as they proceeded they found things assume a somewhat different complexion. He believed that the tendency of the ministry in nine cases oat of ten—with its cares, trials, and sometimes privations—was to induce ministers to become weary in well-doing. Many had to meet, even in success, with such terrible disappointments that if they were left alone and without the sustaining power of the Spirit of God they would have to say, "Woe is me that I am a prophet. Better had it been for me that I had broken stones than been a minister of Christ." As that was the tendency among them, he was glad that they were not disappointed because they had to contend against difficulties. They had expected to meet with difficulties before they set out, and they had not been disappointed. They had expected that some who would be warm-hearted at first would cool in their affections, and they had not been disappointed. They had even expected the recurrence of a revival exceedingly hot, and that the people after a time would return to their normal condition, and they had not been disappointed. On the other hand, they had expected to have the Holy Spirit's presence, and they had had it; they had expected to hear some songs of penitence from those who had been pardoned, and of comfort from saints who had been led forward in their experience of divine things, and they had been rejoiced because of this. Besides, they had not found the ministry to be a dull, dead thing, and they had got this day a Gospel which was as new then as when they first learnt it. They did not find the Bible to be like an old almanack; its doctrines were still charming in their freshness. He was glad, then, that they did not come there to the conference like galley-slaves, with manacles on them; but as those who delighted in their work and delighted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Moreover, they were not troubled as some were because their friends had forsaken them. He did not say that some of their members had not been false, but their best Friend had not left them. While they had Christ to go to, they would not be immoderately troubled because of some backsliding members. Might he not add that their confidence in. the message they had to deliver, and the work of the Lord they had to engage in, was undiminished? Had it not grown with their growth? Had they not believed that the Gospel could turn the desert into a garden, and the lion into a lamb, and had not experience proved it? Still, for all that, as they looked forward to the future, it was worth his while to say to them that in the long years to come he trusted that the same confidence and joy would remain among them. Some of those present had been most successful in their labours; others of them had been much dismayed by the difficulties of their work, and he would therefore say a few words to them by way of urging them to perseverance. The President went on to show that a first essential to ensure success was perseverance; and it was also necessary that they should keep up the freshness of their preaching. "I have heard of some men who commenced their ministry by giving wine," said Mr. Spurgeon; "then they gave wine and water; then water, and by-and-bye that fountain was dried up. You should always try to impart some freshness to your sermons." It was also necessary that zeal should be maintained; for it was possible even to give fresh matter, and still to serve it up in such a way that no one would be the better for its being new. Then, as preachers, they would have to keep up an intense love for the truths they preached; and it was not certain that that could be the case unless they got new views of truth. Some suggestions were then given in relation to freshness in preaching. New fallow ground should constantly be broken up, while waste ground should be as constantly reclaimed. It was urged that pastors in London should look about for new preaching-stations, and new districts for tract distribution. In the country what a world to be influenced stretched before them, even in the little hamlets surrounding their chapels! There were also many back streets where the Gospel was never preached, but where much good might be reaped. If they could not undertake fresh things, they should still impart freshness to what they did do. All opportunities to contribute to this freshness should be embraced. They should make constant visits to their God. In order to stimulate perseverance, let them think of the world's great wants; of the pangs of Hell, of the numbers going thither; let them remember the shortness of time, the joys they had had in conversions—for he would not change the joy which one of his spiritual children had given him for all the crowns of the world; the Master's cross, and life of unexampled industry and death of bitter woe, should move them. Nor let them forget the reward in store for them—all God's saints were blessed, but especially His ministers. In the annual report Mr. Spurgeon again showed that the main object of the institution was to turn out preachers rather than scholars; and it looked well for the credit of the College that applicants for admission had written from the Colonies, from the United States, and from Germany. At this time the College building was not erected, but was being anticipated as one of the provisions of the future which would give a great impetus to the work, and enable the tutors to admit men of superior class. To this date 253 men had been received, while 460 had received instruction in the evening classes. The College men had also been instrumental in erecting twenty-two new chapels; and efforts were being made in London alone to establish churches in eleven destitute districts. There were then seventy-eight students in course of training, and more than double that number in the evening classes. The annual tea and supper were given on Wednesday, March 25, when Mr. George Moore, of Bow Churchyard, presided, and in the most cordial way expressed the pleasure it afforded him to be present. The chairman continued:—

"From what I have seen and heard of the work of the College, I can say that the institution is worthy of your support. I have never attended any of your meetings before, but when I received the invitation on the present occasion, I could not help coming, although somewhat against my will, since I saw plainly enough that the hand of God was with you. I have never found any institution better conducted; everything is managed in as businesslike way as if the place was a commercial house. One thing I especially admire—namely, that my friend Mr. Spurgeon never got into debt. Perhaps the best feature about the place is the well-attended evening classes, which seem to me to form a kind of sieve for sifting the candidates for the College. I commend the education of the College, because it is so thoroughly practical, and because they take care first of all that the men shall be proper persons to enter the ministry. I believe that there are numbers of persons sent to Cambridge and Oxford as students for the ministry who have neither the call, nor the spirituality, nor fitness for the work—men that are as useless for the sacred office as the ploughmen of their parish."

Addresses were given by Mr. Spurgeon, Mr. James Spurgeon, and others, after which there followed three speeches which were long remembered by those who heard them. The great London merchant, whose life and character have been so well delineated by Mr. Smiles, was supported on this occasion by three eminent London preachers, the first to speak being Thomas Binney, of the Weigh-house Chapel, to whom something like an ovation was given by the company. After this distinguished man had got through the usual commonplaces about the pleasure it afforded him to be present, he continued:—

"I have a very high and hearty respect for Mr. Spurgeon. I have often wished when I have read the accounts of these meetings that Mr. Spurgeon had thought of asking me to be present; but he has never done so. I am here to-night because I have asked myself. My excellent friend, Mr. Colman, who is as good as his mustard, has told me that he had a ticket for the meeting, though he did not know, he said, that he should go. I recommended him to go, and promised that I would go with him. I wrote to Mr. Spurgeon and said that I would come if there was no prohibition, and instead of a prohibition I have received a very hearty welcome. I assure you that I am very glad to have heard what I have heard, and to have seen this evening, and to stand on the same platform with, a man whom I honour so much as Mr. Spurgeon. I did not always do so. I heard him once say many things that I did not like; but then I have heard Mr. Spurgeon himself say that he has made in his earlier sermons some extravagant assertions. I remember on leaving the chapel once saying to someone at the doors that I did not like it. As I went away I noticed someone following me pretty closely, and I turned round to him and said, 'Well, sir!' 'Well, sir!' replied the gentleman, 'I shall know you again.' So that even then Mr. Spurgeon had his defenders. I have frequently seen Mr. Spurgeon since then, and have frequently been edified by reading his sermons. The College I consider to be one of the wonders of this great metropolis. I was speaking to an archdeacon the other day, and his lady, who was a titled lady, said that she had heard a great deal of Mr. Spurgeon, and a great deal against him, and she was determined to hear him preach. She did so, and she said that she had liked him so well that she would never let anyone say a word against him again. I have known many a case of that kind. I hope the young men who will go from the institution will become very useful. I know, and Mr. Spurgeon knows, there are many breakers ahead. Mr. Spurgeon might multiply a certain class of men until they would be too numerous, and I hope, therefore, that the young men will not try to be mere imitators of Mr. Spurgeon. I know that the young men at Bristol imitated Robert Hall; and one day Mr. Hall spoke of one who so closely followed him that he even imitated the pain in his back. I heard of a young man who preached for a certain congregation, and who satisfied them, but he made so many pauses in his preaching that the people kindly remonstrated with him on the subject. 'Don't you like them?' said the young man; 'why, they are the great secret of Mr. Binney's popularity.' The worst is, such persons generally imitate those matters which they should never copy."

While congratulating Mr. Spurgeon on what the College had been enabled to effect, Dr. Brock, who spoke next, gave some advice to the students. The matter of theological education appeared to be a matter of great solicitude to him. What the pastor of Bloomsbury Chapel went on to say, showed that theologically he was in hearty accord with Mr. Spurgeon. There was a danger of the old theology being held at a discount; while intellect advanced, the old truths, such as were the proper basis of a preacher's acquirements, might be neglected. The students were thus urged to master well their message, to utter it intelligibly, and not in misty forms of speech. "Preach with all earnestness and simplicity of speech," it was added; "remembering that to those who believe the Gospel is their salvation, while those who believe it not will be lost." The pastor of Westminster, Mr. Samuel Martin, who followed, thought that of all Independents C. H. Spurgeon was the greatest; and he strongly urged the students to be themselves sanctified, and not imitators. It was at this meeting that a sum of £301 was given to Mr. Spurgeon as a first instalment towards the building fund of the Students' House at the Stock well Orphanage. The collection at the supper table amounted to £1,300, including £150 from George Moore.

National education had now become one of the main topics of public discussion, and to many the religious aspect presented some difficulties. As the discussion broadened and deepened, Mr. Spurgeon may probably have modified many of the opinions which he held at the opening of the controversy; but all along, he was supposed to represent the views of a large body of Nonconformists on this great question. At this time he thought that the divorcing of religion and secular teaching could not be prevented; and after all, the loss to the children who attended the majority of the national schools would be more imaginary than real. To part company with the Church Catechism would be a gain rather than a loss; and as the greater number of children might carry in a hollow tooth all the religion they had ever received from their teachers, the new arrangement would not very greatly redound to their loss. If the days were devoted to secular teaching, one or two evenings a week might be given to religious instruction. On April 14 the London Baptist Association held its quarterly meeting at Camden Road Chapel, when Mr. Spurgeon read a paper on "The Management of the Voice," and at the evening gave an impressive address. There was a discussion on the disestablishment of the Irish Church, a petition being adopted to Parliament in favour of Mr. Gladstone's measure. There were then about one hundred and eighty congregations having ministers belonging to the Pastors' College, and to all of these forms of petition for signature were sent by the President. On Monday evening, April 20, Exeter Hall was crowded, chiefly with young men, on the occasion of the annual meeting of the Young Men's Christian Association. Lord Shaftesbury was in the chair, and, though suffering somewhat from gout in one leg, Mr. Spurgeon gave an address. Dr. Miller, who was then vicar of Greenwich, also spoke, although he confessed to having received a letter from an ardent Churchman urging him not to sanction, by his presence, what was characterised as practically a Dissenters' society. This created some merriment, and when Mr. Spurgeon rose he was greeted with rounds of cheers several times repeated. He commenced by remarking that he had one leg to stand on, and only one, so that he would not keep them long. The Association was then shown to be worthy of support, because it believed in a creed—the creed of Scripture. It was a day in which men sneered at creeds; but he could not afford to lose even a fragment of the faith once delivered to the saints; and if the body of their religion were to go the soul would go also. "The silly kite, that thinks, because it is sailing so pleasantly in the air, that if the strings were cut it would pierce the very clouds, found, when the string was gone, its level on the ground; and so, I believe, it would be with religion." Then came cheers and laughter as the speaker referred to those who accepted the teachings of priestcraft until their brains were addled and their minds bewildered. While enforcing the teachings of the Bible they had no time to oppose mere tradition. Complimenting the young men on the catholicity of their Association, Mr. Spurgeon strongly urged them not to smother convictions in order to maintain peace. The preacher continued:—

"I think the truest love to the brethren is consistent with the greatest frankness. I do not think peace is always the most desirable, delightful, and healthy thing; but a good fight brings out the muscles and puts them into play. It is easy for people to talk about loving each other when they are at peace, but when they have stood up in a fair fight, and well pummelled each other, and have hit hard and well, then to profess love is perhaps the best proof they could give of their sincerity. I recommend the society because of its work—the work of soul-winning. I do so because I am a Conservative. I would have every man a Radical against error, but a most blessed Conservative in the truth. I have noticed, and perhaps you have done the same, that all heresy conies from those who do not work. Workers are not generally heterodox. If a man were no preacher he would be sure to find out some heresy. There is no school for orthodoxy like the work of soul-winning. I strongly urge you, therefore, to increasing activity for Christ. You all have your conscientious differences; but it is when you are dealing with the sin around you that you feel they are one. This unity of feeling will cease when you are idle. The hoop that the boy is bowling in the streets will run till it stands still, and when you stand still you cease to do good." An old Romish legend was then brought in by way of illustrating the subject:—

"There was a monk in his cell who in his dream saw the Saviour. While full of the most transporting joys, he heard the ringing of the bell calling him to take his place at the gate to dole out the bread to the poor who came to the monastery. In the midst of such ineffable bliss it was hard for him to quit his cell, but duty compelled him, and so he went; but when he returned to his cell, after the hour had elapsed, he saw the same bright figure, and it said to him that it had returned to him because he had fulfilled his duty; but had he not done so He would not have returned to refresh him."

Finally, the young men were urged to get power from heaven—the power which came from God's Holy Spirit, and apart from which their influence would not be for good. Then came another picturesque monkish legend:—

"A priest was about to preach to his congregation, when the devil, hearing of it, went and forestalled him. The devil entered the pulpit and preached a sermon on hell that was most experimental and vivid; and when the priest entered the building he said to Satan, 'How could you draw such vivid pictures of hell, and warn men to flee from it and from their sins?' And the devil replied, 'Ah, you see, it did no harm; I had no unction, you know.' And so, had they no unction, all their appeals to their fellow-men would be of no avail." His attendance at this meeting showed how great was Mr. Spurgeon's solicitude for young men. Though he may not have undertaken another lecture in the winter courses, which appear at length to have been given up, he was ever glad of an opportunity of speaking to young men, or even of preaching to them at Exeter Hall on a Sunday evening.