SPURGEON’S TABERNACLE.
“Spurgeon’s Tabernacle is the greatest church on earth, and its pastor is undoubtedly the grandest preacher in the universe. Eternity alone can tell the good this man of God is doing. Seven thousand people hear him twice on each Lord’s Day. He has a Baptist College, perfect in its every appointment, a missionary society, a tract society, a place for the poor, an orphan home, a mission station conducted by the young men of his congregation, a printing press, and everything else in the line of an active, live and progressive church. Here the ‘rich and the poor meet together; and the Lord is the maker of them all.’ The doctrine of the fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man is taught with all the earnestness of which this good man is capable. In this Tabernacle, you will find men and women who are worth thousands and ten thousands of pounds sterling out in the streets and alleys of London, bringing the poor, the wayward, the blasphemer, the halt and the blind to hear Spurgeon preach. We heard him on the Sabbath, occupying a seat near him. What a privilege! Two rows of galleries extend all round the edifice. Just below the pastor’s stand, there is a gallery for orphan children from the home and those who manage the home. The people are rushing for seats—thousands are already seated, having been admitted because they held quarterly tickets. At five minutes before eleven o’clock, the signal bell is tapped, announcing to all persons who have not secured seats to get them anywhere they can find them, as the holders of tickets have no claim on seats after the tap of the bell. Mr. Spurgeon comes in, followed by his assistant pastor and deacons who take seats near him. He then opens the service with a short, earnest, eloquent prayer that moves many to tears. No organ is used; the chorister stands near the pastor, and the multitude rises and sings a soul-inspiring hymn. The pastor then reads, with exposition, the Scripture lesson. He announces this morning that he will preach the annual missionary sermon. When he begins preaching, seven thousand pairs of eyes are looking steadfastly upon him. He leads the vast audience step by step as he unfolds to them the word of God. Every hearer’s heart burns within him. It is a grand sight. I wept as I looked on such a vast throng of people seated in breathless silence, catching the words as they fell from the mouth of God’s prophet.”
In the month of May, 1891, Dr. Walker spent five days on the Mediterranean Sea en route to Alexandria. While on this sea, famous for its storms, he encountered a storm which he said must have been similar to the one that Paul wrote about in the 27th chapter of the Acts. Following is Dr. Walker’s picture of