Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1892 — MR. SPURGEON IS DEAD. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MR. SPURGEON IS DEAD.

END OP THE FAMOUS LONDON PREACHER. He Pas-ed Away Mentone. In South France, After Montha of Patient Suffer, lng—Hts Remarkable Popularity—Work for Humanity and Charity. Death of a Great Divine. Telegrams announce the death at Mentone, In South France, of Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon, pastor of the London Metropolitan Tabernacle. Mr. Spurgeon had long been a sufferer from gout, and about seven months ago hlg condition became so serious that even then his life hung in the balance for weeks. Eventually his naturally rugged constitution overcame the disease so far as to permit of his being removed to Mentone, where he had been for some time. At first the mild climate to which he had gone proved beneficial, and the famous preacher’s physicians were beginning to look for their pastor’s complete recovery. A few days ago alarming symptoms made The reverend gentleman grew steadily worse, and the end soon came. Mr. Spurgeon was born at Kelvedon, Esses, June 19, 1834, and was educated at Colchester, Maidstone, and elsewhere, finally becoming usher in a school at Newmarket. Having adopted Baptist views, he joined the congregation which had been presided over by the late Robert Hall, of Cambridge. He subsequently became pastor at Waterbeach, and his fiune as a preacher reaching

London he was offered the pastorate of the church meeting in New Park Street Chapel in Southwark. He first preached, before a London congregation in 1853, with so much success that ere two years had elapsed it was considered necessary to enlarge the building, pending which alteration he officiated fqr four months at Exeter Hall. The enlargement of the chapel in Park street, however, proved insufficient and hearers multiplied with such rapidity that it became expedient to engage the Surrey Music Hall, and Mr. Spurgeon’s followers determined to build a suitable edifice for their services. The Metropolitan tabernacle was accordingly built and opened in 1861, and ever since when the great preacher occupied its rostrum on Sundays there was present a congregation averaging over 6,000 persons. Mr. Spurgeon once preached to a congregation of 20,000 at the Crystal Palace near London. When, during the progress of repairs at his Metropolitan tabernacle, he preached in the Agricultural Hall, Islington, his audience numbered about 20,000 persons at every service. Connected with his church, outgrowths of its energies, are the pastors’ college from which several hundreds of young men have been sent out as ministers, and an orphanage which was begun at the instance of a lady friend who sent Mr. Spurgeon a check for SIOO,OOO with which to begin it. About three hundred orphan! are fed, lodged, clothed, and educated in this institution. With the exception of Mr. Gladstone he received the largest mail of any man in the three kingdoms. A great many of his letters from sailors, from poor fellows whom he had managed to help out of the gutter, were simply addresssed Spurgeon, England. To these he replied cheerfully nnd was always ready to give advice. Nor was this all. He gave freely of his money. In fact, he was a poor man. If it had not been for tho kindness of his congregation he would have been penniless. In person Mr. Spurgeon was short, thick-set, with a face by no means handsome and niarkedly English in type. But he had kindly manners that rendered him agreeable to those who knew him. Though he had accomplished so much labor in his life he has been for years a frequent sufferer from rheumatism, a disease which troubled both his father and grandfather. In recent years, since he had had much ill health, much of his parochial work has been undertaken by Mrs. Spnrgeon, who is a devoted, unselfish woman, with a pleasant face and voice that win her friends everywhere. She is a ministering angel among the poor of the great city. In every respect she has proved herself a worthy helpmeet for the great preacher. Their twin sons—their only children—are both engaged in the ministry.

CHARLES H. SPURGEON.