nium, the teaching of which, he declared with much earnestness, always led the way to conversion."

In the course of six years' constant use by such immense congregations as assembled in it from week to week, the Tabernacle had suffered considerable damage; and it was judged advisable, at this time, to close it for some weeks for repairs. During the period thus occupied, Mr. Spurgeon preached for five Sabbaths, in the morning, at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. The first service was held on the 24th of March, and between eleven and twelve thousand persons were present. The preacher's delivery was slow, measured, and emphatic; and the attention was kept up throughout. At all the services the congregations were much larger than was anticipated; and on some occasions thousands were shut out. Many conversions followed, and neighbouring churches shared in the blessing. The result of this experiment was so satisfactory that others followed the example, and since then hundreds of gospel services have been held in the Agricultural Hall.

In the month of April, Mr. Spurgeon secured land at Stockwell for the orphan houses he was about to build, of which fuller information will be given hereafter. In May, the foundation-stone was laid of a range of alms-houses and day-schools, not far from the Tabernacle. It was necessary to remove the old alms-houses attached to New Park Street chapel; and, with the help of additional funds, contributed by the pastor and his friends, enlarged accommodation was provided. Provision was made for eighteen alms-women, poor members of the church, above the age of sixty. In August he went to Hamburg, to attend the triennial conference of the German Baptists, and preach at the opening of the new Baptist chapel in that city. Home again next month, we find him on the 9th, surrounded by a party of about four thousand persons at Stockwell, presiding over the joyous proceedings connected with the laying of the

foundation-stones of three of the houses for his orphanage. So great and widespread was the interest awakened on the occasion, that the people in that southern suburb of London kept the day as a grand holiday. Mr. Spurgeon himself was in feeble health, not having fully recovered from an attack of rheumatism while at Hamburg, and it was arranged that Mrs. Hillyard, the foundress of the orphanage, should have laid the stones; as that lady, however, was absent, he very appropriately performed the work. The united sums the collectors laid upon the stones amounted to £2200; and it was announced that in addition to the £20,000 given by Mrs. Hillyard, the money then in hand was £5500.

The mental and physical strain of such incessant work and heavy responsibilities was too great for Mr. Spurgeon to sustain; and soon after he was laid aside with a serious illness. Although physically prostrate, his mind was active and vigorous. In the November number of his magazine he addresses a letter to his readers, in which he says:-"I have spent two months in ill health, and much of the time in severe pain, but, by the good hand of God upon me, I am now much better, and hope to resume my home work very speedily. Apologies are offered to those friends who have been disappointed of services which I had promised to render; the act of God in laying me low is a sufficient exoneration from all engagements. These apologies are all the more needed, because it will not be in my power, at any future period near at hand, to fulfil these engagements; for although to a great degree recovered, the limb is weak, and standing upon it in preaching, or wearying it in travelling, will be likely to lay me up again. I have resolved, for twelve months at least, to refuse almost all work away from home; and I now earnestly beg friends not to distress me with importunate requests to preach here, there, and everywhere. For years I have preached from eight to ten times

a week, besides issuing the weekly sermon, editing the magazine, overseeing the church, superintending the college, directing the orphanage, attending committees, and a thousand other things; but many signs indicate that there must be a pause. I am not less willing, but I am far less able than I was to serve the church by preaching the riches of Christ."

The next month he wrote an article for the magazine, entitled "On my Back." Among other things, he says that "six week-days of pain would be a cheap exchange for one heavenly soul-refreshing Sabbath, spent in preaching in the power of the Spirit. A silent preacher is like a monarch uncrowned, or a vessel laid up to perish by dry-rot in the dock, or an eagle penned in a narrow cage, forbidden to soar into its element. 'I am weary with refraining,' said the seer of old: his experience is ours; the word is like fire in our bones; we long for a door of utterance, or our soul will melt for heaviness. Finding, however, that we cannot march to the wars, but must needs remain a prostrate soldier in the hospital, we must imitate those riflemen who can strike the target while lying upon their backs; if we cannot preach at length, we may at least write an outline discourse, and so let loose a remark or two, which may kindle a holy thought here and there, and perhaps set others preaching. Those who cannot fire the guns may at least hand out the ammunition to the gunners. who cannot go to the field, to hunt with Esau, may find his savoury meat nearer home. Reader, silver of learning and gold of eloquence have I none, but such as I have give I thee." He then proceeds to give a brief discourse on the words, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." From these words he shows that there is a limit to sickness; that Jesus knows all about it; and that Jesus assures us that the design of sickness is divinely good. And he

He

closes by quoting the following quaint lines from Quarles' Divine Fancies:

"And were it for thy profit to obtain

All sunshine? No vicissitudes of rain?
Thinkest thou that thy laborious plough requires
Not winter frosts, as well as summer fires?
There must be both; sometimes these hearts of ours
Must have the sweet, the seasonable showers
Of tears; sometimes the frost of chill despair
Makes our desired sunshine seem more fair;
Weathers that most oppose to flesh and blood,
Are such as help to make our harvests good;
We may not choose, great God; it is thy task;
We know not what to have, nor how to ask."

M

CHAPTER VIII

From 1868 to 1872.

R. SPURGEON'S repeated illnesses, and his long absence from the pulpit, led to the appointment

of his brother, the Rev. James Archer Spurgeon, as co-pastor of the church at the Tabernacle; and he entered on his duties in January 1868. This arrangement relieved the senior pastor of much subordinate work in connection with the church and its various institutions. The membership of the church had now risen to 3682.

The state of Mr. Spurgeon's health much interfered this year with his usual work; still something was done. In the month of May he preached the annual sermon to young men, on behalf of the London Missionary Society, at Westminster Chapel; and, during the same month, delivered an address at a breakfast meeting of the Congregational Union. Referring to these services, in his next month's magazine, he says:-"These occasions will, we trust, prove that we love unity, and will, as God enables us, do anything to show our hearty love to all the Lord's people; we feel bound to say this because we grow every day more and more resolved to oppose with ceaseless energy any attempt at the absorption