tl)t Simng 3n Soutlj (Continncd). rilK GARDEN OF VILLA LES GROTTES, JIENTONE. IN N one Mrs. Dudgeon the Grottes, the Villa of the les at to visits by garden photographed secretary were her and Pastor in his The H. W.
above reproduction Mr. Seton-Karr. nephew, her to be seen from one of the upper gives a sHght idea of the view beyond the high distance are Italian the the terraces in hills ; frontier.
As he Hotel Beau Rivage. Spurgeon For Mr. the stayed several at years, several companions, or friends who wished to be near him, his party generally had and general the occupied building, small the usually a of considerable portion bell when arrangements were as homelike possible, even a ringing of to the as it Not only were there guests in the house who desired to was time for family prayer.
the neighbourhood, and present, but many came from other hotels and villas be in
AUTOBIOGRAniY. SPURGEON'S H. Scriptures and the prayer which felt well rewarded by die brief exposition of the of the company who were members Those of any Christian church followed it.
afternoon communion and Lord's-day asked permission attend the service, to it frequently happened that the large sitting-room was quite full, and the folding doors had to be thrown back, so that some communicants might be in the room adjoining.
On worshipped Sabbath morning, with Pastor Presbyterian the usually the the ; occasionally giving an address before the observance friends at the Villa les Grottes Although away for of the Lord's supper, and sometimes taking the whole service.
rest, an opportunity was generally made for him least once during the to preach, at season, at the French Protestant Church, when a very substantial sum was collected He also took part for the poor of Mentone.
in the united prayer-meetings in the first week of the year, and sometimes spoke upon the topic selected for the occasion.
tell how many people were blessed under the semiscarcely possible to It is He ministry which Mr. Spurgeon was able to exercise during his holiday.
private feel that the burden became almost too great to be borne, for used, at times, to it all who spirit, whether seemed from depression were of living in suffering as if Bordic'liera, or San Remo, found him out, and sought the Mentone, Nice, Cannes, his sympathetic heart was ever ready In one case, a poor relief which to bestow. soul, greatly in need of comfort, was marvellously helped by a brief conversation with story, when preaching The Pastor himself thus related the in the Tabernacle, him. June, in : " Some years ago, I had been very I was away in the South of France ill there, ; and was sitting in my room alone, for my friends had all gone down to the mid-day it struck me I had something to do out of doors I did not All at once meal. that ; sat down on a There came and sat know what out, and I walked it was, but seat.
emaciated woman to me on stage next the a of the poor, seat last in pale, ' O have read your and Spurgeon, consumption Mr.
me, she looking said, at ; I know for years, and sermons I have learned I cannot trust the Saviour live to !
I am very sad as I am Then I knew long, but I think of so afraid to for die.' it, why it was very I had gone out there, and I began to try to cheer her. I found that ' Then you would like to go to hard work. After a little conversation, I said to her, ' Well, how do you wish to ' Yes, just so,' she answered. Heaven, but not to die ?' Would you That method had not go like to ascend in a chariot of fire ? there ? ' said, 'suppose there oh, yes!' occurred to her, but she answered, 'Yes, 'Well,' fire, and a all on be, just round chariot waiting should blazing corner, horses this to Heaven; do you take you up feel ready into such a chariot?' there to to step ' No, 'Ah She looked up at me, and she said, I should be afraid to do that.' I said, ! ' ' and so should I should tremble a great deal more at getting into a chariot of fire ;
p. 2AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SrURGEON's I am not fond I would rather of being behind fiery horses, I should at dyuio-.
than ' Let me tell you Then be excused from taking such a ride as said to her, that.' likely go to bed some night, and will most you what will probably happen to you ; her is just what That did occur not long will wake up you Heaven.' after in ; tell me that, after our conversation, she had never had any more husband wrote to all, and it was the easiest way into Heaven, after trouble about dying she felt that ; far better than going there in a whirlwind with horses of fire and chariots of fire, and she gave herself up for her Heavenly Father to take her home in His own way ; and in her sleep."
so she passed away, as I expected, typical of that of many The testimony of one American probably minister is others who came under Mr. Spurgeon's In one of his letters influence at Mentone. wrote: — "It Rev. W. been The H. has said Standard, Chicago Geistweit to to know For two months, every morning, a man, you must live with him. that, friends who sitting-room, facing the sea, with the I found myself in Mr. Spurgeon's To of the Word and me, had gathered prayer.
reading far there the for is it of him merely meetings great than the sweeter think receill those as to to little Multitudes heard him but few had the preacher of the while Tabernacle.
there His for others constantly shone peculiar privilege accorded to me.
solicitude out. An incident In illustration of this fact will never be forgotten by me.
Fie had been hotel, he did not I went daily to ill for a week, during which time, although very his A His suffering was exeruciating.
leave his bed, and could not be seen. little later, He I was walking in the street, one morning, when he spied me from his carriage.
hailed me, and when I approached him, he held out his left hand, and said cheerily, And ' Oh, you shillings a pound more than when I saw you last are worth five !
' ' Spend it ah he added, a tone of deep his voice earnestness, letting to foi^ fall the Lord.' " A gentleman, who was staying in the hotel at Mentone, where the Pastor spent wrote: — -"As Spurgeon's of Mr.
an the winter of of the instance rapidity preparation, the following incident may be given.
There came to him, from London, a large parcel of Christmas and New Year's cards.
to some These were shown of choose one party was requested hotel, and of our the residents lady the a to at ' The The was was from them.
one card she headed, a Scriptural selected it ; New Year's in harmony texts were Guest,' and of hospitality, two with the idea ' As many as received I was a stranger, and ye took Me in linked together ' and ' ; : Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe The card was taken away by the lady on His Name.' ; but, on the following Lord'sSpurgeon Mr. him day, might lunch, be a requested after that lent to for it
: autobiography. spurgeon's H. The same service was private room, and he held a afternoon, short time.
his in then gave a most beautiful and impressive address upon the texts on the card.
The The Metropolitan sermonette was Pulpit Tabernacle printed shortly that after in date, and has always seemed to me a wonderful illustration of Mr. Spurgeon's great day, he showed me the notes he had made in the half-hour power.
Later the in elapsed between the time the card came his possession and which the into service ; and these, written on a half-sheet of notepaper, at which the address was delivered the two main one each with exactly several sub-divisions, consisted of divisions, as tliey appear in the printed address."
this chapter was being compiled, one of "our own men," Pastor W. (Just as J. far more Tomkins, remarkable Mr. reported instance a thus the of rapidity ot : — "One Thursday evening, during the time I was a student Spurgeon's preparation in the West of England, in the College, the dear President had been preaching I think, — and by some cause was delayed on his way back to London. At Bristol, Mr. James Spurgeon announced the commencement that he had the of service, delay, and mentioning received a telegram from that he the brother, stating his During lesson, which was the reading of the would arrive preach.
in time the to I St chapter of the Second to Timothy, the great preacher entered, to Epistle the Mr. James Spurgeon was giving intense delight of the large congregation present.
brother, who had quietly taken a seat behind an exposition of the chapter when his The reading was soon him, intimated his presence by gently pulling his coat-tail.
a hymn and announced was was and sung, the prayer text offered, finished, ' Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in of my interesting and After an thee by putting on instructive hands.' the introduction, the Pastor proceeded to deliver a most orderly and helpful discourse, which with astonishment we it was seemed to bear the marks preparation, and of careful the whole sermon of the previous heard him in the College the next day, that say, evening Jl ashed ac7^oss his mind while sitting upon the platform during the reading of the chapter by his brother T) sent home outline which he had used Occasionally, Mr. Spurgeon the the at The facsimile afternoon communion, with some Sabbath account of the service.
" Thou the address upon the opposite page on words, the hast visited relates to me in the night," which was published in The Sivord and the Troxvel for December, " Mysterious quite a number of auto1886, under the contained Visits."
It title, I hope that you and have had biographical allusions, such following the as many Some of us have had them, visits from our Lord.
especially the night, in vv^hen we have been compelled ' Heaven's gate opens to count the sleepless hours.
p. 219AUTOBIOGRAniY. SPURGEON's H. is away; work is done; The everybody when night this world's still; shut.' is is Possibly there may be is forgotten; and then the Lord Himself draws near.
care pain to be endured, the head may be aching, and the heart may be throbbing ; but if Though us, our bed of languishing becomes a throne of glory.
Jesus comes to visit ' He times, He gives them at such His beloved giveth true that sleep,' yet, is it something better than sleep, namely. His own presence, and the fulness of joy which By night, upon have bed, we have seen comes unseen.
tried our the with it. sometimes not to sleep under an excess of joy, when the company of Christ has been sweetly mine."
illustration of the way in which Mr. Spurgeon The closing paragraph is a good made use of the scenes around him to impress his message upon his hearers : "Go forth, beloved, and talk with Jesus on the beach, for He oft resorted to the to Him in many a Commune with Him amid the olive groves so dear sea-shore. a country in which men should see If ever there was of wrestling night prayer.
Holy Land, this is a the favoured spot. Riviera traces of Jesus, next the It to is land, O ' Thy have and palms and and called land of \ines, olives, it figs, ; I am looking out upon the Immanuel' While this Mentone, ftmcy that often in Lake of Gennesaret, or walking at the foot of the Mount of Olives, or peering into The narrow streets of the old the mysterious gloom of the Garden of Gethsemane.
as He Have villages are such inhabited. town are such as Jesus traversed, these your hearts right with Him, and He until every day you visit you shall often, will meals as Enoch Sabbaths, week-days walk with God, did, and into into turn so Amen."
So be sacraments, homes into temples, and earth into Heaven. it with us ! eCe.O'dL -O.S 'J^^lxr^ V^.
p. 220SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. The atmosphere at Mentone was for photographers' work that favourable so many Pastor were taken during his sojourns portraits of the in the sunny South.
One ot the very best is here reproduced. H. SPURGEON AT MENTONE, l8S6. At the same time and place, the portrait of his private secretary, reproduced on the opposite page, was also taken.
Some good people were that Mr. Spurgeon's evidently under the impression stay in the Riviera afforded him the opportunity of doing literary work for which he On October 1887, he gave an address, at the had not the leisure while at home. friends of the Open Air Mission, upon "Winning Tabernacle, to the members and
p. 1SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. afterwards, he Shortly from received Souls Christ." a the : — " Naturally, we for letter secretary, Mr. Gawin Kirkham, thanking him address, and adding for the We ' Will ' Yes, are asked, on every hand, be published ?
please God, say, it ' J. W. HARRALD AT MENTONE, So, when you have time in due South, we the sunny revise time.' to shall in it rejoice to receive it." The was and and good address duly published, revised, influence for its The continues even Pastor's experience on occasion was not day.
to that this at often, after he had preached unusual for, very or spoken on behalf of one or all ; his help was constantly being asked, the sermon or other of the for which Societies
p. 222SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. address was sent to him, with a request In such a busy Hie as revision. for his, its the pubhc testimony and it was not easy to crowd in both toil which so the private yet, when it was possible, he gladly rendered the desired service frequently followed ; in both its forms.
The Mentone and helped sunshine the natural increase clear to at air buoyancy of Mr. Spurgeon's spirits, and so provided a large supply ot pure fun for all who time when Walking were by with the him.
at a there sea-shore, the furiously, he asked, "What are the wild waves saying?' Mediterranean was raging " and then gave his own witty answer to the question, ! On the sad fell down a marble occasion when he staircase, he did not at first realize how and having turned a double somersault, seriously he had been hurt ; money some of which from his Wellington course pocket the into his in fell boots, and having also lost a tooth, or teeth, in his descent, he humorously described ! " " painless dentistry, with money to boot the whole transaction as MENTONE.
H anna's DR. lions," One at Mentone was of the most amusing associated with the incidents lions When Dr. William Hanna was driving past the above represented in illustration.
our own him Spurgeon most Mr. these assured neither seriously gates, that,
p. 223; AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SrURGEON S H. Zoological Gardens, nor the Jardin d Acclimatation at Paris, possessed a specimen belonged, and the worthy doctor accepted to which these species of the of lion it was and he awoke, utmost not the with gravity information the until the in ; the meaning night, that he saw companion's middle of the of genial playful his The day, when upon naturally turned next they conversation remark.
met, the an Englishman's joke order to get operation a necessity of a surgical the into in Scotchman's head.
One it was noticed that Mr. Spurgeon was very before tabic evening, d'hote, busily writing something in which he appeared to be deeply interested.
After dinner, and when they arrived, he said he he went upstairs before the rest of the company ; wanted to read to them a poem he had written, which was as follows : " Joseph Harrald."
" Poor old Spurgeon we must urge on, Not so Joseph Harrald ; Before the sun he s up, Hke fun, Ere the lark has carolled. " When worthy Stead has fired his lead, Not so Joseph Harrald ; Sparkling wit is in his head. His puns are double-barrelled. " Each other wight is wearied quite, Not so Joseph Harrald ; On he works from morn to night ' ; Beats poor Douglas Jerrold. 'We appear in seedy gear, * Not so Joseph Harrald ; In his glory he'll appear, As Templars are apparelled. "Wine's good drink, as others think. Not so Joseph Harrald ; Truest blue, he'll never shrink : Let his brow be laurelled. "When late he reads, sleep he needs, Even Joseph Harrald ; Gapes with mouth, with which he feeds. With which he never quarrelled. " Too familiar we, forget that he. Is the Reverend Joseph Harrald ; From Geneva he his theology ; Is Calvinized and Farelled.'' "Worthy Stead" was not Mr. W. Stead, but one T. was The Mentone. Times following evening then day one the arrived of at was and simply not of but the weariness, the leadingof politics dislike it that made the on "late" reader Mr. Gladstone, attacks especially journal, in its " Joseph Harrald " had just as hearty a hatred And, feel the need of sleep.
finally,
p. 224; ; SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. " Reverend" as ever was felt by his beloved Pastor and President, who, of the title in seeking to give pleasure fashion, exercised no in this amusing little ingenuity to his private secretary and those dear to him.
On another occasion, Mr. Spurgeon wrote at Mentone v/hat he called "A WarHe included it in the programme of the following College Conference ; ana Song."
few who were then present are likely to forget the impression produced when, first, students, and, afterwards, the thousands gathered at of ministers and the hundreds the great public meeting in the Tabernacle, sang this soul-stirring hymn : " Forth to the battle rides our King, He chmbs His conquering car; He fits His arrows to the string, And hurls His bolts afar.
" Convictions pierce the stoutest hearts, They smart, Ihey bleed, they die ; Slain by Immanuel's well-aimed darts. In helpless heaps they lie. " Behold, He bares his two-edged sword, And deals almighty blows; killing Word His all-revealing, 'Twixt joints and marrow goes. ''Who can resist Hipi in the fight? He cuts through coats of mail terror of His might Before the The hearts of rebels fail.
"Anon, arrayed in robes of grace, He rides the trampled plain. pity beaming With in His face, And mercy in His train. " Mighty to save He now appears, raise the dead, to IVIighty to stanch the bleeding wound.
IMighty And lift the fallen head. "Victor alike in love and arms. Myriads around Him bend ; Each captive owns His matchless charms, Each foe becomes His friend. " They crown Him on the battle-field, They press to kiss His feet all they yield: their Their hands, their hearts, is complete.
His conquest "None love Him more than those He slew; their hate has slain His love ; all on Henceforth their souls are fire To spread His gentle reign."