CHAPTER JSltntottt ;— anii €\)t Imt Cljm Jlontfjs at afttrfaarirs. "And there was given unto them a short time before they went forward." " Upon this sunny shore A httle space for rest. The care and sorrow, Sad memory's haunting pain that would not cease, Are left behind. It is not yet to-morrow. To-day there falls the dear surprise of peace ; The sky and sea, their broad wings round us sweeping, Close out the world, and hold us in their keeping. A little space for rest. Ah ! though soon o'er. How precious is it on the sunny shore ! " Upon this sunny shore A little space for love, while those, our dearest. Yet linger with us ere they take their flight To that far world which now doth seem the nearest, So deep and pure this sky's down-bending light. Slow, one by one, the golden hours are given, A respite ere the earthly ties are riven. When left alone, how, 'mid our tears, we store Each breath of their last days upon this shore " Upon this sunny shore A little space to wait : the life-bowl broken, The silver cord unloosed, the mortal name We bore upon this earth by God's voice spoken. While at the sound all earthly praise or blame. Our joys and griefs, alike with gentle sweetness Fade in the dawn of the next world's completeness. ; we ask no more, The hour is Thine, dear Lord But wait Thy summons on the sunny shore." Author unknown. T was that husband Lord's lovingkindness token tender of the a travel together to Mentone, and wife were, for once, permitted to three months of perfect happiness before and to spend the there so long dreaded, but which separation which had been sorrowful came at last almost without warning.
Mr. Spurgeon's oft-expressed longing,- — " Oh, that my dear wifey could see the beauties and all ! " — was at length ; and he had glories of this land of sunshine and flowers realized to her the many with which he had been scenes the joy of pointing out familiar became him under doubly which such but precious delightful to years, for The rooms the Hotel Beau Rivage, which he and circumstances.
friends his in year, soon began presence had occupied year by evidence of a lady's to give in A very special adornment was commenced for the large sitting-room which them.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SPURGEON S H. ?66 Pastor's Mentone had become a peculiarly hallowed spot to all the members of the the Word and for the reading of the morning gatherings there ot because circle afternoon meetings around the table of still more sacred Sabbath prayer, and the Lord.
the THE SITTING-ROOM AT MENTONE (SECOND VIEW). At on of the accompanying the one illustration, and given top the of also They form part of the series of page 364, several texts of Scripture can be read.
passages which Mrs. Spurgeon worked upon perforated cards as a grateful memorial taking them both of God's goodness the sunny South their safely after in to all painful experiences in England during the preceding summer and autumn.
In the above view of the space partly-drawn extra the sitting-room, the reveal curtains where many worshippers and assembled when first room was communicants the him weakness with from Mr.
Spurgeon's prevented the comers. earlier filled " on resuming sunny much-prized those during sojourn the services, his last on memorable mentioned except shore," he but the occasions hereafter lost ;
SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. Z^7 He work such beginning he no time accomplish. able as literary to in felt spent many hours "cosy corner" was represented, and here the not willing in '•COSY CORNER MR. SPURGEON S AT JIENTONE.
He many much wrote was an that he doing post admit too invalid. for to chief employment was and but the cards while his that sitting at table, letters which Matthew, Gospel according Exposition continuation of the of his to to Some for The Sword in Chapter CH.
reference has been made afid the articles " Notes " and also came from his busy pen but of books, Trowel, with reviews ; he wrote he he while occupied the only the expressly chair editorial said that The important work of sermon-revision Preface to the magazine volume for 1891. of those upon whom it had devolved was the hands left almost also entirely in two being during notable the long exceptions discourses, only the his illness, Grave," and "A Stanza from "Gratitude Deliverance Deliverance," the of for first and intended for reading on the last Lord's-days in January, of The Sword and the Trowel opened with The December number an article " by Mr. Spurgeon under the suggestive usual graphic In his fashion, title, .'^
p. 368SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. he described his own physical condition, and made use of in suggesting enquiries it to the two things that paper, he concerning his readers' spiritual state.
In referred part of his time of partial convalescence,— the which were characteristic of a great fact that the deadly disease was return to health, and the deceptive appearance of a still firmly entrenched within his system, and ready at any moment to end his earthly existence.
One great help to him was the bright sunshine in which he was to spend able He almost lived in the open so much of his time. air, usually going for a drive in and Bath having morning, along afternoon the a a the the ride chair, in in Promenade This was in which he walking the scene of the exercise Louis.
St. engaged of which he wrote in the perseveringly winter of so the in letters mentioned in Chapter CIV.
A Victoria, and Boulevard around the route favourite short drive was, a for as Mr. Spurgeon always admired old town along the breakwater, the view of the across the harbour.
THE OLD TOWN, MENTONE, AS SEEN FROM THE BREAKWATER. Mrs. Spurgeon took One of the Pastor and longest and the that latest drives Passmore, and which Mr.
together was mentioned on card, written is a post to ii facsimile on the opposite page, with a view of the fountain to which reproduced Mr. Spurgeon alluded.
p. 369SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. THE FOUNTAIN ON THE TURBIE ROAD, NEAR MENTONE. ^. tfk-'V-v^ ^ al /^ t^^^ '^^-'CZauA ^ X n *<^ ''^ Z(M-t<_-^ Jt^^j-jO,^ FACSIMILE OF POST CARD FROM MR. SPURGEON TO MR. PASSMORE. The Sandringham " sympathy " telegram of of the course, to related, to The Duke upon which death gazed scene Clarence.
of the the of travellers z 4
SPURGEONS AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. Mentone they started on journey is depicted the return following; as to their in illustration.
VIEVV FROM THE FOUNTAIN ON THE TURBIE ROAD. The events of those memorable months were described in Th: Szvord detail in the memorial volume, From to the Palm Branch, and the Trowel and Pulpit the On the New Year's incidents can only be briefly outlined but the principal here.
Eve and Spurgeon morning, Mr. of following the privileged gave, a circle to the two charming addresses, which he publication afterwards revised for friends, " Breaking the Long in the magazine, under the Silence."
title, He on two conducted January lo sitting-room, short also services his in a new address, and rather 17, when he was persuaded not and to attempt to give of his early sermon on Psalm 28, and reluctantly consented to read portions his Exposition of Matthew xv. 21 — 28.
On the second Sabbath evening, — January 17, 1892, — before offering the closing prayer in which he took part service at the final last hymn he was a company of earth, he gave to announce on ever out the to happen foreseen what was If he worshippers have here only below.
could to later, he could hardly have chosen a more appropriate farewell than the a fortnight poem founded on some words sainted Samuel Rutherford, of the " The sands of time are sinking.
The dawn of Heaven breaks, The summer morn I've sighed for,— The fair, sweet morn awakes.
Dark, dark hath been the midnight, But dayspring hand, at is And glory dwelleth 'glory, In Immanuel's land.'"
p. 37SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. On the wind was very rough, so the two Mr. Spurgeon went following days, ; but on Wednesday morning, he was to go as only for short drives able far as the of gout appeared little village of Monti.
In the afternoon, signs his right hand in ; serious symptoms were manifest, and day, other he had the later in to retire to the bed from which he never again Dr. FitzHenry, a rose.
faithful friend well as adviser, had been attendance upon him from skilful medical as the Pastor's in the at Mentone that was ; he time of his did possible arrival to relieve all pain, his Miss Thorne undertook the onerous duties of nifht and prolong his precious life.
nurse Spurgeon almost continuous addition help Mrs. day to in to durinothe ; G. Samuel Harrald, and Mr. Mr. Pastor rendered Allison, the aid their all in power it was soon crisis was approaching, though ; but a great evident that there of improvement which were gave ground Towards intervals slight hope.
for the " My work end of the week, Pastor said the is done," and spoke secretary, his to his own in a way that indicated of some matters that he was not conviction ooincr recover.
to 26, was Tuesday, January day on which thankofferings were the brought to acknowledgment Tabernacle, the grateful the of in Pastor's partial restoration.
so much worse By that time, he had become that he was for a long only while but he had partly conscious not forgotten the character of the special day, and' ; under he circumstances, was a telegram which, sent the peculiarly significant : " Self and wife, £100, hearty thankoffering towards Tabernacle General Expenses.
Love That was last generous act, and all friends'' last message; his to his for, became afterwards, he unconscious, and remained shortly totally so until five night, — January minutes on Sabbath eleven past the his like Valiant-for-truth, "he namesake, over, and Mr.
passed the trumpets sounded all The " accompanied him five who for him on " other the side." the riverside to were Thorne, Miss Spurgeon, Mr. Mrs. Allison, and Mr. Harrald, Mr. Samuel. When over, Mr. H. offered all was prayer, and Mrs. Spurgeon thanked the Lord her, and so long the precious treasure for lent to sought, the throne of grace, at The answer to part of her supplication strength and guidance the for future.
all to " Son Tom " at came for she was able to send at once, the Antipodes the brief " Father Heaven.
but comforting message, Mother resioned." in the meantime, the news was being flashed all over the world, and In every in quarter of the globe many felt a sense of personal or heard they read as loss it.
The at Mentone were telegraph wires speedily blocked with the multitudes of Mrs. Spurgeon, — the Prmce and Princess of Wales being among messages to the their deep sympathy with her "desire express in her great sorrow."
to to first The regulations necessitated the removal local of the precious body, from the
SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAI'IIV H. !72 the bedroom was hours, and twenty-four then within cemetery, the hotel left to beingthe home Mentone the accompanyinoof the it appears illustration.
as in MR. SPURGEONS BEDROOM AT MENTONE, AFTER HIS REMOVAL but Mrs. Spurgeon intimated flowers, many beautiful wreaths were sent by friends ; emblems dear her most palm of branches her suitable preference the as for At the head and " the presence of the King." husband's victorious entrance into foot of the olive casket, were plates bearing the following inscription ; ever-loving memory of In Haddon Charles Spurgeon, Kelvedon, June Born at ; at Mentone, January in Jesus asleep Fell " / have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faiths In the early years of his visits to Wotton, in Surrey, the Pastor had always said he churchyard he should Later, be of buried that the that village.
like to in
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SPURGEON S H. 0/ J the centre of the Stockwell Orphanage grounds, for he expressed the wish to He in that many would come his grave, and then help the orphans in to look thought at whom he took ; but when the Electric Railway caused such deep an so interest At one Institution, he abandoned he a disturbance that said time, the idea.
to at Mentone but, after he had attended the funeral of a he would like to be buried ; it was he had mentioned there, he gave up that Last of that notion.
friend all, pointed to a site in Norwood cemetery, — in less conspicuous position than the a far ultimately chosen, — and for him it might be one reserved so that, that ask-ed in ; life, he might be surrounded by his church-officers and members, many death, as in of whom The deacons Tabernacle an hundreds urgent buried sent are there.
might and be arrangement, Spurgeon, asking the Mrs. request that this to the matter was all expenses, and Before generously offering to defray so settled.
service was touching memorial proceeding held railway the the a to station, in Scotch Church, at the opening of which Mr. Spurgeon had preached a year before.
At the station, a photograph of the cortege was taken, and is reproduced here.
it THE FUNERAL CORTEGE AT MENTONE RAILWAY STATION.
p. 7SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ;-_l The memorial and February 7 the Tabernacle, from services funeral to at A were probably attended by not less than a hundred thousand people.
full account volume, From the Palm Branch, the Pulpit of the proceedings appears the to in but many different gatherings held would volumes be the describe required to Mrs. Spurgeon's all over following Sabbath, simultaneously, or on the the world.
wreaths, would instead give the amount friends, who wished to send request that husband, was very founded by her dear they would have to the Institutions cost there were oflerings of love.
choice a few though generally complied floral with, casket, were cut from the Most of the palm branches, which surrounded the olive Beau of which Pastor wrote Hotel garden Rivage, the of the very the trees in in the letter which appears on page 344.
IN THE TABERNACLE. THE OLIVE CASKET UNDER THE PALM BRANCHES The Bible on the top of the casket was the one Mr. Spurgeon had so long used " Look unto Me, and be ye It was opened at Isaiah the Tabernacle. in : ; "— the 1850, had been text which, on January the ends earth of the saved, all
p. 375AUTOBIOGRAniY. SPURGEOf; S The volume the way remained tlessed conversion. his that position to in all Norwood, — as Newington the sword from accompanies him of the warrior to to Never of London had South the grave.
the witnessed such a procession as, slowly mo\ed Tabernacle from the cemetery that day, and never had the to ; More such crowds assembled along than eighteen that route.
years the before, had given Pastor a scene description probably but even of the had he no ; conception of the throng that would to do honour his memory.
gather At to the December of his sermon, on Lord's-day close evening, he "In said: be concourse persons there a while, of Methinks the will little in streets.
.a ' Do you ' What are hear someone enquiring, people waiting these not for } all ' He know? who 'And to be buried to-day.' that Spuro-eon.' is 'It is is .-^ ' * What ' Yes the man that preached Tabernacle ? the ; he be at buried to is ' ! see my and when you happen That soon very to-day.' will carried coffin to ; every one should whether the silent grave, of you, converted like or to not, ' He be urge did earnestly constrained and say, simple to language, plain us, in He not put consideration of the eternal off to things.
did entreat us to Now he if we our look gone, blood Christ. door not to his is at perish.' is God may you have own not bear grant that reproach the your to of bitter conscience!
time But, 'the you up as feel short,' so will as lonois stir am in this Tabernacle." Though scene along the route was striking, that presented at the cemetery the The in some respects, even more so.
long line of ministers, and students, and was, other friends, all in mourning garb, reaching from the entrance to the grave itself, was those who saw At forgotten by a never be that could sight length, the vast it.
throng clustered in a dense mass around and upon the cemetery the slope outside The principal part in the closinochapel, where the last service was to be conducted.
ceremony Archibald G. Brown, and nothing of Pastor fell to the share could have beautiful, or more been more suitable, than his solemn and touching words.
They came thousands of other With straight from his heart they entered hearts.
o-reat : pathos and many pauses, he said : " Beloved Prince Brother of Preachers, Faithful Pastor, President, Beloved, Dear Spurgeon, — -We bid thee not ' farewell,' but only tor a little while 'good-night.' Thou shalt rise soon, at the first dawn of the resurrection day of the redeemed.
Yet who we but ours 'good-night' linger the to thine. bid, not the It in is is Our God's own shall soon past, and be darkness thou night, too, art light.
in ; shall greet the morning of a Then, with thine, our songs our weeping.
with all it is no night there. day that knows no cloud nor close, for there " Hard Worker is ended Straight has been the field, thy toil furrow the in !
No back marred has Harvests have looking thy thou hast ploughed. course.
p. 376autobiography. spurgeon's H. Heaven sowing, and already rich with ingathered thine followed thy patient is enriched through sheaves, and years shall be lying yet eternity.
in still " Champion The sword, long and nobly fought of God, is over thy battle !
thine hand, has dropped the palm branch which takes at clave place. last to its ; No longer does the helmet oft weary with press thy brow, surging thoughts of its the Great Commander's hand has already proved from victor's wreath the battle ; reward.
thy full " Here, Then thy Wellthy precious for a litde while, shall rest shall dust.
beloved come, and at His voice thou shalt spring from thy couch of earth, fashioned Then spirit, soul, and body like unto His glorious body. shall magnify Lord's thy We praise God for thee and, by Until the beloved, redemption.
then, sleep ! ; praise God blood of the everlasting covenant, we hope and expect thee.
to vjitli Amen." The memorial number of The Sword and the Trowel contained the : — "While followingfitly close the account of that memorable season paragraphs, which will we gathered around of blue sky appeared, just over our little patch the a grave, Brown was to remind and Mr.
above while us the glory-land of heads, as if ; speaking, a dove flew from of the Tabernacle towards the tomb, and, the direction its flight over the crowd, almost seemed days, wheeling in ancient to pause.
In it As the service proceeded, would have been an augury it spoke only peace.
to us, : a neighbouring tomba little robin poured forth while from liquid note the its all made it was had have appropriate music, fabled as redbreast stone the to its ; Saviour's bleeding it picked a thorn from the crimson coat ever since brow'.
\\ ell, believe what we sang ; but we we do not believe that grave, the truth that the at Mr. Spurgeon lived to preach, and died to defend, ' Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood " Shall never lose its power, Till all the ransomed Church of God Be saved to sin no more.' " Many remarked that the whole of the memorial services, unique as they were, were characterized by a simplicity and heartiness completely in harmony with the entire life that, when the olive casket was it was most significant ; and of the beloved Pastor ; — it was vault, not even the glorified preacher's name was visible lowered into the it; — there was nothing to be seen but the text at the just as he would have wished Of course, the Bible was not buried coffin, and the open foot of the Bible.
is it ; it may not prove, ' and who knows whether ' liveth and abideth for ever not dead, it ; more than ever, the means of quickening the dead, now that he, who loved it dearer God life, can no longer proclaim its blessed truths with the living voice ?
than his " cjrant it !
p. 4^^;^ ' •?*'' -'^J "4:#»' Ji-^""f""— IN THE lOMB AT NOKVVUOU CEMETERY. THE ULIVE CASKET " My work On the day at Mentone, Pastor said the secretary, his that to is " Remember, pecuHar done," he emphasis, very a with added, with plain slab, The allusion evidently was C. H.
S. on ; nothing more." to a gravestone, and it it Those who were, was another indication of his humility.
at that time, responsible for the arrangements were unwilling to carry out his wish, so they gave instructions The inscription on for the erection of the monument represented on the next page.
AA 4
p. 111SPUKGEONS AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 37^ H. H. SPUKGEONS MONUMENT AT NORWOOD CEMETERY. is copied from John Ploughman s substitution of Mr. with the the lower part Talk, On the right-hand side of the full name instead of "John Ploughman." Spurgeon's friends' album.s, when they asked for is the verse he always wrote upper portion in his autograph and a quotation, I saw the stream " E'er since by faith Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till with the following verse, describinghis present joyous employment, 'Then in a nobler, sweeter song, 111 sing thy power to save, When this poor lisping, stammering tojigue Lies silent in the grave." to proclaim Thus, even from the tomb, he continues to preach the gospel he loved while here, — the gospel of salvation by grace, through in the precious blood of faith Jesus, — the gospel that tells of "redeeming love" and Jesu's "power to save."
Oh, that those who refused his message from the pulpit might accept it from the grave and from the g-lorv !