Caledonian Road - London

Transcription of article in the series “Famous Pulpits of our Churches” by Rev. William Mincher

THISseriesofar-clesisdealingwithpulpits,notpews;withpreachers,andnotproper-es;however,thetwocannotbewhollyseparated.Thefactofapulpitpredicatesachurch,acongrega-on,andaplaceofassembly.Andtheplacewhichcontainsthepulpitmayenshrineanenormouswealthofmemories.ItissowithrespecttoourCaledonianRoadChurch,whichisoneofthechoicefruitsofthemissioningspiritcharacterisingourearlydays.

Whenfrom1850to1860ourworkinLondonwasadministeredinamostremarkablemanner,thispartoftheMetropoliswasmarkedoutforinvasion.Theopen-airservicesresultedinthesecuringofarentedhallintheneighbourhoodoftheCaLleMarket,andinsuchcondi-onsthedevotedanddauntlessbandworshippedandspreadthesavinginfluences.

Intheyear1870,acommandingsitewasobtained,andthepresentsanctuary,erectedinoneofthebusiestandmostpopulousdistrictsofourgreatcity,andhasbeenforforty‘yearsoneofthegreatestcentresofourDenomina-onallifeandinfluence.

TheministryofthischurchhasbeenforfiRyyearsoneofimmensevarietyandpower.ItwasduringtheministryofThomasPenrose,1859-1861,thatthelocalitywasmissioned,andthefirstsocietywasformed.Hewasamanoflargephysique,andofequallylargeheartedness.Hisenthusiasmwasalmostunbounded.Hisdevo-onwasunwearied,andhislovetoGodandhisChurchsupreme,anddomina-ng.

In1861,GeorgeLambwasappointed.Hewasamasterhandinadministra-on,andofmightypulpitpower.HehasliLlerecordasachapelbuilder;buthewasconsummateinhisskillinmanagingmen.HewasmightyintheScriptures,andhisrecordismainlyintheheartsandlivesheinfluenced.

In1864JohnPhillipswassta-oned.Hewasamanofmanyparts:carefulandprecise,evensome-mestofas-diousness.Fluentinspeech,evenoRentogaudiness,heyetleRamarvellousrecord,andlas-ngmemorialsofworkhardlytobematched.

1

In1868JosephToulsonbecameminister.Hewasamanofwonderfulresource,un-ringpa-ence,andconsummatetact.Owingtohisforethoughtandpersistentenergythepresentchurchwasbuiltin1870,atacostof£2,600,whichwasaremarkablefeatinthosedays.Heremainedonthesta-on-ll1873,havingsetthemarchofthecircuittoaquickstep,andachivalrousnote.

Thedirec-ngspiritsofthefollowingyearsweresuccessivelyCharlesJupe,R.R.Connell,ThomasGuLery,GeorgeShapcoL,andinmorerecentyearsThomasMeakin,WilliamWelford,andJosephDinnick.

Theformernamedwouldowntheirindebtednesstotheircolleagues,amongwhomwemaymen-onWilliamPowell,W.H.Allen,JosiahTurley,PeterCoates,J.P.Langham,JohnBailey,T.J.Gladwin,H.J.Taylor,W.D.Judson,andH.W.Shirtcliffe,allofwhomrenderedinvaluableservice,andsomesincehaveaLainedConnexionaldis-nc-on.

Fewchurcheshavebeenblessedwithagreatervarietyofministers,bothwithregardtonumberanddiversityofgiRsandversa-lityofstyle.Itseemsinvidioustospecify.However,someofthesemenweremarkedlydis-nguishedforbusinesssagacity,energy,andenterprise,whileothersshonetomoreadvantageinthepulpit.AndinachurchlikeourswhowilldaretoextoltheonekindofgiRstothedisparagementoftheothers?

Wemaybeforgivenaclassifica-on.PerhapsJohnPhillips,JosephToulson,RichardR.Connell,andGeorgeShapcoLmaybegiventhepremierplaceamongthemenwholaidhandsuponthehelmofthischurch’sac-vi-es.Andthisisnotevenhin-ngthattheywereimpotentinthepulpit;buttheywerepre-eminentlymenwhograspedthesitua-on.Perceivingwhatrequiredtobedonetheydidit.

And,perhaps,themenwhohaveleRtheirimpress,andwillbebestrememberedfortheirpreachinggiRsareGeorgeLamb,CharlesJupe,ThomasGuLery,andThomasMeakin.Andinsayingthiswedonotmeanthattheyweredeficientinbusinessap-tude;butthattheirbestworkwasdoneinthepulpit.

2

From1861to1864GeorgeLambwasminister.Hepossessednostrikingappearance,nomusicalvoice,andnooratorialgraces.Hewasamanoftremendouspassion,andofenthusias-cabandon.Hisaimwastransparent.Truthpouredfromhislipsinburningstreams.Hecapturedmenbyhispalpablerealness,whiteheatedconvic-ons,andseraphicglow

From1873to1876CharlesJupewasminister.Hewasamanofgiantstrength,andhespentitprodigally.HehadgreatintellectualgiRs.Therewasaveinofgeniusinhim,andsomethingofaMiltonicaspectinhismentality.Original,erra-c,vivid,some-mesextravagant,evengrotesque.Fieryasavolcano,hispreachingoRenwaslikeatorrentrushingdownagorge,orastorm-cloudinawhirlwind.Allhisuntamedpassion,vigourofthinking,andintensityofemo-onwouldbeletlooseinthepulpit.

From1884to1890ThomasGuLerywasminister.Hewasamanofmanycharms.Tender,sympathe-c,socialandhuman.Hewasnotonlyatalker,hewasathinker:wellread,keenandcultured.Hiseloquencewasnotoftheshowyandtawdrytype,itwaswinsome,pictorial,andcap-va-ng.Itwastrulymarvelloushowmuchpowerresidedinthatspareframeofhis.Fewmencouldfindaquickerwaytotheheartofacongrega-onthanhe.Hewasnomerememoriter,butheknewhissubjectwell.Hehadagraceofdelivery,afundofknowledge,aninsightandoutlook,andhespokelikeacharmer.

From1893to1903ThomasMeakinwasminister,andhewasnounworthysuccessorofthebestwhohadprecededhim:amanofconsiderableculture,ofwidereading,andofintellectualinterests;slow,measured,unfoldingandcumula-veinstyle;beginningalmostinawhisper;appearingatfirsttobebutthinkingaloud.Then,asthespeakerwarmed,thetruthmeltedandrippledasameadowstream,andwidenedasagreatriver.Tolistenwastoseehowmuchcarefulprepara-onlaybehind,andwastoshareinthefruitofthepreacher’sexperience,knowledgeandmessage.

Thischurchhaspar-cipatedinthelabours,also,ofadis-nguishedandnumerousbandoflay-preachers.Amongthisgalaxyofworthiesitwillhardlybeques-onedthatThomasChurch,theeccentric;SmithWeir,theeloquent;DavidBerry,thefervent;J.S.Parkman,theprac-cal,deservespecialmen-on,withothersifspaceallowed.

3

Foryearsnowdifficul-eshavebeenaccumula-ngaroundthischurch.Thechangeoftheneighbourhood,theremovalofprodigalworkersandgenerousgivers,haverenderedthetaskofcon-nuingtheworktenfoldmoredifficult.WilliamRobertsandhisheroicpeoplearefacingthesitua-onwithamostcommendabledevo-on.Thepastisagreatrecord.

HerehasbeenforhalfacenturyamightycentreofChris-anforce;andthousandswillpraythatitmayremainmany,manyyears,alightinadarkplace,andawitnessforGodamidtheswirlingindifferenceandGodlessnesssurroundingit.__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesPrimitive Methodist Magazine 1910/792

4