Caledonian Road - London Transcription of article in the ...
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Caledonian Road - London Transcription of article in the series “Famous Pulpits of our Churches” by Rev. William Mincher THIS series of ar-cles is dealing with pulpits, not pews; with preachers, and not proper-es; however, the two cannot be wholly separated. The fact of a pulpit predicates a church, a congrega-on, and a place of assembly. And the place which contains the pulpit may enshrine an enormous wealth of memories. It is so with respect to our Caledonian Road Church, which is one of the choice fruits of the missioning spirit characterising our early days. When from 1850 to 1860 our work in London was administered in a most remarkable manner, this part of the Metropolis was marked out for invasion. The open-air services resulted in the securing of a rented hall in the neighbourhood of the CaLle Market, and in such condi-ons the devoted and dauntless band worshipped and spread the saving influences. In the year 1870, a commanding site was obtained, and the present sanctuary, erected in one of the busiest and most populous districts of our great city, and has been for forty ‘years one of the greatest centres of our Denomina-onal life and influence. The ministry of this church has been for fiRy years one of immense variety and power. It was during the ministry of Thomas Penrose, 1859-1861, that the locality was missioned, and the first society was formed. He was a man of large physique, and of equally large heartedness. His enthusiasm was almost unbounded. His devo-on was unwearied, and his love to God and his Church supreme, and domina-ng. In 1861, George Lamb was appointed. He was a master hand in administra-on, and of mighty pulpit power. He has liLle record as a chapel builder; but he was consummate in his skill in managing men. He was mighty in the Scriptures, and his record is mainly in the hearts and lives he influenced. In 1864 John Phillips was sta-oned. He was a man of many parts: careful and precise, even some-mes to fas-diousness. Fluent in speech, even oRen to gaudiness, he yet leR a marvellous record, and las-ng memorials of work hardly to be matched. 1
Transcript of Caledonian Road - London Transcription of article in the ...
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.
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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.
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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.
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Foryearsnowdifficul-eshavebeenaccumula-ngaroundthischurch.Thechangeoftheneighbourhood,theremovalofprodigalworkersandgenerousgivers,haverenderedthetaskofcon-nuingtheworktenfoldmoredifficult.WilliamRobertsandhisheroicpeoplearefacingthesitua-onwithamostcommendabledevo-on.Thepastisagreatrecord.
HerehasbeenforhalfacenturyamightycentreofChris-anforce;andthousandswillpraythatitmayremainmany,manyyears,alightinadarkplace,andawitnessforGodamidtheswirlingindifferenceandGodlessnesssurroundingit.__________________________________________________________________________________ReferencesPrimitive Methodist Magazine 1910/792
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