That saying of the Chinese is quite axiomatic & ff ALFET as will be admitted if we freely translate it: "Everybody has his likes." Whilst we purpose writing shortly of visits to the Tower of London, to the House of Commons, and elsewhere, we should like to say little now of a place which to visit would be amongst the first "likes" ut not a few readers of the For the City Temple is a remarkably cosmopolitan and popular object of interest to visitors to the great city, and especially Americans are to béfoitnd there. Tu fact tone always expects' to hear the familiar American accent at Shakespeare's tomb and in Dr. Parkor's great '*meeting-house." So that we were not at all surprised the occasion of the visit in question to find ourselves neighbours with xn ex-editor of an American paper, and to have the advantage of his piquant comments.
As we stood in the crowd—for there is always a crowd, extending out into the Holborn Vinduct—waiting for the signal which throws open all unoccupied seats, our friend and ourselves had opportunity for exchanging impressions of the great Werngreed og to the loss sustained by the eacher, whom we had both heard before.
at ago in such aman as Dr. Parker; but also as to the gain accruing to Nonconformity, in this its first and outstanding genius.
Thoro are many things to interest and charm in the beautiful Temple; painting, gilding, and decoration help, whilst music is much laid under contribution; we counted 39 singers in the choir—and some of them such singers as one rarely hears; we counted several violins and cornet or two; and one could not leave out of count the talented organist who presides at the "king of instruments."
But who comes for those things? It is the remarkable personality hidden under the plain Geneva gown of the strange-looking man who slowly ascends the platform stairs that has drawn this multitude, and kept them these many years. It is difficult to understand wherein is the grent charm of the preacher, and still more dificult to describe it. Much, very much, is effected by a remarkable voice, maunged to perfection, from the least whisper to the loudest roar. We have just received and opened your issue of 26th November, and note the wise advice given therein to budding Shanghai speakers, nome of whom (Peccavi! I merely quote "mumble and stumble, are often inaudible, sometimes inconsistent, and generally dull toa degree." Would that Dr. Parker could oliver a course of lectures to those gentlemen! You would alter the verdict son, doubt not, Recently we heard a professor of elocution—one of the first in his profession—aver that he could compel the attention of any audience by adhering to a few simples rules; and he proved it, before as noisy an assembly as usually falls to the lot of a public speaker.
Now Dr. Parker does just this—he compels attention, and instead of the irritating and everlasting coughing and throat-clearing incident to ordinary services, all are so eager to catch every word that the bronchial business is postponed indefinitely.
But beyond the manner is also the matter of the preacher. Who but this unique genius would dare to say in prayer: Wo would havea feast to-night—a feast of the Tabernacle. And we would call Jesus to the feast, but have no wine, save of His making."... May there be no fool in the house to-night "Many are here in a spirit of wonder, curiosity, worldliness and irreverence. But it is nut beyond the power of the Gross to work amiable in such. This is our hope, or it were not worth while our preaching And so the great service proceeds—quietly, reverently, systeinatically—much helped "by the fact that printed service papers" are issued for every Sunday—and the vast audience of Inwyers and actors, preachers and business men, students and travellers, with many, though less than usual, of the gentler sex,—all hang on the preacher's utterances, smiling and even laughing at the wit and humour here, weeping at the pathos there, and swayed as one man by a voice.
"These are the dukes of Edom."
Who but Dr. Parker dare take such a text? And yet from him it seems right and proper, and a yet deeper hush falls on the vast audience as he opens his discourse, and all eyes watch the clean-shaven face and massive head, which slowly emphasises with a series of deliberate nods the first word of the text: These—these are the dukes of Edom? Can we see them? Jhat were they?"
"They were the leaders, the first men, the duces, the dukes."
"Had they names?"
"Yes."
"Great names?"
"By some thought great. Duke Timah, Duke Allah, Duke Jet! These are the dukes of Edo "But where are they? Where is their -memorial? Where is the child that kissed them?"
"They are gone, all gone. Sit transit gloria munch. They are gone, yet not gone; for who can trace the influence of any man? Do not think that you are of no consequence because you are not among the Dukes of Edom. You may be good, and you may be great, and yet you may not be known on the other side of the street in which you live."
But we are painfully conscious that we do the preacher an injustice by the bald reproduction of his words. To be understood, Dr. Parker must be heard and seen for the look, the gesture, the man behind the voice are parts of a unique whole. We have never elsewhere heard a man who could so make words to live before one.
But even in cold print this looks daring, does it not?
"What do you know about Rameses I? Now don't sit there looking as if you knew all about him you know nothing, absolutely nothing, about him, and ninety-nine hundredths of you couldn't even spell his name!"
"Did you ever hear of a man in the Bible called Joseph "Yes, I thiok I've heard of him."
What did he do?"
"Well, he saved the people of Egypt in the time of famine."
"What did Rameses the first do?"
don't know."
No, and I don't know, and the archzeologists don't know, and no one doos know. Can you tell me anything about Nero?"
"Yes, I think 1 know a little better about him. Hewas very cruel to Christians."
Do you want him back "Oh no! not in England—not in England. No, thank you!"
"Did you ever hear of a man in his day called Paul—of poor contemptible presence: a mean, blear-eyed little dwarf? To-day, if he arrived in London, I should love to see him. Of course we shouldn't believe him—we have outlived him. But still we should like to see the hand which was stretched out, when Agrip, a said 'Paul, thou art permitted to speak for We should like to see the man 'I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ'... 'He loved me, and gave Himself for me'... 'This is a faithful saying, and worthy of ell acceptation, that Christ Jesus care into the world to save sinners.' "We know nothing of Rameses the First, and we don't want Nero back; but we stiould lore to seo the apostle Paul who sent his love to all the churches, and ne~er turned away the Poor from his poor oer. That is fame From here thy preacher proceeded to describe the vovious kinds of '*fame" possible to all, the first of these being a "household fame," which he would covet more thai any other. ' You can be so kind that the very dog shall know it; you can be a Duke at home, and a man of high Tenown at your own fireside—a really great loving soul within the four corners of your, own home."
But the plentifulness of our shorthand notes, and the warmth of our admiration for the man may exceed the patience of our readers. So we hasten to conclude by remarking that Dr. Parker often finishes as unexpectedly and abruptly as—well, as Dr. Parker. For suggestiveness and for inspiring and compelling attention and thought, we know no other preacher like him. May he long be spared—a unique man with unique message.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.