Recollections of a Long Life: An AutobiographyCuyler, Theodore L. (Theodore Ledyard)
Religion
Recollections of a Long Life: An Autobiography
Cuyler, Theodore L. (Theodore Ledyard)
Clergy -- United States -- Biography; Cuyler, Theodore L. (Theodore Ledyard), 1822-1909
In attempting to recall my recollections of the eminent preachers whom I
have known, I hardly know where to begin, or where to call a halt. I
shall confine myself entirely to those who are no longer living, except
as they may live in the memory of the service they wrought for their
Divine Master and their fellow men. When I first visited London, in
early September, 1842, the two ministers most widely known to Americans
were Henry Melvill and Thomas Binney. Melvill was the most popular
preacher in the Established Church. His place of worship was out at
Camberwell, and I found it so packed that I had to get a seat on one of
the steps in the gallery. He was a man of elegant bearing, and rolled
out his ornate sentences in a somewhat theatrical tone, but the hushed
audience drank in every syllable greedily. The splendid and thoroughly
evangelical sermons which he orated most carefully were exceedingly
popular in those days, and even yet they are well worth reading as
superb specimens of lofty, devout and resonant oratory. On a very warm
Sabbath evening I went into the business end of London to the "Weigh
House Chapel" and heard Dr. Thomas Binney. He was the leader of
Congregationalism, as Melvill was of the Church of England. On that warm
evening the audience was small, but the discourse was prodigiously
large. Binney had a kingly countenance, and a most unique delivery. His
topic was Psalm 147th, 3d and 4th verses. "God is the Creator of the
universe, and the comforter of the sorrowing." He thrust one hand into
his breeches pocket, and then ran his other hand through his hair, and
began his sermon with the stirring words: "The Jew has conquered the
world!" This was the prelude to a grand eulogy of the Psalms of David.
He then unfolded the first part of his text in a most original style,
made a long pause, scratched his head again, and said: "Now then, let us
take some new thoughts, and then we are done." The closing portion of
the rich discourse was on the tender consolations of our Heavenly
Father.
Thirty years afterwards Dr. Binney was invited to meet me at breakfast
at the house of Dr. Hall, with "Tom Hughes," Dr. Henry Allon and other
notabilities. The noble veteran chatted very serenely, and offered a
most majestic prayer while he remained sitting in his arm-chair. His
physical disabilities made it difficult for him to stand; and very soon
afterwards the grand old man went up to his crown. When I was spending
two delightful days with Dr. McLaren, of Manchester, I described to him
Binney's remarkable sermon. "Were you there that night?" inquired
McLaren. "So was I, and though only a boy of sixteen, I remember the
whole of that discourse to this hour." It was certainly a rare pulpit
power that could fasten a discourse in two different memories for a
whole half century.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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