have done with the old miracle plays, wherein God the Father
appears upon the stage in a blue coat, and wherein the devil has very
visible hoofs and tail; but the principle to which they appealed--the
love of man for dramatic representations rather than abstract
truths--remains, and Mr. Spurgeon avails himself of it successfully.
Another singular fact--Mr. Spurgeon would quote it as a proof of its
truth--is that what is called high doctrine--the doctrine Mr. Spurgeon
preaches--the doctrine which lays down all human pride--which teaches us
we are villains by necessity, and fools by a divine thrusting on--is
always popular, and, singular as it may seem, especially on the Surrey
side of the water.

In conclusion, let me not be understood as blaming Mr. Spurgeon. We do
not blame Stephani when Caliban falls at his feet and swears that he's 'a
brave god and bears celestial liquor.' Few ministers get people to hear
them. Mr. Spurgeon has succeeded in doing so. It may be a pity that the
people will not go and hear better preachers; but in the meanwhile no one
can blame Mr. Spurgeon that he fearlessly and honestly preaches what he
deems the truth.

The Presbyterian Body.

THE REV. JOHN CUMMING, D.D.

A tale is told of a fashionable lady residing at a fashionable
watering-place, at which a fashionable preacher preached. Of course the
fashionable chapel was filled. It was difficult to get a seat: few could
get more than standing-room. Our fashionable heroine, according to the
tale, thither wended her way one Sabbath morning; but, alas! the ground
was preoccupied. There was no room. Turning to her daughters with a
well-bred smile, she exclaimed: 'Well, my dears, at any rate we have done
the genteel thing!' and, self-satisfied, she departed home, her piety
being of that not uncommon order, that requires a comfortable
well-cushioned seat to itself. For some reason or other, it is now
considered the genteel thing to go to Dr. Cumming, and the consequence
is, that Crown Court Chapel overflows, and that pews are not to be had
there on any terms. I should have said that nowhere was there such a
crowd as that you see at Dr. Cumming's, if I did not recollect that I had
just suffered a similar squeeze over the way, when I went to see the
eminent tragedian, Mr. Brooke.

I believe the principle of there being such a crowd is the same in both
cases. The great mass of spectators see in Mr. Brooke a man of fine
physical