Victorian London - Publications - History - The Queen's London : a Pictorial and Descriptive Record of the Streets, Buildings, Parks and Scenery of the Great Metropolis, 1896 - The Metropolitan Tabernacle

Metropolitan Tabernacle - photograph

THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE. 

After the terrible fatality in the old Surrey Gardens music-hall, the Metropolitan Tabernacle was built in Newington Butts, to provide for the growing popularity of the late Mr. Spurgeon. Sir Morton Peto laid the stone of this vast place of worship in 1859, and so energetically did the great Baptist preacher labour that the building was opened free of debt, £31,000 having been subscribed for its erection. The Tabernacle is 140 feet long, 80 feet broad, and 60 feet high, and it easily holds 6,000 persons. Mr. Spurgeon preached from the upper platform, and his powerful voice could be heard distinctly in every part of the chapel, where, by the bye, the hymns have always been sung unaccompanied by instrumental music. After Mr. Spurgeon's death one of his sons, the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon, was appointed his successor.