Spurgeon and Tragedy

On the evening of October 19, 1856, Spurgeon was to commence weekly services at the Royal Surrey Gardens Music Hall, a popular amusement hall that Spurgeon's congregation rented when they had outgrown their building and had not completed a new one. In the morning he preached at New Park Street Chapel on Malachi 3:10: "Prove me now." With chillingly prophetic voice he declared —

"...I may be called to stand where the thunderclouds brew, where the lightnings play, and tempestuous winds are howling on the mountain top. Well, then, I am born to prove the power and majesty of our God; amidst dangers he will inspire me with courage; amidst toils he will make me strong... We shall be gathered together tonight where an unprecedented mass of people will assemble, perhaps from idle curiosity, to hear God's Word; and the voice cries in my ears, 'Prove me now.' ...See what God can do, just when a cloud is falling on the head of him whom God has raised up to preach to you..."

That night, Surrey Hall, capable of holding up to twelve thousand, was overflowing with an additional ten thousand people in the gardens. The service was underway when, during Spurgeon's prayer, several malicious miscreants shouted, "Fire! The galleries are giving way!" Evidently, a mob conspiracy of evil men had been formed to disrupt the services. In the ensuing panic [rushes were made for the exits], seven people were trampled to death and twenty-eight were hospitalized with serious injuries. Spurgeon (only 22 years old), was totally undone and literally carried from the pulpit and taken to a friend's house where he remained for several days in deep depression. He was so distressed he was unable to preach for several weeks and later said the experience was "sufficient to shatter my reason" and might have meant his ministry "was silenced for ever."

Link to site about Charles Spurgeon