This is a report from Spurgeon's magazine the Sword and Trowel, the year before Mr Poulton came to Childs Hill.
On Friday evening, Sept. 23, the annual meeting of THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE EVANGELISTS’ASSOCIATION Was held in the Lecture-had, under the presidency of Pastor C H Spurgeon. There was a large and enthusiastic muster of the workers and friends of the Association, and the proceedings throughout were of the most encouraging description. We beg our readers to observe the vast amount of work done by this Society. Mr Elvin presented the report, from which we learn that, during the year, the following services have been held: On Sundays, at the stations belonging to the Association, 603; at other mission stations, 728; in the open-air, 131; in connection with special services, 63; children’s services and supplies, 376; on week-nights, in various chapels and halls, 1,508; in the open-air, 76; or a total of 3,485 meetings at which the gospel has been preached in some part of London. As the evangleists usually adopt the Scriptural plan of going two by two, the number of addresses given is still larger, amounting to no less than 4,948. To accomplish this work 124 brethren and sisters have been more or less occupied as opportunities presented themselves. The cost of carrying on this effort has been exactly £200, a very small sum when we think how much has been accomplished by this agency towards the actual evangelization of this vast city. The addresses actually cost under 10d. each. We have been glad to meet rather more than half the expenses by sums left to our discretion, the churches visited have contributed £53 1s 6d, donations from various friends, collections, tea meetings, etc, have realized about £43, leaving a balance of £2 10s 0d in hand with which to commence the work of another year. As fresh openings are constantly occurring, it is necessary that the funds should increase in like proportion, and the Society will also be glad of more voluntary preachers of the right sort. The honorary secretary is Mr G E Elvin, 30, Surrey-square, Walworth, SE.
