In 1868, the world’s first aeronautical exhibition was held in the Crystal Palace. In 1871, the world’s first cat show, organised by Harrison Weir, was held there. Other shows, such as dog shows, pigeon shows, honey shows and flower shows, as well as the first national motor show were also held at the Palace.[44] The match which later has been dubbed the world’s first bandy match was held at the palace in 1875; at the time, the game was called “hockey on the ice”.[45] The site was the location of one of Charles Spurgeon‘s sermons, without amplification, before a crowd of 23,654 people on 7 October 1857.[46]
Reynolds’s Newspaper – Oct 11 1857
MR. SPURGEON AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.
The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon addressed, on Wednesday, at the Crystal Palace, the largest audience that has assembled in modern times to listen to the exhortations of a minister of the gospel. The palace was opened to the public at nine o’clock, and by noon every seat that was within earshot of the preacher had its occupant. The pulpit, which was brought from the Surrey Gardens, was placed at the north-east corner of the central transept at its junction with the nave, and the thousands of seats which had been pre-disposed, were soon engaged. Those portions of the galleries also which were within range of the speaker’s voice were speedily filled, and the large orchestra was crowded even to the backmost bench. Altogether, there were 23,654 persons present, and it is scarcely possible that a more animated or enthusiastic audience could have been assembled.
Selecting for his text a part of the 9th verse of the 6th chapter of Micah, “Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it,” Mr. Spurgeon opened his discourse by stating that this world was not the place for the punishment of sin; it might be a place, but it was not the place for punishment. Some religionists, he observed, treated every accident which happened to man in the indulgence of sin as if it were a judgment. The upsetting of a boat on the river on a Sunday was in their view a judgment for the sin of Sabbath breaking. The accidental fall of a house in which persons were engaged in any lawful occupation was supposed to be a special judgment for the especial sin committed. All these were childish notions; but there were many who carried the opposite doctrine to an extreme, and who were apt to deem, because God did not usually visit each particular offence in this life upon the transgressor, that there were no judgments at all. In this they were mistaken…
