Notes from The Sword and the Trowel

By C. H. Spurgeon

July, 1875. — Mrs. Spurgeon, our beloved and afflicted wife, begs us to say that she has been so much interested in reading the book entitled “Lectures to my Students,” that she would like to bear the cost of giving a copy to each of a hundred poor Baptist ministers, who would accept it from her. She mourns that she can do so little personally for her Lord, and hopes that this little gift may be owned of God, to the stirring up of some of His ministers to yet more earnest labour for His glory. We cannot deny our dear sufferer anything which causes her pleasure, and therefore willingly give publicity to this her own spontaneous desire. To prevent disappointment, from the applications being too numerous, we, for this month, invite only Baptist ministers to apply.

* August, 1875. — Mrs. Spurgeon very speedily distributed the hundred copies of the “Lectures to my Students,” and so numerous were the applicants, that she felt bound to give another hundred. These also have all been seized upon, and many other claimants are left unsupplied. It has been a great pleasure to our beloved wife to give a book to so many needy servants of the Lord; but it is a sad fact that there should be so many needing such a present. Cannot something be done to provide ministers with books? If they cannot be made rich in money, they ought not, for the people’s sake, to be starved in soul. Some of the applicants say that they have not been able to buy a new book for the last ten years! Does anybody wonder if preachers are sometimes dull?

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September, 1875. — Mrs. Spurgeon is every day sending out books to needy brethren whom we have selected for her, and it gives her intense pleasure to be thus of use to the Lord’s people. She suffers very greatly, and this holy service cheers the tedium of sickness, and affords her much comfort. Those who have sent the means have made us both very happy, and we earnestly pray the Lord to reward them. Very cruel is the poverty of many Baptist ministers. How can they feed the people when they never see a new book? To supply them with mental food is a boon, not to them only, but to all their hearers. We trust this beneficent service will be continued. We have named the work,

“JHrs. Spurgeon’s Book Jfunti,”

and we believe that it will not soon come to an end, but will do great good.

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October, 1875. — Mrs. Spurgeon has been able to distribute a large number of parcels of books to ministers whom she knew to be in need. Several friends have sent sums of money; to these she tenders her sincere thanks.

We trust that from time to time others will do the same. One gentleman has sent a number of exceedingly good books for the same object. We have on several occasions in days past received parcels consisting of old magazines and the sweepings of libraries, and we have concluded that the donors thought we kept a butter shop; but this friend has sent really standard volumes, which will, we trust, be a boon to some poor preacher. This good work of providing mental food for ministers ought never to cease till their incomes are doubled. May “Mrs. Spurgeon’s Book Fund” become a permanent source of blessing to ministers and churches!

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November, 1875. — During Mrs. Spurgeon’s extreme illness the work of distributing books to ministers has been delayed, but she has now resumed it. The delight with which the volumes sent out have been received is a great joy to the poor invalid, and to us it is a matter of supreme satisfaction. We have met with brethren who have only four books, and others who have but few more, all of a worthless character; for hardly one out of the number would be worth buying for sixpence at a bookstall. There is an absolute famine of books among poor Baptist ministers, and the work of supplying them is one of the most needful which Christian charity can undertake. We are feeding the church when we feed the minister’s mind. God the Holy Spirit must teach him to profit; but, by supplying instructive books, we have at least used the means. So long as funds last, Mrs. Spurgeon will continue the distribution, and it is not supposable that she will be left without the needful money, while so many of our Master’s stewards are increasing in wealth.