How the Book Fund Prospers
From The Sword and the Trowel, August 1877
Or many weeks past I have had a great desire in my heart to write out the gracious details of the Lord’s dealings with the Book Fund during the present year; but almost constant pain has fettered both head and hand, and rendered the fulfilment of the heart’s wish well-nigh impossible. But even the “school of affliction” has its “holidays,” true holy-days these, and as the “good Master” has granted me one such to-day, I will consecrate it to Jlis honour and glory by telling what great things He hath done for me and my work since I wrote last. The commencement of the new year was marked by an offer of six volumes of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit to every minister who had formerly been a student of the -Pastors’ College; and so enthusiastically was it responded to, that in three months’ time 164 of our own old students had received 980 volumes! I had intended this effort to be an extra one, and to extend over the entire year; but the Lord had more work for me to do than I knew ofj so
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He would allow of no lingering, but graciously gave me .strength to accomplish easily what at first sight seemed a formidable task. During this time the usual work of the Book Fund was not neglected, but applications were cheerfully responded to.
For a short time during the months just flown by, k seemed as if the Lord were trying my faith by sending me more “needs” than “supplies;” but I am almost ashamed to speak of fears which then possessed me. Now I see that the Lord only brought a cloud over the sun to veil its brightness, lest the heat of labour should overpower His weak child, and cause her to faint under the burden of the day. So, blessed be His name, He” leads on softly” as “we are able to bear it.” Turning over the pages of my “day-book,” I cannot but rejoice to know that already nearly 3,000 volumes have been distributed since the beginning of this year; and though this number falls wofuliy short of supplying the need which exists, yet I thank God and take courage. The* following extracts from letters will show that the intense appreciation and loving eagerness with which these gifts were at first received has not abated one whit. -
My dear Mrs. Spurgeon, — Though I have watched with interest and pleasure the birth, growth, and usefulness of your Book Fund, I -little thought I should ever be so deeply indebted to you as I find myself to-day. The nice parcel you so kindly sent came as “cold water to a thirsty soul,” and judging from the feelings of gratitude and delight Produced in my own breast, I feel your work of love has made not a few pastors* hearts to “sing for joy.” I rejoice also to know that the work yields such sweet solace of joy to you in your affliction; I really think it must be one rose at least on this sin-blighted earth u without a thorn”
What this dear brother says is perfectly true. The Book Fund is the joy of my life, and ever since the Lord gave the sweet service into my weak and unworthy hands He has led me by green pastures and beside still waters, an0 crowned me with lovingkindness and tender mercies. The next letter is from a much-tried servant of God, who, with a wife, invalid daughter, and four young children to support (there are nine children living) pn eighty pounds per appum, may well be “unable to buy books.”..
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My dear Madam, — Most gratefully do I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the four volumes of “The Treasury of David.” The gift, I can assure you, is a most acceptable one. Often when at the homes of my brethren I have seen the work, and longed for its possession, deeming the desire, however, quite U topian, seeing that the purchase of such books is altogether beyond the limit of my slender income. Ten years have
elapsed since my return from, where for a long time I laboured*
and those years have been one long protracted struggle for bare existence. Blessed be God, that is not all; for if my tribulations have abounded, so also have my consolations, “Hitherto the Lord hath helped me.” The Psalms of David are ever a tower of comfort to tried saints, and your honoured husband’s work is to my mind the best book that I have seen, in that it brings out the marrow and fatness of the text. Again, I thank you most deeply and sincerely for the gift, as also for the good wishes by which it was accompanied.
The two letters which follow are from a “Methodist” preacher and a “Baptist” minister, both being charming expressions of a glad and grateful heart. When I receive such epistles I always wish they could be passed round to every kind friend who has contributed to the “Fund,” that they might catch glimpses of the abounding happiness which they thus bestow on others.
My dear Mrs. Spurgeon, — The parcel containing four volumes of “The Treasury of David * arrived all safe yesterday. I had been rejoicing over my good fortune in getting, as I supposed, one volume of Mr. Spurgeon great work; but the receipt of such a gift was a surprise for wnich I was unprepared. I am entirely at a loss to express all I feel respecting such kindness; but I beg to offer my heart’s deepest gratitude, and my earnest prayers that heaven’s richest blessings may come down upon yqurself, and upon all through whose disinterested generosity you are able to carry on such a work of love.
This is a gift indeed! May God help me to use it for His glory. One may, I think, be justly proud of having four such volumes in his library, and the aid they will afford in my work no one can fully realize but myself Probably there are hundreds of grateful hearts lifted up from day to day in prayer for yourself and your indefatigable husband. If my feeble prayers can be of any possible advantage, most gladly will I pray daily that in your affliction the Lord will impart a large measure ol His soothing grace, that your soul may always be filled with the brightness and peace of the Saviour’s presence, and that you may long be spared to continue the noble enterprise, which has already sent relief, joy, and light into hundreds of homes, and brought blessings into probably thousands of minds.
Madam, — The very handsome present which you have so kindly sent ine (Mr. Spurgeon’s “Treasury of David,” four vols.) arrived quite safely about half-an-hour ago. It has come upon me as a pleasant surprise,
for your kindness has much exceeded my expectations. I thought you might send me one volume — I never even hoped, so far as I remember, for more than two; and. yet here are the whole fair / A valuable present, truly, in more senses than one. I have already been tasting its quality with relish, and feel certain that I shall find it, as you kindly wish, “a treasure indeed.” Thank you very, very, very much for it; and for your letter with all the kindness of heart which it reveals. Whatever may be the needs and privations of some village pastors, you, at all events, are trying to minister to their joy. and to make them more efficient in the service of the Master. And you know, without my suggesting it, that He will give you your reward. Again I thank you with an earnestness which increases as I continue to look into the volumes.
The Book Fund has received this year some splendid additions, as gifts, to its stores of works by other authors, and I have rejoiced greatly to have at my disposal such standard volumes of divinity as the works of Haldane, Dr. Hodge, and others. But the fact becomes more and more evident to me every day, that unless already possessed of “The Treasury of David? our pastors look upon no other volumes as my gift with complete satisfaction, and that in applying to me for books, they fix their heart’s desire upon “The Treasury,” or the “Sermons,” as the summum bonum of their happiness. And I think this is very natural and very proper, so long as the management of the Book Fund rests entirely in these feeble hands; but I trust that some day, when all the churches awaken to a sense of the urgent need there is that “the poor minister’s bookshelf” should have plenty of books upon it, many a noble volume, both ancient and modern, will take its place beside “The Treasury of David.”
As to old books, which sometimes come to me troublously fast, I am obliged to smuggle them in with the coveted works of my dear husband, and but a very faint echo of any welcome they receive ever reaches my ear. I really fear that some people think that anything in the shape of a book will do for a minister, or they would scarcely send such things as “Advice to Wives and Mothers,” “Essays on Marriage,” or “Letters to a Son,” as aids to pulpit preparation!
On looking over the list of contributors for the last year, I find a falling-away of some old friends, which somewhat grieves me, for the work is more deeply needed than ever.
The famine is sore in the land — not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a deeply-felt and widespread need of mental food, Ly those under-shepherds who have to “feed the flock of God”; and I had hoped that all the friends who had so generously aided me at the commencement of my work would have “continued with me.” To the many who have done so I tender my most heartfelt thanks. “God bless you,” dear friends, and return into your own bosoms some of the joy, and gladness, and gratitude with which you have filled mine. New friends, too, are cordially welcomed to co-operation in the blessed work, and every gift that comes for the Book Fund is offered to the Lord as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. I am just now rejoicing over the fact that the Lord has inclined the heart of a dear friend, to whom I am already greatly indebted, to give me a large donation for the purpose of supplying all the Presbyterian ministers in Argyleshire with “The Treasury of David,” and I have another sum of money given by one who is a great sufferer, set apart for the distribution of the same precious volumes in Ireland. For the next few months, dear friends, you may know that the “Work of the Book Fund” will be in the full swing of business; and I pray you to remember that you can truly and tenderly help me by asking the Lord to set the seal of His blessing on every book sent out
Does any one care to know that my lovely lemon tree is in vigorous health and perfect beauty? I have not dared to count its leaves lately, because I feel it has far outstripped the proportions with which my fancy fettered it; yet I never look upon it or think about it without blessing God for making it grow so wonderfully in my sick room that winter, where it heralded, and illustrated, helped forward, andj finally became the emblem of the Book Fund.