Devising Liberal Things

Let not your zeal evaporate in a mere mist of pious talk, let it flow in streams of practical usefulness. Love the brethren of Him who loved you. If there be a Mephibosheth anywhere who is lame or halt, help him for that Jonathan’s sake whose love to us surpasscth the love of women. If there be a poor tried believer, weep with him, and bear his cross for the sake of Him who wept for you and carried the painful burden of your sins. — C. H. Spurgeon.

DEVISING LIBERAL THINGS.

THE work of IVIrs. Bartlctt at the Tabernacle has been one of tlic greatest blessings of the place. That lady, born in the country in 1807, was converted to God at the age of twelve, and immediately she began to persuade others around her to give their hearts to God. She became an earnest and devoted praying teacher in the Sunday-school, and soon saw some of the children turning to God. She then began to visit the villages around her house, and was the means of doing much good in that way. After her marriage, and with a family claiming her attention, she came to London, and, attending New Park-street Chapel, good Deacon Olney invited her, in 1859, to take charge of the senior class connected with the Sunday-school, which had then only three in attendance. Suffering from heart disease, she consented to take the class for only one month, during which time it had increased to fourteen. Supported in her work, her strong faith in God led her to say, “God has given me strength for one month. He will surely give me strength for another.” In 1861, when the new Tabernacle was opened, the class had increased to fifty. Such was the influence of her earnest, loving words on the young women, that soon they numbered a hundred, then two and three, and in a short time five hundred attended her services every Sabbath day, and many of them came also on Tuesday and Friday; whilst at her own house, which Mr. Spurgeon called the “House of Mercy,” she was constantly receiving anxious inquirers after salvation. The blessing of God so abundantly rested upon her labors, that fully one hundred of her members joined the church annually. They generously collected and gave thousands of dollars to the funds of the Pastors’ College, besides contributing to relieve the wants of the poor in the locality.

During the year 1875 twenty-nine of the students from the Pastors’ College were sent into the field of ministerial labor, three of whom went into the work abroad, one to Rio Janeiro, one to San Domingo, and one to China.

Before the year closed, a change from the damp cold of the November fogs in London to the genial sunshine at Mentone, in South Europe, was a necessity for the overworked pastor. Whilst resting in the sunny South, Mr. Spurgeon wrote some pleasant Recollections of Dr. Brock. Dining one day at Mr. Spurgeon’s house. Father Olney was present, and Dr. Brock stated that he had preached at Park-street Chapel once or twice when a student at Stepney College, but he supposed he was not man enough for them, as he was not invited to succeed Dr. Rippon. The good deacon remarked that the people were much struck with him, but he himself was not in office in those days, so had not dared to interfere with the august authorities then in power. “See how all things are determined by a superintending Providence,” replied the Doctor; “for if the Park-street people had chosen me, where would our friend Spurgeon have come to?”

On another occasion Dr. Brock and Mr. Spurgeon were dining together at the mansion of a beloved friend in Regent’s Park, ‘when the Orphanage building was in progress, and money was wanted which was not in hand. Mr. Spurgeon, suffering from feeble health, still expressed his strong faith in God that the money would come to hand in due time. Just as the dinner was ended the servant entered the room with a telegram from his private secretary, announcing that an unknown donor had sent five thousand dollars for the Orphanage. Dr. Brock immediately rose and poured forth his utterances of gratitude in the most joyful manner, and they all united in prayer on their knees to magnify the Lord.

About the same time certain newspapers published reports that some sixty Methodist students were yearly received into the classes of the Pastors* College. This is noticed to give an opportunity

DEVISING LIBEFLL THINGS. II:

for Mr. Spurgeon’s reply, which was in these words: “We have never said anything of the kind, nor is it true. We shall not regret if it turns out to be a prophecy. If Methodists improve into Baptists, we shall not lament it; but we do not expect it. The Church of England has been flirting with the Wesleyans, but we have done nothing of the kind; we have been too busy seeking the conversion of the ungodly to have had any time to bait traps for members of any other denominations.” This reply may be taken as a general answer to other false reports which sensational editors arc too fond of printing in their papers.

At the annual meeting of church members it was reported that 510 had been added to the church during the year 1875, that 208 had removed, leaving the total of church members at 4,813, being an increase of 136 on the year.

The annual meeting of the Colportage Association reported that forty-seven men were employed in forty-three districts, and that $22,075 been received for books supplied by that agency.

The weekly offerings at the Tabernacle for 1875, ^” behalf of the Pastors’ College, were reported to be $9,375.

On March ist a very lively, loving, and enthusiastic meeting of the collectors was held at the Orphanage, when one thousand dollars was paid in, and the orphans sang like cherubs, and looked as bright and cheerful as the morning. The meeting was interesting in other respects, as will be seen by the following extract: “The Rev. John Spurgeon, Charles H. Spurgeon, and Thomas Spurgeon — grandfather, father, and son — addressed the meeting. The grandsire spoke of twenty years ago, when C. H. Spurgeon preached at his grandfather’s — James Spurgeon’s jubilee, and three generations of their family were present on that occasion. He blessed God that as the older generations had gone n£w ones had arisen. We all joined in his gratitude, and the more so when the grandson proved by his cool, clear delivery, and lively, warm-hearted manner, that he would worthily sustain the family name.”

There was a still more interesting gathering at the Orphanage, on June 20th, when a fete was held to commemorate the anniversary of the pastor’s birthday. The crowds which attended were beyond all precedent, and at the evening meeting, presided over by Sir Henry Havelock, five Spurgeons delivered addresses, namely, the Rev. John Spurgeon, the grandfather; his two sons, Charles and James Spurgeon; and Thomas and Charles, the twin sons of Pastor C. H. Spurgeon. Seldom does a man find himself followed in the ministry by two sons and two grandsons, all living to speak at the same meeting. About one thousand dollars was contributed that day to the funds of the Orphanage, one friend having sent ^^42 (two hundred and ten dollars), so as to give a golden token of his esteem for every year of the pastor’s life. The pastor recorded afterwards that his right arm and hand would long remember the thousands of hearty salutations he had received that day.

It will be recollected that some twenty-five years before, an appointment was made with Dr. Angus, of London, to meet a young man at Cambridge, with the intention of arranging for the young man to become a student of the Baptist College in London. By a very remarkable omission of duty, the college tutor and the young man did not meet on that day, and the young man did not enter a college. Now that young man has a college of his own, in which some of the most able and useful ministers in England have been trained, and about forty new Baptist churches have been raised in London and its suburbs solely by the students sent forth from the Pastors’ College. On March 17, 1876, Dr. Angus, who still presides over the Regent’s Park Baptist College, went over with his students to pay a fraternal visit to the Pastors’ College, and a very pleasant day was thus spent together. Both students and tutors were hearty in their greetings. The Tabernacle men escorted their guests over the College and rooms at the Tabernacle, and many new acquaintances were made, which will surely ripen into enduring friendship when they meet one another on the field of service. The addresses delivered on the occasion were hearty, solid, and well received, and the social and Christian intercourse thus opened will be a blessing to both colleges.

Another form of helpful service at the Tabernacle is an annual gathering of the parents of the children in the Sunday-schools. These schools are conducted with so much energy, wisdom, and efficiency, that they have no need to resort to treats and prizes to induce the children to come. They attend in multitudes; and the money usually spent in treats and prizes is devoted to give the parents of the children a free tea, which brings them into personal contact with Mr. Spurgeon and the teachers, and so a mutual sympathy and affection is awakened and sustained, and the parents help the teachers in their work.

The Twelfth Annual Conference of the Pastors’ College was held during the week commencing on Monday, April 3d. It was a time of blessing and encouragement to all who took part in the proceedings. The inaugural address of Mr. Spurgeon, based upon the clause in the creed, “I believe in the Holy Ghost,” was able, lucid, and instructive. During the conference, Mr. Phillips gave his annual supper, at which the spontaneous gifts to the College reached ten thousand dollars. In writing brief notes of that conference Mr. Spurgeon adds: “Our brain refuses to dictate more. If our friends would earnestly ask for us more health and more grace we should be deeply grateful.”

Deeply did Mr. Spurgeon feel the need of prayer at that time; for the illness which he felt coming on lasted for three months, and was to him and to his church a heavy loss and severe trial. The patient pastor poured forth his complaint in the first article in his magazine for May, under the title, “Laid Aside. Why? “In this touching fragment from his pen he remarks: “When the Lord is using a man for His glory it is singular that He should all of a sudden smite him down and suspend his usefulness. It must be right, but the reason for it does not lie near the surface. How is it that a heart eager for the welfare of men and the glory of God should find itself hampered by a sickly frame, and checked in its utmost usefulness by attacks of painful disease? We may ask the question, if we do so without murmuring; but who shall answer it for us? We are content to leave a thousand mysteries unsolved rather than tolerate a single doubt as to the wisdom and goodness of our Heavenly Father.”

On Lord’s-day evening, July 16th, the great Tabernacle was deserted by its regular attendants, by the special desire of Mr. Spurgeon, who wished to throw open the place for a free service to strangers. None of the seat-holders were present, — or not more than half a dozen, — which Mr. Spurgeon considered ‘’splendid discipline, worthy of the best-trained army, — the discipline of love “: and he very sincerely thanked the seat-holders for vacating their places so unanimously that the poor might hear the gospel preached to them in comfort, without even a collection. ‘’The Tabernacle was as full as a barrel packed with herrings,” and the heat was intense. Much prayer was offered at various meetings; and the officers had a baptism of fire from heaven in offering prayer before the doors were opened. They also held three prayer-meetings and an out-door service to the crowds who could not get within the building. Much good was done, many sinners were awakened, and additions to the church followed. The experiment was repeated on Sunday, October 22d, three months afterwards; and this has now become an established service periodically. The object of these evangelistic services is to lay hold of those who inhabit a world outside the Church, ignoring the existence of church or chapel, or even of religion itself. Of these there are multitudes amongst both rich and poor. After each service a number of inquirers come forward, desiring further instruction in matters concerning salvation.

The weekly baptismal service at the Tabernacle on Monday, June 26, 1876, was one which awakened deep feelings of gratitude in the breast of the pastor. Amongst those who were baptized were three friends who were led to confess the Saviour through the preaching of the pastor’s two sons, Charles and Thomas Spurgeon, the first-fruits of their useful ministry. Who could refuse to pray, “God bless the lads “?

During half of the month of August Mr. Spurgeon was rambling in Scotland amongst “Highland cattle, sea-gulls, herrings, and heather.” He went north in search of rest, was away thirteen days, and had fifty invitations to preach. He yielded four times to the entreaty of friends. On Sabbath, August 13th, he preached at Blairmore to an immense out-door company, gathered from all the surrounding towns. The two services there were happy occasions, and much Christian fellowship was shown by the Scotch brethren to the Metropolitan pastor.

Seeking by all possible means to rescue the perishing, a series of special revival services were commenced in the Tabernacle on Monday, October 30th, conducted by the College students, hoping thereby to benefit the church, which so greatly promotes the usefulness of the College by its weekly offerings. The services were only intended for one week, but the meetings were seasons of so much blessing that they were continued to November loth. Various means were used for gathering in the people to hear the Word, and occasionally a band of students resorted to the “highways,” and by singing and preaching compelled them to come in. Deep earnestness characterized both speakers and hearers, and on every evening the young brethren had to rejoice over some sinners brought to repentance. On Thursday afternoon, November 2d, the students held a fellowship meeting to seek a blessing on themselves and their work. In the evening Mr. Spurgcon preached to them. The Master was manifestly present, and all were blessed by the service. There were one hundred and ten students in the College when they re-assembled in the autumn.

On Tuesday, December 12th. Mr. Spurgcon was at Nottingham. and preached two of the opening sermons in Mr. Silvcrton’s new chapel, which he has appropriately named Exeter Mall. It is a building of great capacity, substantial and elegant. It seats two thousand people, yet cost only $23,500, apart from the site. Mr. Spurgcon said of the services of that day: “The giving and the hearing were of the most enthusiastic order, the amount contributed being one thousand dollars.”

At the close of the year 1876 Mr. Spurgcon was assailed by some newspapers in an almost savage manner for a prayer which he offered one Sunday morning, that the Lord would preserve peace, and if our rulers would not learn wisdom, to remove them. He did not trouble much about the abuse of the press, knowing that it is only when he exposes evil and injustice that a clamor is raised. Their fierce language was unheeded, for he received a letter from Austria, informing him that the words of his prayer had been translated into German and Servian, and had been printed in most of the newspapers in those languages, the readers there rejoicing to think that there was one man in England who seemed to comprehend the atrocities suffered by the victims of Turkish barbarism.

The annual meeting of the College evening classes was held at the Tabernacle on December 22d. By means of these classes two hundred men who are working all day receive such educational advantages as they require; thus they do not forget the Lord’s work.

During the year, no less than thirty-three students had been appointed to churches, four of whom have gone into the work abroad, — namely, one to Australia, one to New Zealand, one to the Cape of Good Hope, and one to Basle, Switzerland. Very gratifying reports have already been received from many of those new curates of church work. It is deserving of record that no less than sixty Baptist churches in and around London have been, or now are, under the pastoral care of students from the Pastors’ College. More than half the number are entirely new churches, raised out of the world, and amongst them are some of the largest and most prosperous churches in the denomination. About twenty students were sent out during the first half of the year

1877.

Several times during the spring of the year 1877 large audiences of merchants and business men assembled in the great hall at the Cannon-street Hotel, and at the Friends’ Meeting-house in Bishopsgate Street, to hear addresses from Mr. Spurgeon on questions of commercial morality and personal salvation. About two thousand persons gathered at midday on each occasion to hear the words of faithful warning and affectionate invitation. The addresses which were delivered have been published at one penny each, with the titles *’ The Claims of God “and “Faith in Christ.”

For more than eighty years the annual sermon before the London Missionary Society was preached in Rowland Hill’s chapel. The last of the series in the old sanctuary was preached in May, 1876. Thereafter the official sermon was expected to be preached in Christ Church, Westminster Road, and Mr. Spurgeon was selected as the preacher of the first sermon of the new series. In the course of the sermon he said some plain things about preachers who discoursed on subjects which were not the gospel of salvation, and sometimes were even opposed to it. A spirit of controversy followed, as is usual, but Mr. Spurgeon wisely left his critics to entertain their own opinions, unquestioned by himself

No minister knows better than Mr. Spurgeon the advantages to a Christian church of having work for every member, and seeing that the work is done. It was no surprise to many of the friends at the Tabernacle when, in the spring of 1877, a special mission was inaugurated for those young ladies who have leisure, culture, and refined taste; hence a flower mission was commenced. Friends in the country send boxes of cut flowers every Wednesday to the Tabernacle, when young ladies arrange them, and append to them appropriate texts from the Bible, and these are immediately distributed, free, to the hospitals in London, where they are welcomed with the utmost delight by the poor afflicted inmates, and many a blessing is invoked on the committee who distribute them as well as on those who donate the flowers.

The inventive spirit has long been in active exercise at the Tabernacle; hence the variety of agencies which exist in that church, which are, many of them, unknown in most other church organizations. There is a Baptist Country Mission which provides, under Mr. Spurgeon’s direction, young brethren who visit villages and country towns near London, who labor to raise new churches in them. These earnest young men are always ready to enter on an’ opening by preaching on the village green, or in a cottage or room. There is also the Tabernacle Evangelists’ Society, which finds speakers for special services in London, and works in connection with the churches. These do not restrict themselves to any denomination, but cheerfully aid all pastors who are willing to accept their help for a short period, or a series of meetings. They carry on open-air preaching and lodging-house visitation. These are branches of home-missionary work.

Our social festivals are always occasions of joy, but how generally do they partake largely of selfishness! Mr. Spurgeon has discovered the way to combine the highest amount of personal happiness with the most extensive benevolence and philanthropy. Who but a man with a large heart and unbounded sympathy could have conceived the plan, and so successfully have carried it out, of relebrating the anniversary of his birth by devoting all the gifts which loving friends bestowed, to feed the orphan and relieve distress?

Still suffering from the weakness which follows long-continued pain, yet no one was more happy than Pastor Spurgeon on June 19, 1877, when he kept his forty-third birthday. Some thousands of attached personal friends, and friends of the orphan, gathered that day at Stockwell Orphanage. The day was fine; the gentle zephyrs wafted pleasantly over the enclosed grounds, joy sat on every countenance, and a spirit of generosity seemed to animate every breast. The orphans and their guardians met likewise to unite their loving congratulations to the President of the Institution: this feeling of sympathy and kindliness being freely manifested by hosts of Tabernacle worshippers, and by kind friends from the locality. In the afternoon the pastor preached a short sermon in the covered playground from Gen. XXX. 27, in which he testified that “I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake,” and he acknowledged having received countless blessings through his faithful people.

An open-air meeting was held in the evening on the grass, presided over by Thomas Blake, Esq., M.P., who was ably supported by the Rev. M’Connell Hussey, a neighboring clergyman, and other friends. In the calm air Mr. Spurgeon sat on the platform without his hat, when his son Charles was called on to speak. He referred to his father’s sufferings from the gout, and added, “There he sits without his hat, but he has a will of his own.” Immediately the hat went on; so his own will at once became the will of the multitude, all of whom were his well-wishers. The pastor himself announced that he had that morning received seventy-one letters of congratulation, all containing help for the orphans, besides which one friend had sent him ^^43 (two hundred and fifteen dollars), to tally with the number of his years, and one of the trustees of the institution had sent a similar amount. Mr. Spurgeon commended very highly the management of his brother and Mr. Charlesworth in superintending the Orphanage, and of the working staff he said he could not wish them to be better, as they would then be too good for work on earth, and he assured the meeting that the business of the Orphanage was so well conducted that it gave the President only the minimum of care; and he sincerely thanked the numerous donors who during the day brought in to the treasurer nearly two thousand dollars.

The month of January, 1879, will long be remembered. Having completed the twenty-fifth year of his pastorate, it was decided to celebrate the occasion, which was termed TllE PASTORAL SIL-VER Wedding, by presenting Mr. Spurgcon with a liberal testimonial. The amount proposed to be raised was twenty-five thousand dollars. A large bazaar was opened, which was well supported, and with the subscription lists the proceeds exceeded the amount originall)- proposed.

With his usual large-hcartcdncss he declined accepting the amount for his private benefit. There was one important institution connected with the Tabernacle that needed to be placed on a surer footing, and this was a fitting opportunity for securing that end. The Almshouses, aftording homes for nineteen poor widows, required a more permanent support, and all the proceeds of the “Pastoral Silver Wedding P^und” were devoted to this laudable object, thereby insuring its future maintenance.

May the perusal of the brief personal histor)^ of this earnest, unselfish, laborious man stir many to inquire, “Lord, what wilt Thou have ME to do?”

PSALM XLIV.

Our ears have heard, O glorious God,

What work Thou didst of old;
And how the heathen felt Thy rod
Our fathers oft have told.

‘T was not Thy people’s arm or sword.

But only Thy right hand
Which scattered all the race abhorred,

And gave Thy tribes their land

Thou hadst a favor to the seed

Which sprang of Jacob’s line;
And still on men afore decreed

Doth love electing shine.

These shall the heritage obtain,

And drive out every sin;
E’en death and hell shall rage in vain, —

They must the conquest win.

From grace alone their strength shall spring,

Nor bow nor sword can save;
To God alone, their Lord and King,

Shall all their banners wave.

Awake, O Lord, of Thine elect,

Achieve Thy great design;
Thy saints from Thee alone expect

Salvation’s light to shine.

In Thee alone we make our boasts,

And glory all day long;
Arise at once, thou Lord of hosts.

And fill our mouth with sons:.

‘&•

C. H. Spurgeon.

TILDtN FOUN