The Sword and the trowel; ed. by C.H. Spurgeon

VERY little boy was taken to the Tabernacle the other Sabbath, for the first time in his life. There he went through the experience which Mr. Millais has so well depicted in his well-known painting, “My First Sermon.”

Turning to his nurse he enquired in childish accents, “ Is Mr. Spurgeon talking to me?” Bless the young heart, our prayer is that very speedily the Lord may speak to him through the preacher; and meanwhile we only wish that all our hearers and readers would ask themselves the same weighty question. When a passenger arrives at the Great Western terminus, at Paddington, he hastens to the long counter divided into portions of the alphabet from A to Z, he looks for his own initial, and beneath that sign he watches for his own personal luggage. What matters it to K whether Q has a huge tin box, or B a horsehair trunk, or W a warranted solid leather portmanteau ? The first concern of K is to search out the treasures which he can claim as his own. In common life there is no need to urge this : Number One usually secures its just share of attention, and a little more. Is it not strange that when we enter upon higher realms, where weightier matters are concerned, we find men avoiding the personal application of truth, as if they thought it to be a shell which would blow them to atoms by its bursting, or a boa constrictor which would crush them in its folds? We have heard of a writer who was so egotistical, that when he wrote his own life the pronoun “I” occurred so often in it, that the printer was obliged to borrow I's from his brother printer, as his “ I's” had run out. The vice is very contemptible, but might it not prove the basis of a virtue? Might we not inculcate the exchange of the nominative for the

accusative, and urge persons to be ego-istical (would that word do ?) so far as to take home to themselves every practical lesson in book, sermon, or providence ?

The proud conviction that we are above needing instruction, is one principal reason why we profit so little from the abundant means provided for our spiritual benefit. There is no teaching those who are beyond the need of learning. A certain worthy of our acquaintance, being out of a situation, made application to a friend to recommend him to a place, and remarked, that he would prefer a somewhat superior position, " for you know, Tomkins," said he, “I am not a fool, and I ain't ignorant.” We would not insinuate that the brother was mistaken in his own estimate, but the remark might possibly excite suspicion, for the case is similar to that of a timid pedestrian at night alone, hurrying along a lonesome lane, when a gentleman comes out of the hedge just at the turning by Deadman's Corner, and accosts him in the following re-assuring language, “I ain't a garrotter, and I never crack a fellow's head with this here life-preserver." The outspoken self-assertion of the brother quoted above, is but the expression of the thought of most, if not all of us. “I am not a fool, and I ain't ignorant,” is the almost universal self-compliment, which is never out of season; and this is the great barrier to our benefiting by good advice, which we suppose to be directed to the foolish and ignorant world in general, but not to our elevated selves. The poet did not say, but we will say it for him, “ All men think all men faulty but themselves.” It would be a great gain to us all, if we had those elegant quizzing glasses of ours silvered at the back, so that the next time we stick them in our eyes, in all the foppery of our conceit, we may be edified, and, let us hope, humbled, by seeing ourselves.

Gentle reader, during the year of grace, 1871, we shall hope to make our magazine the vehicle of address to persons unconverted and unbeliering. If you are in such a case, do not shelve the subject, but consider that we are writing especially to you. We were in a sick room the other day, and the surgeon, with carefully soft whisper, told us something painful in reference to the case. We caught the glance of the •patient, and translated it in a moment, that keen eye said, “ You are whispering about me, and my case is a very bad one, pray tell me what will come of it!” It would be well for you, reader, if you were equally sensitive; there are threatenings of fearful import in the word of God; do you never in your heart remember that these speak of you? Bare your bosom to the arrows of the gospel, for those whom these shafts shall kill sball graciously be made alive again. Invite the operation of searching truths, which divide the joints and marrow, for their keen edge will destroy nothing but that which would destroy you.

Christian reader, we shall continue by God's help to stir you up both by examples and precepts to holy diligence in your Lord's service. Be so good as to accept each monthly magazine as a letter under our hand and seal directed to yourself, reminding you of the claims of Jesus upon your personal effort. It is said that charity nowadays may be described thus: A sees B in want, and is so very kind as to try to get C to help him. We have daily abundant proof that this is true. world comes to the Tabernacle minister for help, and three-fourths of

« Previous Continue »