Lectures to My Students; A Selection from Addresses Delivered to the Students of the Pastors' College, Metropolitan Tabernacle, London Volume 2

Lectures to My Students #2

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 edition. Excerpt: ... LECTURE VIII. EARNESTNESS: ITS MARRING AND MAINTENANCE. If I were asked--What in a Christian minister is the most essential quality for securing success in winning souls for Christ? I should reply, "earnestness" and if I were asked a second or a third time, I should not vary the answer, for personal observation drives me to the conclusion that, as a rule, real success is proportionate to the preacher's earnestness. Both great men and little men succeed if they are thoroughly alive unto God, and fail if they are not so. We know men of eminence who have gained a high reputation, who attract large audiences, and obtain much admiration, who nevertheless are very low in the scale as soul-winners: for all they do in that direction they might as well have been lecturers on anatomy, or political orators. At the same time we have seen their compeers in ability so useful in the business of conversion that evidently their acquirements and gifts have been no hindrance to them, but the reverse; for by the intense and devout use of their powers, and by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they have turned many to righteousness. We have seen brethren of very scanty abilities who have been terrible drags upon a church, and have proved as inefficient in their spheres as blind men in an observatory; but on the other hand, men of equally small attainments are well known to us as mighty hunters before the Lord, by whose holy energy many hearts have been captured for the Saviour. I delight in M'Cheyne's remark, "It is not so much great talents that God blesses, as great likeness to Christ." In many instances ministerial success is traceable almost entirely to an intense zeal, a consuming passion for souls, and an eager enthusiasm in the cause of God, and we...

Genres: Christian

76 pages, Paperback

First published April 18, 2010

About the author

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was England's best-known preacher for most of the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1854, just four years after his conversion, Spurgeon, then only 20, became pastor of London's famed New Park Street Church (formerly pastored by the famous Baptist theologian, John Gill). The congregation quickly outgrew their building, moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall. In these venues, Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000—all in the days before electronic amplification. In 1861, the congregation moved permanently to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle.

Reviews

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

mainly about homiletic, but also pastoring in the connection with preaching. the gesture and some content maybe couldn't applied globally, but the principles here quite timeless.

[Ronnie Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read. The last lecture in this volume, "On Conversion As Our Aim", should be read by every minister of the Gospel. Looking forward to starting Volume three!