% WHO BECAME ENGLAND'S GREATEST PREACHER «s&r& £ibv PRINCETON • NEW JERSEY From the Library of Judge Charles Gillett Hubbard McKean Ccpxnty, Pennsylvania BX 6495 . S7 S5 1392~ Smith, Joseph Manton The Essex lad who became England's greatest preache WSM&wkiM ' £Jzr:/t?'M > fer Jc ?^?^ !^^» • z2>/-<2^ A ?4? ^?v \\ MR SPURGEON IN HIS STUDY. THE ESSEX LAD WHO BECAME EHGLAHD'S GREATEST PREACHER. THE LIFE OF CHARLES HADDON STURGEON, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. BV *s J. MANTON SMITH. WITH THIRTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS. AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 150 NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT, 1892, AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. INTRODUCTION TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. BY REV. THOMAS ARMITAGE, D. D. The chief aim of writing and reading this book is to help young boys and girls to become as nearly like this " Essex boy " in spirit and life as can be. What he was or did sprang from his inner being, as a most godly disci- ple of our Lord Jesus Christ. His very heart and soul found their life not in his creed, but in his love to Jesus and in cheerfully doing what his Master bade him to do. His hand was constantly blessing some one because he loved all men, so that love with him was life. Above all things else he prayed to be as exact a copy of Christ as he could be, both as a personal Christian and a preacher of the gospel. Thus, taking Christ as his only model, his faith, his hope, and his love were bright, tender, and lively, and made all his outer life real and earnest. True work in the cause of God followed as naturally from his hands as fruit from a healthy tree or as streams from a liv- ing spring. He thought nothing of being poor or of moving in lowly circles, nothing of being meanly spoken of or wrongly treated, if men were saved by his toils and God was honored by his work. No matter how little or weak or forsaken any poor child was, he looked upon him in pity and tried in every way to lift him up. Lon- don is a great city of four millions of people, and when he saw so many thousands of children there, hungry, in rags, and homeless, his eyes melted in tears. All his powers were put forth to get them bread and clothing and homes, and after that he daily sought by every winning act to make them true Christians. A great many people, some of them ministers and some private disciples of the Lord Jesus, wish that they were as great and as good as Mr. Spurgeon was and they are trying to copy him, but they meet with dead failure. 4 Introduction. The very fact that they take him for a model shows that they feel that they are small and mean when they com- pare themselves with him. They fail, and ever will, be- cause they only imitate his way of doing things, without the spirit, the life, and the purity which he drew from his inmost soul. Any person who tries to imitate Mr. Spur- geon will be bitterly disappointed, unless he is a real Spurgeon in character to begin with. Men may copy his faults and weaknesses, just as the scholars of Plato, with- out his wisdom, made humps on their shoulders because he had a crooked back ; but that was all. If the young readers of this book would like to do Spurgeon's work, they must first use his constant prayer, breathe his humil- ity, and become full of the Holy Spirit. The Bohemians tell this story of Wenceslaus, their great king. One bitter winter's night he went barefoot to worship in a distant church. The snow and ice cut his feet in the driving storm, but as his heart was full of the love of God, he pushed on his way regardless of pain. His servant who attended him was chilled to the bone and began to faint. Then the king told him to put his feet at each tread into his footsteps. At once the servant's shame kindled his zeal, and following in his prince's tracks he walked firmly, although the blood from his feet stained the snow at every step. So Mr. Spurgeon, from a child, planted himself in the footprints of his Lord. He had Christ's life in his soul, and it was easy for him to walk in Christ's ways. He knew that he could not do Christ's work unless he had His life ; then he could walk as Christ also walked. So let the young readers of this book be- come the same sort of youths that the " Essex lad " was, and in their measure they will repeat his life-work. In that case this great preacher, being dead, will still speak in them INTRODUCTION. The life which forms the subject of this book was, in many respect*, like the Kaleidoscope, which, as children, we were so proud to purchase with our saved-up pennies when we attended the country fair held on the village green. To some of us as boys a Kaleidoscope was the greatest wonder of the world. Though plain in its exterior, it had only to be put to the eye to reveal a marvellous array of beauties and colours, which fascinated and arrested our attention. Its variations were so vivid and charming, that we immediately became enamoured of it, yet its charms were all confined within the limitations of one small circle. Almost like magic the old Kaleidoscope at every touch and turn ex- hibited new pictures by different combinations of the same materials. The schoolboy might leave it to attend to his lessons, and older lads might be called away to perform their lawful pursuits of life, but whenever they returned to it they always found some pleasing and captivating picture awaiting them. It was like this with the life of C H. Spurgeon, whom the Lord called even as a boy to proclaim his message to a sinful world. Deliberately restricting himself to the proclamation of a few primary truths, he yet combined them with such remarkable variety and freshness that there was always a new charm in the message which he delivered to the people. Like Moses, for nearly forty years this faithful servant was God's chosen leader of a great company of redeemed people. No book can fully describe the marvellous power of his unique life. Under his preaching thousands of sinners were converted into saints, and afterwards lived to bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. Like Abraham, he was led forth by a divine hand from 6 Introduction. the place of his nativity to become a great father in Israel, and God used him to overthrow many idols and gain many victories. Like David, he was endued with mighty power while yet a ruddy lad, and was able to infuse courage into the heans and lives of many a faint-hearted soldier of Christ. Like Samuel, he heard the Lord's voice when quite a youth, and hid nothing of the things that God had revealed to him ; as he grew, he found favour both with God and with men, and " the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground." After reading all the sketches that can be published of such a life, the verdict of those who knew the man must be the same as that of the Queen of Sheba, after she had seen the wisdom and glory of Solomon — " Behold the half was not told me." This little volume is a new arrangement of the Kaleido- scopic materials of this varied life. It seeks to make vivid those aspects of it which are of more immediate interest to young people, in the hope that many of them may follow in the path which C. H. Spurgeon as a lad so virtuously and vigorously pursued. -^ AUTHOR'S NOTE. Should this book be presented to any young person, it would be well to fill in the name of the boy or girl, in the letters on pages 134, 135 and 138, 139. As two of my own children were led to trust the Lord Jesus by means of these letters, lac-similes of the originals have been inserted in this book, with the prayerful hope that many others may obtain a similar blessing. Prayer is desired that such may be the cas~. PR EFACE. An old ma:; of eighty-two is naturally not much inclined to write a preface to a book ; but as my friend Mr. Manton Smith desires me to introduce his sketch of the wonderful life and work of my son Charles, I am glad to accede to his request. The later years of my dear son were rich in blessing, and his young days were in many respects worthy of imitation. He was always a remarkable boy, and early gave promise of future greatness. As this book is for young people, I would impress upon them to follow him in his respect and obedi- ence to his parents, and in his love for his home. And I would urge the mothers who may read this book to be as careful in the training of their children for Christ as was his saintly mother who is now in heaven. I had something to do with his up-bringing, but I was so fre- quently from home that more of the responsibility was thrown upon my dear wife, and with constant and prayerful thought she nobly fulfilled the task. Now she has met her dear son in glory and rejoices with him. I too shall soon join them and mingle my praises with theirs. I cannot enough magnify the grace of God who "gave me two such sons as Charles and James, and who has used them both so greatly in his service. Each of my brothers had two sons, and I had two, but only mine became preachers of the Word, following in their father's and their grandfather's footsteps. Both my dear sons have served God faithfully, and it is a great joy to me to see the younger continuing with such success the work which his brother has left. May the Lord spare him long and strengthen him greatly ] 8 Preface. Last Friday I was able to attend the closing meeting of the Conference of the Pastors' College men, and to join them in remembering the Lord's death. I felt like a grand- father to all the brethren, for are they not my son's children ? May God bless them all f My heart was made to dance for very joy as we gathered around that table. So intense were my feelings that if I had had j voice like my friend Manton Smith I would have burst forth singing a verse of Dr Watts' hymn : " My willing soul would stay In such a frame as this, And sit and sing herself away To everlasting bliss." My cup is full ; I am an old man now, but I still need the same Saviour as much as ever I did, to save me from my sins. Jesus Christ is everything to me. I have preached the Gospel for many years and I do not want another. In the faith of it I have lived, and in the faith of it I shall die. My father's God is mine ; He is my sons' God too, and my grandsons are following in the same path Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. May God bless this book and its author and all who may read its pages. So prays — The honoured father of his honoured son, z^/^^^^k •> Dumfries Vilt.a. West Croydon, gth May, 1892. CONTENTS. CHAF PAGB I. About Grandfathers... ... 9 II. About a Baby ... ... ... ... , •• 15 III. A Little Boy in a Big House .. 18 IV. The Essex Lad in the Essex Village .. 25 V. A Remarkable Prophecy ... •• 35 VI. Home and School ... •• 39 VII. The Siege at Artillery Lane ... ... .. 49 VIII. A New Man at Newmarket •• 57 IX. Under the shadow of the University .. 62 X. The Beginning of Miracles ... .. 69 XI The Village Pastor ... .. 76 XII. From the Shires to the City .. S3 XIII. Popularity and Panic .. 89 XIV. The Great Tabernacle ... ... ... .. 95 XV. The Prince of Preachers ... .. 100 XVI. A Printed Pulpit ... .. no XVII. His Ready Wit ... 113 XVIII. Mr. Greatheart ... ... 123 XIX. The School ot the Prophets .. 129 XX. The Nursery of the Church... ■• 133 XXI. The Orphan Homes .. .. 140 XXII. Nightingale Lane and Beulah Hill .. i"?o XXLII. By the Margin of ihe Blue Sea ... ... .. 1*1 XXIV. The Sea of Glass mingled with Fire , M .. 105 CHAPTER I. %bovd Grandfathers. AVE >ou ever been in a prison? 5 I can quite fancy that some of my pj>ij g young readers will think this is a queer 0^^)(^r& question to begin a book with. But then there is a reason for starting there, which you will find out presently. We must remember that the prison-house is not necessarily a disgrace to anyone. It is the crime which takes people there that disgraces them, not the prison. He who goes into prison with a good character may leave it even better than when he entered, especially if he suffers for conscience sake. Joseph, who knew the Lord in his youth, was cast into the Egyptian prison ; but it only proved for him a passage to the king's palace. Peter, the bold preacher, was thrust into prison because it pleased the people ; but God sent a new and unknown warder to unloose his chains, and bring him forth to a prayer- meeting while the soldiers in charge of him were still sleeping within the gaol. Paul and Silas, two evange- lists sent forth by God, were also put in prison ; but their songs at midnight enabled them to forget their sufferings, and through their preaching the gaoler and all his family were converted, and were afterwards 10 The Essex Lad. baptized. John Bunyan, the Bedford tinker, was sent to gaol for preaching the gospel ; but while imprisoned he wrote The Pilgrims Progress, which we all love so much. But I want now to tell you of another noble man who was cast into prison. In the year 1677, there lay in Chelmsford gaol for fifteen weeks, for con- science sake, a godly old man named Job. He only had a pallet of straw to lie upon, though the weather was bitterly cold. Like his namesake, Job the patri- arch, he was patient while suffering for truth and for God. This good man's surname was Spurgeon, and he was the great-grandfather of the great-grandfather of the late C. H. Spurgeon, whose father is also a great-grandfather, because Mr. Spurgeon, before he was called away to heaven, was himself a grand- father. Now, I wonder if my young readers could coum how many fathers that makes altogether to succeed Job Spurgeon. When you have quite finished your lessons for school to-morrow, just oblige me by sitting down, and working this out. This family of Spurgeon was descended from Dutch forefathers, who fled from Holland for refuge from the Duke of Alva, when he cruelly persecuted the saints of God in that country during the sixteenth century. Though unknown to fame at that time, the Spurgeons stuck like leeches to the gospel for which thev had left their native soil, and lived and died in the faith which lightens life, and which brightens death James Spurgeon, who was the Independent minister at Stambourne, was the grandfather of the Essex lad About Grandfathers. II who became England's Greatest Preacher. He was what is called a Calvinist, which means that he held and preached the truth in the same way as Calvin MR. SPURGEON S GRANDFATHER. did -in Geneva many years ago. He was a preacher of considerable ability, and continued to preach until he was 88 years old. Just fancy you see the 12 The Essex Lad. old man , yonder he comes down the quiet village, wearing a dress cravat, a frilled shirt, and with very deep pockets in his waistcoat, which usually contained a packet oi sweets for the children. With his kne^ breeches, silk stockings, and the bright buckles on his shoes, he must, have looked a very venerable old gentleman indeed. So he lived* out a life of usefulness amidst his flock, and on his death-bed he talked more cheerfully than many do in robust health. He realized the nearness and preciousness of Christ to such an extent that he comforted all that were around him, till he quietly fell asleep on the bosom of Jesus. His grandson and namesake, Pastor James A. Spurgeon, the esteemed brother of the great man whom this book is about, who is still with us, gave at the Pastors' College Conference, 1892, some reminiscences of the grand old man. He said : " My grandfather was one 01 the most earnest preachers that I have ever known, and was very much honoured in the district where he lived. He had a magnificent voice. I remember him giving me the first notion of a joke. My grandfather was of the family build, and someone said to him, " ' Mr. Spurgeon, how much do you weigh ? ' " * Well,' he said, ' that will all depend upon where you take me. Ii weighed in the balances, I am afraid I should be found wanting ; but in the pulpit they tell me that I am heavy enough.' " There followed a ripple of laughter, and in my youthful mind I wondered what they were laughing at. I began to think, and then there dawned upon me a second meaning, and, as if I had been born About Grandfathers, 13 across the Tweed, some time afterwards I laughed too. That was my first joke ; I did not know that there was such a thing in the world before that. It is very pleasant to remember that my grandfather could poke a little fun at his own expense. I have heard his grandson do it since." The old Manse of Stambourne, in which he lived, was large, but not lofty ; eight windows were to be THE OLD MANSE, STAMBOURNE. seen in the front, but, as the Irishman says, only four of them were visible ; the others were blocked up with plaster, to save the absurd window-tax which was levied in those days. The entrance-hall was bigger than many modern parlours ; it had a brick floor, which was carefully and constantly sprinkled with fresh sand. It was a bonnie house for a boy to live in ; there was plenty of room for him to run about, and the pantry and larder, the dairy and cheese-room, the H The Essex Lad. bedrooms and box-room, gave plenty of scope to youthful energy ; so that a boy, if such there had been, might have had continual change within the walls of the old Stambourne parsonage. There was, in fact, just such a boy, who often roamed over the roomy dwelling, and of his birth we are going to speak in the next chapter. I hope it will not be such a sleepy chapter as this. MR. spurgeon's grandmother. CHAPTER II. gtboiit a ^3 a b 23 , ^^^^s|HE old village clock in Kelvedon had scarcely struck the hour of four in the morning on the 19th of June, 1834, when lo ! there came the first peep of day piercing through the tall poplar trees which surround this secluded hamlet. Suddenly, as if at the magic stroke of a conductor's batdn, there pealed forth a mighty chorus of praise from hundreds of little winged creatures who all night had been hidden away in their warm, cosy nests, and now awakened to greet the new day, until the air was vocal with their songs. But before that day's sun had set, and before the little songsters had chanted their evening praise, there was another cry heard in the little village of Kelvedon, not perhaps so musical to some ears as that of the blackbirds : yet it was a sound which declared that a new life had that day been given by God to the world. What a life it has proved to be, eternity alone will reveal ! There were no bells rung on earth because this child had been born in Kelvedon ; but the mother's heart was made to leap for joy at the thought of God's goodness to her, and the godly father also rejoiced and praised his Maker for the gift that day bestowed : 16 The Essex Lad. though little did the father or mother know what future joy awaited them by means of the life just entrusted to their care. Surely that day the angels above would sing their songs of praise because a new voice was heard on earth — a voice which would soon become like a trumpet-call for Christ the Lord, In the tidy cottage in the village dwelt the godly MR. SPURGEOX S BIRTHPLACE, KELVEDON, ESSEX. father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. John Spurgeon, and their new God-given treasure. Happily they were both well acquainted with the good old Guide-book ; it had proved for many years a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their path ; they had read many times from this inspired Word, words addressed to another, but which they might now well apply to themselves : — " Take this child away, and nurse it for About a Baby. 17 me, and I will give thee thy wages." It was for the preciousness of these sayings of this Book of books that their own ancestors had endured persecution ; and we can well imagine them reading with new unction such a passage as this : " Whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me." Thus it came to pass that in a small house, which is still standing in the obscure country village of Kelvedon, the first year of the life of the boy who was named CHARLES Haddon SPURGEON was spent. At his death, nearly fifty-eight years afterwards, he was pronounced by Archdeacon Sinclair, from the pulpit of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, to have been " England's Greatest Living Preacher." ST. PAUL S CATHEDKAL. CHAPTER III. % %\\\\t ^og in a gig §ffust HEN chubby little Charlie, as his dear Aunt Ann possibly called him, was ten months old, his father and mother removed from Kelvedon to Colchester ; and about four months after that date, Mr. and Mrs. James Spurgeon, of Stambourne, went over to Colchester to visit their son and daughter and see their little grandson. When they saw him they took such a liking to the plump little fellow, that they persuaded the father and mother to allow him to return with them to Stambourne, assuring them that they would only be too pleased to have the entire charge of him, and to care for his welfare. So it was arranged that the boy should go, and for the next few years his aunt and his grandfather and grandmother were entrusted with his training ; and right well did they see to it. Charlie was the first grandson in their family, and you know what a fuss grandfathers and grandmothers always make of such a boy. The child, eighteen months old, was thus early in life transplanted from the town house to the country ; and he remained with his grand- parents until he was between five and six years old. Seeing so much of this Essex lad's early life was spent at Stambourne, it may be well to give a description of the place. The village is an entirely agricultural one, having no manufactures nor any large business premises of A Little Boy in a Big House. 19 any kind. The population is between four and five hundred, and there are about one hundred and five cottages in it. There is only one blacksmith, one shoemaker, and two or three carpenters, in the whole village ; and there is neither doctor, chemist, butcher, nor policeman within three miles. The pretty old Church is quietly situated by the roadside, surrounded by some fine trees, which give it STAMBOURNE CHURCH. a very picturesque and attractive appearance. The little boy must often have looked with admiration on its massive tower, and perhaps have climbed to the top of it to get a view of the surrounding country. There is also' in the village a Congregational Chapel, which stands near the minister's residence. It has a good burial-ground, and also stables and sheds for the horses and vehicles of those members of the 20 The Essex Lad. congregation who drive in from a distance. It is shaded by lofty chestnut trees and limes, which, when covered with blossom in the spring, together with an abundance of lilacs, laburnum, and the flowers of the minister's garden, lrrke up a very charming scene. It is a lively spot on Sabbath-days, as troops of children flock to the Sunday-school, and others con- gregate from the hamlets around. In the hall of the grandfather's old house there stood a fine big rocking-horse, so safe that on it even a Member of Parliament might have been sure he could keep his seat. On the back of this fine grey charger young Spurgeon must have been rocked for many an hour by his devoted aunt. In the front of the house, half secluded by a large shrub, there was a room which delighted the little boy, for the mangle was kept there, and this magic machine did duty for the whole parish. Many a short ride would Master Charlie get on the top of the mangle while the villagers were pressing their clothes. In this same room the kneading-trough was kept, and on the shelf beside it in the corner of the room there was always "something nice for the boy," placed within reach of his tiny hand. The dairy was another place where the young child used often to go, and here he frequently, to his great delight, obtained a cheesecake and a draught of new milk. Even on rainy days he found great delight at the old Manse, for at the front door the rain ran off the roof of the porch into a tub underneath, and after he had watched the drops dripping to his heart's con- tent, the little genius used to float cotton reels, like A Little Boy in a Big House, 21 tiny ships, on this miniature sea. Long after he had grown to be a man, he preached a beautiful sermon on the text, " There go the ships " (I wonder could you find this text in your Bible ?), but his first lessons in navigation were learned at his grandfather's door. The stables and sheds at the back of the Manse were fine places for play. Every gig was mounted in its turn, and its merits proclaimed by the minister's young grandson, but never on Sunday, for that day was kept very sacredly at the Old Manse. The cupboard under the stairs was a grand hiding- place for him, and often he would dig over and over the sand which was kept there for sprinkling the brick floors. With such heaps ot sand, boys are always willing to lend a hand, But, perhaps, the most charming room 01 the house was the best parlour, on the right-hand side of the front door. Outside the window there grew a fine large rose-tree. Its fragrance filled the room when the windows were opened, and as the window-frames did not fit very well, its beautiful and gentle life found its way right into the room, and sent its green leaves and new buds into the house, as if to say, " I am come to help furnish your best parlour, and save you the trouble of gathering the flowers." That was very nice, was it not ? On the mantel-shelf in this room there also stood a bottle, which, for a long time, was a standing wonder to this little boy. The boy saw that it contained a large ap[ le, but how the apple could 22 The Essex Lad. have got inside the bottle he could not understand.. You may be sure that he was not satisfied until he found out the secret So one day he said, " How did the apple get inside the bottle, grandfather ? " " Find out," said the old man. And the boy could get nothing more from his grandfather. MAKING A £>ISCOVERY He then asked his grandmother, who gave him the same kind of answer. He next examined the bottle to see if there were any joins and marks where it had been put together, but he could not see any, so he asked his grandfather again. His grandfather still said, " Find out." When quite alone, he put on his grandmother's A Little Boy in a Big House. 23 spectacles, and looked carefully into the bottle to see if the apple had been put in in sections ; but no, it was quite whole. One day, however, he walked down his grand- father's garden, and saw a bottle tied on to one of the branches of an apple-tree, and a tiny little apple growing at the end of the branch inside the bottle. He had now discovered the secret, and ran into the house, saying, — " Now I know how that big apple got into that bottle on the shelf; it grew inside'' I fancy I see his dear old grandfather taking the little boy on to his knee, and feeling quite proud to think he had discovered the secret himself. He would then, no doubt, seek to impress some spiritual lesson upon him, and to fix it in his memory by telling him that the cold frost might come and nip some of the other apples, but this one was safe, because it was inside the bottle. " Now, Charlie, my dear/' he might have said, " I want you always to remember that the Sunday- school and the Church are like this bottle : they shield many who enter them while they are young from a cruel, cold world, and from many blasts of temptation." Another day, the grandfather would take the little boy on his knee and tell him how a good, godly man named Havers, who used to live in Stambourne, was persecuted for his religion, and that one day, receiving friendly warning of an intended attempt to apprehend him, and finding men were on his track, he took refuge in a malt-house, and crept into the empty kiln, where he lay down. Immediately 24 The Essex Lad. after, he saw a spider lower itself across the narrow entrance by which he had got in, thus fixing the first line of what was soon wrought into a larse and beautiful web. The weaver and the web, placed directly between him and the light, were very con- spicuous. He was so much struck with the skill and diligence of the spider, and so much absorbed in watching her work, that he forgot his own danger. By the time the network was completed, crossing and re-crossing the mouth of the kiln in every direction, his pursuers came into the malt-house to search for him. He noted their steps, and listened to their cruel words while they looked about. Then they came close to the kiln, and he overheard one say to another: " It's no use to look in there; the old villain can never be there: look at that spider's zveb ; lie could never have got in there without breaking it." Without further search they went to seek elsewhere, and he escaped safely out of their hands. By such incidents as these, amid the scenes where they took place, the mind of the boy would be much impressed. But very soon after he had discovered how the apple got into the bottle, and had listened to such wise words from his grandfather, he returned home to his parents at Colchester for a time. Here he attended a private school for little boys, kept by Mrs. Cook, a captain's wife. I need not tell you that it was not the Captain Cook who first sailed round the world, but another. Here he made rapid progress in his lessons, and after school hours he used to play with his little brother James, whom God had given to his father and mother while he was at Stambourne. CHAPTER IV. I$lic dH'icx Jfad in ih<>