Mighty prevailing prayer is an effect of the inward impulses of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit bloweth where he listeth. Sanctification is the work of the Spirit of God, and only he can accomplish it; and it is yours to cry unto the strong for strength.
A HISTORY OF SPURGEON’S TABERNACLE
Smith: “It is just good solid factual material, put together with real warmth, and I have been refreshed by reading these pages.”. THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE: “It is both fascinating and also holds valuable lessons for present-day evangelicals.
THE TABERNACLE TWO THOUSAND
Among the two thousand are always to be seen many ministers of the Gospel, who are deeply appreciative of the provisions of the house, and of the masterly way in which they are dealt, out to the delighted guests. Although the two thousand are not five, it is nevertheless a remarkable fact that there should be so many congregated in one place on a week-night to listen to the gospel of the ever-blessed God.
DUMB BELL
NOTES
In every place they have been kindly received, and the hand of the Lord has been. In the December number of The Sword; and the Towel we mentioned the need of increased funds for the Orphanage.
THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL
AN ADDRESS AT THE LORD’S SUPPER, DELIVERED AT MENTONE,
We have many ways of communing the one with the other, but there is no way of mutual communing like the common reception of the same Christ in the same way. Certainly we have much communion one with the other in our sufferings there is not a poor sick or despondent saint upon the earth with whom we do not sympathize at this moment, for we are fellow-members, and partakers of the sufferings of Christ.
SICKENING OF SIN
Let fellowship with Jesus and with the elect brotherhood be henceforth the atmosphere of our life, the joy of our existence.
MAKE ALL SURE
Getting up the name of a Christian man, repenting of the deceit, and clearing one’s self of the falsehood, and then going to God in sincerity so as to get upon the true foundation: all these make up a lengthened process. The motto of the Armourers’ Company in the olden time is a wise counsel for every man among us.
CALL TO THE MINISITRY
Wood, hay, and stubble may be cheap at the moment, but before long they prove to be more costly than gold, silver, and precious stones. Fires and floods will come to us also, and we shall be doubly blamed if they find us unprepared; for as we are forewarned we ought to be forearmed.
TO THE BIBLE-CLASSES AT MANSFIELD- STREET SOUTHWARK
I desire greatly that all of you who are believers in the Lord Jesus may prove by your happy and holy lives that this is the case. I would have the sharp sword of your convictions adorned with the golden hilt of your delight in the Lord.
THE POPULAR AND BROMLEY TABERNACLE, BRUNSWICK ROAD, POPLAR
May we not beg for a special share in the prayers of the Lord’s people in this hour of our need. Another well opened in the wilderness. the seventh annual diary of the Book Fund and Rs Work is now ready, and can be obtained of Messrs.
LEAVING SECULAR BUSINESS
As a rule it is bad] for a man to change his calling — at least, in England; .. we do not know what it may be in America. We recommend to many an aspirant for pulpit honors the example of the young recruit who was thus addressed: “You need not have run away during the :first five minutes of the battle.” “Well,” said he, “I had rather be a coward for five minutes than be a corpse all the rest of my life.” ‘We think we know some brethren who have been not very unlike corpses ever since their ordination.
THE JOINERS’ MOTTO
Heartily and sincerely let us love the truth which reveals to us the heart of God. We would add truth of faith to truth of courage, and to true courage the truth of knowledge, and to true knowledge the grand truth of temperance, and to true temperance the truth of brotherly kindness, and to true brotherly kindness the noblest of all truths, which is charity.
REPORT OF MRS SPURGEON’S BOOK FUND 1882
Revelation Sinclair Paterson, M.D., who spoke of the difficulties of foreign :mission work; and the Revelation J. I could only think of it in the light of the phrase, ‘the Lord working with them.’ The people were spell-bound, and the spell was the healthy gospel of the grace of God.
YOUR BEST ALWAYS
He who can do best should still do his best: the best of the best is no better than our God deserves. No “scamping” should ever be dreamed of by those who are building in the New Jerusalem, — building in prospect, of the fire which shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
ANECDOTES FROM THE PULPIT
ANTHONY AND THE COBBLER
In the morning, when I arise, I pray for the whole city wherein I dwell, specially for all such neighbors and poor friends as I have. But Diogenes told him, Quanto magis intraveris, tanto magis eris in caupona: ‘ the more you go back, the longer you are in the place where you are ashamed to be seen.’ He that conceals his sin still retains that which he counts his shame and burden.”.
HOLINESS?
Where Sunday-closing has been tried the best results have followed to the morals of the people and the quietude of the neighborhood. Friends are reminded that the annual meeting of the Liberation Society will be held at the tabernacle on the evening’ of May 2.
THE USE OF WOOL IN THE EARS
He goes away, and it would seem as if the Master went out of the door at the same time. It will be a mark of wisdom to be impatient of the follies of human converse.
PROFESSORS OF THE HIGHER LIFE
John Newton said that if he might read only one book beside the Bible, he would choose “the Christian in. She was standing near, and she said, ‘ Papa, have you got a home in that land you are going to?’ the arrow :reached that heart; but it was too late.
NO PAY NO PLAY
Keep you the due proportion of things, lest I do worse than lose my labor, by becoming the cause of your presenting to the people strings of. Our great Captain can so train his soldiers that even their left-handedness shall redound to the glory of His right hand and holy name.
LIVE ABODE FEELINGS
Spurgeon, in the name of his father and of the whole Conference, thanked the Vice-. James Spurgeon were expressed by two of the pastors, and acknowledged by the Vice-President.
ANNUAL PAPER
THE LORD’S WORK
THE PASTORS’ COLLEGE,
COLLEGE BUSINESS OFFICERS
The work of the College has for many years been adoped by the Church at tire tabernacle as its own. I Give and Bequeath the sum of _____ pounds sterling, to be paid out of that part of my personal estate which may by law be given will effect for charitable purposes, to be paid to the treasurer for the time being of the Pastors’ College, Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, Surrey, and his receipt shall be a sufficient discharge for the said legacy ; and this legacy, when received by such treasurer, to be applied for the general purposes of the College.
CONCERNING COLLEGE AS WE SEE IT
In none is it more required than in the man who is set for the defense of the gospel. Another influence may, however, entangle the feet of the teacher of those who are soon to be teachers of others.
COLLEGE NOTES
A new chapel has been erected on the site of the old one which had been for some time too strait for the congregation; it was, moreover, in a very dilapidated condition. We know very little of the history of the chapel here known as “The Tabernacle,” but believe it was erected by a zealous Christian man, who hoped to make the building a center of usefulness, but failed to gather a sufficient number of helpers to sustain the work.
PROJECTS WHICH OUGHT TO BE CARRIED OUT
Plans have been drawn for the new chapel to be erected in front of the present building (which will then serve admirably for school purposes); the estimated cost is f3,800. Again and again have we had to record the progress of the Lord’s work here under the three successive and successful pastors, W.
LETTERS
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run, and be glorified (in India) even as also it is with you: and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men, for all have not faith. College, will be pleased to learn that, by the suffrages of the denomination, Brother William Clark, of Ballarat, has been called to the chairmanship of the association; Brother F.
GENERAL RESULTS
These last are not removed from our list in all cases from causes which imply any dishonor, for many of them are doing good service to the common Lord under some other banner.
PASTORS’ COLLEGE SOCIETY OF EVANGELISTS
It is a great joy to us to hear, in almost every instance, of the conversion of one or more of the inmates of the home where Mr. This brother was set apart for evangelistic work in connection with the Surrey and Middlesex Association; but those counties do not appear to be fully ripe for such services, and therefore he will be at the disposal of churches in other parts of the kingdom, though we hope that Surrey may be able to use him also.
THE PASTORS’ COLLEGE
In early days, then, the problem was, How shall the Pastors’ College minister to the peculiar need of the times and circumstances that gave it birth. The point of resemblance, and what has most impressed my mind, is that the Pastors’ College men have invariably something definite to say on the great themes of the.
VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT
The change of population in the country towns and rural districts, owing to the long depression in agriculture, has greatly affected our country churches, and we are more than ever anxious to provide suitable men who will be prepared to face the self-denial incident to such. We hail gladly any evidence of approaching unity of feeling and effort in the one harvest, field; but we are more than ever persuaded that we need to bear our witness to the old Calvinistic doctrines of grace, and to uphold our distinctive view of the ordinance of believer’s baptism.
REMARKS BY REV. GEORGE ROGERS
Endowed Christianity is at one extremity of the series and we are at the other. To these considerations we may confidently add that, although the students of the Pastors’ College.
MR GRACEY’S REPORT
Sufficiently versed in the original languages of both Testaments, in Biblical Science, and in all the general departments of literature to make a creditable commencement of their ministry, by diligent study and prayerful dependence upon Divine aid, and a zealous determination to qualify themselves, as far as possible, for the great end they have in view, they have not come behind any other apostles in modern times.
MR FURGUSSON’S REPORT
Yes, they will preach the gospel after the way and manner so peculiar to the Pastors’ College; and which have been so much honored by the eternal Spirit. Wayland’s Ethics alternated with Butler’s Analogy, Taylor’s Elements of Thought, Thomson’s Laws of Thought, Sir William Hamilton’s Metaphysics, Fowler’s Inductive and Deductive Logic.
MR. MARCHANT’S REPORT
It only remains for me to enumerate the classes of my department and the class-books. My congregations were never so good as they have been for the past three years; a spirit of unusual prayer and earnestness has animated the people; seventy persons, nearly all from the world, were last year added to the Church; while now, largely through God’s blessing on dear Messrs.
MR. CHESHIRE’S REPORT
We are told by some that to believe in an omnipresent personal God is unreasonable, and yet these very men say that every atom in the universe attracts every other; that every atom in the sun has some power over the earth; remove one atom from the sun, the aggregate of his attractive. Oh, foolish and slow of heart to believe: How can they in the same breath tell us that to believe in an omnipresent Father is unreasonable.
CYCLE OF DAILY PRAYER
OVER THE MOUNTAINS
She felt like the Psalmist, when he cried, “My sin is ever before me.” The pain of our Lord’s absence becomes intolerable when we fear that we are hopelessly shut out from him. Our blessed Lord is called in the title of the twenty-second psalm, “the hind of the morning”; and the spouse in this golden Canticle sings, “My beloved is like a roe or a young hart;.
KEEPING A COW
Preachers might afford to be happier if their sermons were fuller of the gospel: the blues would vanish if the cream were visible. Oh, that all preachers and teachers would, for one twelvemonth, try what the gospel by itself would do I Even if they doomed us to partake of nothing but the diluting element for the next six months afterwards, we would like the experiment to be tried, for we could stop away when the diluting tap was turned on.
CHANCES FOR YOUNG MEN
The glorious giants of the Puritan age fed on something better than the whipped creams and pastries which are now so much in vogue. We sigh for preachers who will give us the unadulterated milk of the word, even as the child longed that the City milkman would keep a cow.
A WORK TO SOUL-WINNERS
Special petitions were presented for those that go down to the sea in ships, and interesting incidents of the. The tone of the meeting was all that could be desired, and the speeches were worthy of the occasion.
METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE
COLPORTAGE ASSOCIATION
Besides statistical testimony, however, many unsolicited commendations of the work have been received, accompanied in one instance by a donation of. The thanks of the Committee are also due to the Religious Tract Society for liberal grants of Tracts and Books at a reduced rate, and to the British and Foreign Bible Society for the favorable terms upon which the Association has been supplied by them.
SELECTIONS FROM THE COLPORTEURS’
REPORTS
One of these came to me in the market, and said he had been brought to the knowledge of the truth; the other upon a bed of affliction; and another through the preaching of the gospel. Prayed with him, which then seemed to make a deep impression; had to leave him in the hands of God.
