The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-01-25
Sturgeon on Young Preachers.


TIE first number of the Sword and
Trowel for the new year contains u
contribution OF Mr.. SpurgeOu. Speak
ing of bis own career he says: ''My
college course was after this fashion !:
| was for three years a Cambridge
man, though | never entered the uni
versity l could not have obtained a
degree, because l was noncontormisr;
and, moreover, it was u better thing
for me to pursue my studies under an
admirable scholar and tender friend
and preach ut the same time, / must
have been a singular-looking youth on
vet evenings. During the last year
of my stay in Cambridge, when l had
given up my office as usher, l was
wont to sally forth every night in the
week except Saturday and walk three
Ave, or perhaps eight miles out and
back again oh my preaching work;
and when it rained | dressed myself in
waterproof leggins and u Mackintosh
oat, and q hat with q waterproof
waterproof covering, and l carried a
lark lantern to show me the way
acrcss the fields. had many advent
ures, 4 4 : but what had gathered
by my studies during the day l hand
ed out to a company Of villagers dur
ing the evening, and was greatly profit
81 blythe exercise. l always fond it good
10 say my lesson when had learned
it. Children do.so. and it is equally
,;ood tor preachers, especially it they
say their lesson BY heart"
Commenting on the value of preach
ers to the preachers, Mr.. Sturgeon
writes: ut kept men out Of mischief,
to set about preaching the knowledge
If the truth. The most useful mem
ers of church were usually those who
would be doing harm il they were not
,ioing good. They could not be ch ps
in porridge-they must flavor it one
way or the other. We're he (Mr.
Spurgeon) not always at work he
would he sure either TO worry himself
Or others, for his brains would not
initiate Inc dOrm0use and take long
sleep. To have nothing to do would
Kill some people outright. Active
minded isilers we're q curse to any
Lozy members of church
es, if they had restless dispositions.
became critical hearers, grumblers,
gossips, herslics or schismaiics. il
vas fine to see sluggard lean over a
rail, and find fault with those who
were hard Mt work in their shirt
sleeves; he said they we've out of
order, and ought to wear dress coats.
II would be better if they were TO
lress his coat for him.
I'm my young days" Mr.. Sturgeon
continues, III fear | said many odd
.hings and made many blunders. but
nv audiences were not hypercri,icai.
md no newspaper writes doggcd my
reels; and so had a happy training
ground in which. by continual practice,
attained such a degree Of ready
pc, CD as / now possess. There is no
vay Of learning to preach which Gun
,e compared 10 preaching itself. If
'ou want to swim you must get into
be water, and il you ut the first make |
sorry exhibition never mind, for it
> BY swimming as you can that you
earn to swim as you should. Hence
re ought to be lenient with begin.
ers, tor they will do better by-and-
". If young speakers in Cambridge
ad been discouraged and silenced,
night not have found my way here,
nd, therefore, l hope shall be the
,st TO bring forth the wet blanket for
nv who sincerely speak for Christ,
Owever humble NAV be their endeav-
re-, The fear ofthere being too many
reachers is the last that will occur to
lie. Irejoice in that passage Of the
'saIm, The Lord gave the word
reat was the company of those that
it, Go forth. young men,
nd proclaim among the people Of
,,s vsst city all the words Of this
fe. Among these millions you will
4 be few enough