The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-06-17
How SpurgeOn Found Christ.

HOW SpurgeOn fOuhu CuTist.
I had been about five years in the
most fearful distress of mind, as a lad.
If any human being ever felt more of
the terror OF Gods law, I can, indeed.
pity and sympathize with him. Bun
vans "Grace Astounding" contains, in
the main my history. Some abysses
he went into never trod; but some
into which I plunged he seems to
have never known.
I thought the sun was blotted out of
nv sky-that had so sinned against
God that there was no hope for me. l
prayed-the Lord knoweth how /
prayed but I never had glimpse OF
an answer that know of. l searched
the word of God the promises Were
more alarming than the threatenings.
read the privileges of the people of
God, but with the fullest persuasion
that they were not for me. The secret
of my distress was this: L did not
know the gospel. Twas in a Chris
tian land had, Christian parents;
but did not fully understand the
freeness and simplicity Of the gospel
plan.
attended all the places of worship
in the town where / lived, but [ hon
tstly believe I did not hear the gospel
fully preached. / do not blame the
men, however. One man preached
the divine sovereignty. could hear
him with pleasure but what was that
to poor sinner who wished 10 Rno"
what he should do to be saved. There
was another admirable man who al
ways preached the law ; but what was
the use of plowing up ground that
wanted to be sown? Another was a
great practical preacher. / heard him,
but it was very much like command
ing officer teaching the man8uvres OF
war to a set of men without feet.
What could I do? All his exhorta-
tions were lost on me. 1 know it was
said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved !" but
did not know what it was to believe
on Christ.
sometimes think 1 might have
been in darkness and despair now,
had it not been the goodness Of God in
sending a snow.storm one Sunday
morning, when 1 was going to a place
of worship. When could 60 nofurther
I turned down court and came to a
little Primative Methodist chapel.
The Primative Methodist are very
useful body. taking the poorest of the
poor and lifted them up from the dust
heap to set among the princes. In
that chapel there might be dozen or
fifteen people. The minister did not
come that morning: scowed up,
suppose. A poor man, shoemaker,
tailor or something ofthat sort, went
up in the pulpit to preach.
Now, it is we'll that ministers
should be instructed; but this man
was really stupid, as you would say.
If man could have spoiled sermon
he would have done il. He was oblig-
ed to stick to his text, for the simple
reason that he had nothing else to say.
The text was, Look unto me, and be
We saved, all we ends of the earth"
He did not even pronounce the words
right, but that did not matter.
There was, I thought glimpse of
hope for me in the text. He began
thus: "My dear friends, this is a sim.
pie text indeed. 1t says, Look
Now that does not take a deal of effort.
1t amt lifting your foot or your finger
it is Just Look Well, man need
not 90 to college to learn to look.
You may be the biggest fool, and yet
you can look. A man need not be
worth O thousand a year to look.
ANY one can look ; a child can look.
Ruf this is what the text saws. Then
it says, Look unto me- Ay," said he,
in broad Essex, "many on We are look
ing unto yourselves. No use looking
there. You'll never find comfort in
yourselves. Some look to God the
Father. No; look to nim by.and-by:
Jesus Christ says, look unto Me-
Some of you say, I must wait the
Spirits Working You have no busi-
ness with that just now. Look to
Christ. 1t runs, Look unto Me-"
Then the good man followed up his
text in this way: :"Look unto Me; l
am sweating great drops Of blood.
Look unto ME I am hanging on the
cross. Look; am dead and buried,
Look unto Me; rise again. Look unto
Me- ascend; I am sitting at the
Fathers right hand. o, look to Me =!
look to Mew When he had got about
that length and managed to spin out
about ten minutes or so, lie was at the
length of his tether. Then he looked
at me under the gallery, and l dare
say, with so few present, he knew me
to be stranger. He then said, "Y0ung
man, you look very miserable" Well,
I did ; but I had not been accustomed
to have remarks made on my personal
appearance from the pulpit before.
However, it was good blow struck.
He continued "And you will always
he miserable miserable in life and in
death if you do not obey my text.
But if you obey now, this moment
you will be saved"
Then he shouted as only Prima-
tive Methodist can. "ioung man, look
to Jesus Christ; look now" He
made ne start in my seat; but ] did
look to Jesus Christ, there and then.
The cloud was gone, the darkness OF
five years had rolled away, and that
moment | saw the sun; and | could
have risen that moment and sung
with the most enthusiastic Of them OF
the precious blood Of Christ, and the
simple faith which looks alone 10
Him. o. that somebody had told me
that before! Trust Christ, and you shall