Autobiography 2, “The Full Harvest,” by C. H. Spurgeon. Banner of Truth Trust. £2.10, 520pp.
This book traces the last thirty years of Spurgeon’s life — from 1860 to 1892. The book begins with the building of the Metropolitan Tabernacle and includes chapters which deal with particular aspects of Spurgeon’s work as e.g. The Pastors College (Chap. 7); Literary Labours (Chap 9); The Stockwell Orphanage (Chap. 10); The Published Sermons and World-wide blessing (Chap. 23).
Of particular interest to Scottish readers is Chapter 15 on his visits to Scotland, including his visit to Dingwall in 1870 to open Dr Kennedy’s new Church. The only disappointment here is that the account of the visit to Dingwall is not from Mr Spurgeon’s own pen but is taken from Alexander Auld’s Life of John Kennedy.
The titles of two of the chapters in the book give an indication of the path which Spurgeon had to tread. They are entitled “In suffering and Sunshine” (Chap. 12) and “The Furnace of affliction” (Chap. 24). Long periods of severe physical suffering were to be his lot during the latter part of his life. The book records the following revealing facts — “From the age of thirty-five, scarcely a year passed without one kind of illness or another laying him low. Approximately one third of the last twenty-two years of his ministry was spent out of his pulpit, either suffering, convalescing, or taking precautions against the return of illness.” Visits to Mentone on the French Riviera gave him an opportunity to rest a little during the winter months from the ever-increasing burden of his abundant labours, yet even there his physical troubles brought him low and there it was that he entered into the joy of his Lord.
The first volume of Spurgeon’s autobiography, “The Early Years,” already published by the Banner of Truth Trust tells of his meteoric rise to fame as an outstanding preacher of the everlasting gospel and of the Lord’s abundant blessing on his labours. This second volume tells a different story. It is true that we still find here the record of his remarkable labours in the Gospel, but what stands out clearest of all is the deep valley of sufferings through which he had to pass. Raised up to eminency in the Church of God, the Lord also saw fit to subject His servant to severe trials of physical sufferings. No doubt in this way the Lord was purifying and sanctifying His servant whom He had so greatly used and was making him meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
Spurgeon died on January 31st, 1892, after 40 years of indefatigable labours in the service of his Lord and Master — labours so owned of God to the good of souls as to leave few similar instances in the history of the Church since Apostolic times.
We would warmly commend this book to our readers but especially to ministers and students whom we are sure will derive much encouragement and blessing from it.
D.B.M.