Thursday, July 14, 2011

A Firmer Grip Than Ever

A portion of a letter from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, written to his congregation, four weeks prior to his death. His church was the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, England. He was writing from Menton, France, where he had gone to recover from illness. But recovery was not meant to be. He had gone through the valley of the shadow of death just a short while before, but his health was now worse. He wanted his flock to know that the gospel he had preached for over 40 years was still his hope and joy, and should be theirs too. The letter was written January 6, 1892.

I feel my mind grasping with firmer grip than ever that everlasting gospel which for so many years I have preached to you. We have not been deceived. Jesus does give rest to those who come to him, he does save those who trust him, he does photograph his image on those who learn of him. I hate the Christianised infidelity of the modern school more than ever, as I see how it rends away from sinful man his last and only hope. Cling to the gospel of forgiveness through the substitutionary sacrifice, and spread it with all your might, each one of you, for it is the only cure for bleeding hearts.

The Suffering Letters of C. H. Spurgeon, annotations by Hannah Wyncoll, Wakeman Trust, 2007, pp. 118-19.

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