The text which for years has been our consolation is that which saith, " I have chosen thee in the ; he may not ask a question as Happy enough is the man who is chosen of God furnace of affliction." Yet we could wish to when or where. zi;al and fervour were in our case, and that it were otherwise not restrained and hampered by being yoked to painful infirmities of the flesh. We could do more, and we think we may add, without self-confidence, we would do more, if we were not laid prostrate at the very moment when our work requires our presence.
However, unto the Lord be the arrangement of ; but while we live, we will leave no stone unturned for the our health or disease, our life or our death increase of His glorious Kingdom in the earth.
Every interval of relief shall be laid out in His service. The time ; the work is great, the Lord all the more economically it must therefore be spent short, is must be trusted the more simply.
five times occupied by Mr. at the Tabernacle has been During the Pastor's illness, the pulpit Thomas Spurgeon, and once by Mr. Charles; and for both of it has been a delight of no ordinary kind the sick parents to hear on all hands the highly-favourable judgments of God's people as to the present by and our encouraged be Godly eminence, usefulness, should parents ultimate of their sons.
" The experience to pray for and expect the salvation of their offspring.— C. H.
in "Notes" in Sword S., and the Trowel" before leaving for the furlough described in this chapter.
Let me describe certain Baptists in this (i) A father and son;— the father, rather lame; hotel, the son, very attentive to the father; health, but nothing fact, a model; father improving as to in to [These were, of course, the dear writer himself and "Son Tom." — S. S.] (2) An old manboast of.
beard, — an odd customer, servant with grey a (3) Mrs. Godwin, commonly called "Old George."
_ daughter of Dr. Acworth, of Kawdon, and wife to —^''^ '"-'^ '""" ' i'' \ With the son of Dr. Godwin, of the same place. ' -^5 '' .'"i'-^r.^i'i* her are two daughters, once pupils of Miss Drans(4) An round-faced old excellent ladies.
field, daughter, Dutchman, Mennonite, with his a another Mennonite ;— haters of baby-baptism, and very glad to see Mynheer Spurgeon !— C. H.
S., in letter written home during the furlough. OTHER WORSE, RETURN, was the sad, hurried me home from message that brief How was AustraHa the joyful 187S.
in Plymouth, discovery, on the that arriving at was her past But, alas of illness crisis !
ARBOUR IN DR. BENNET'S GARDEN, MENTONE. ^^^ ^g^j. fgU ^|^g ^qqj^ ^^\-^^^ gi^Jf^^J^gj. | and home, him attempting take the his place nurse to at helping'vith at to A 4
p. 2; SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. it was on rather than on really looked his account, as mother's, Tabernacle, if it led me This surmise was Providence had further strengthened when, back.
that to my should accompany the it was proposed much that convalescent surprise, to Mentone.
I should have jumped at such a privilege It might be thought that if the but, ; I was by no means keen on going. I must admit that I was a Perhaps truth is told, ; may be, I wanted to get at some permanent employment little weary of travelling to leave my mother, I was so sorely sick.
perchance, fancy, too, that loth still for my father such companionship I could not provide had pardonable fears that as to learn how easy As I had it was to please him.
he deserved and desired. yet it " What a good father not been a week with him ere I had could write, happened, I loved him much although away from him, and now my affection he is, to be sure !
Three months increase by being with him." at Mentone, indeed, So, did. will it of earnest work and happy of growing under the varying experiences recreation, gave me health and sad fair and stormy an weather, relapse, of insight into his Many a time, in any other way.
not have gained character such as could since South, with the dear man of the sunny then, have the memories of that sojourn in God, been an inspiration to me. I am could have ventured lapse of twenty sure the not years, to that, after I wrote home been recite the story of that memorable visit, had not the letters that Dear mother has treasured them years, and they these fortunately preserved.
all have greatly refreshed my memory. I had written more than these thirty I only wish had spoken more in detail of the sayings and doings ; and that, in them, missives of my beloved parent during those glad and golden days.
better way Perhaps, the We were supposed much. take turn wrote to that so in rejoice to to it is Father called my part of the work my book, and gave me correspond with home.
How either of us dreamed " full permission fifty thousand write sheets."
to little what a purpose these notes would eventually serve ! The dear Of our journey to the land of sunshine, little need be invalid said. He seemed better at began to improve directly we started. Folkestone, and better Even Marseilles did not unduly tire him. the long night-journey to Paris, at still Ere we left the gay capital, " we had prayer, asking for peace and pleasure knelt in on our way the very start, we had an answer the shape of a pleasing ; and, at in He spoke very interview with a converted Jew who was Cook's agent.
acting as On earnesdy about and Saviour the dear Book, Jesus Christ. blessed the his father amused for some journey, which, of time with arithmetical puzzles, us in The night was bitterly cold, — our breath froze on the course, he had the best of it."
windows, — yet " Our were no carriage harm. prayers preacher took the sick
p. 3SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. ; we had journeying mercies rich and rare." I should have answered most g-raciously Passmore, — that kindest said that our party consisted of father and son, IMr. Joseph and most genial of travelling companions, — and "Old George," or, I used as find " Father Christmas."
to style him, A brief halt at Marseilles was rest of ihe journey proved slow helpful, but the How joy with which speak Pastor hailed his the and wearisome.
of the shall What though the weather was so unfavourable, for a while,, chosen resting-place ?
is not Mentone," the very sight of the hills, and that he had constantly to say, "This He knew that, when the sun did shine on the olives, and the sea, revived his spirit.
The " as closing days of January were them, they would be surpassingly lovely.
it was possible to get fine as fine could be," so, though the limbs were not yet strong, garden, or to watch the fishermen draw seine, and even to Dr. Bennet's their to in DRAWING IN THE NET AT MENTONE.
saunter up one or other of the charming valleys. But progress was all too slow, and It was a black Thursday when I had to send word an alarming relapse supervened. " Dear father's right is wrong, and he home, get worse." foot that fearful will is it " Where the path was On the first of March, the most that could be said was, pretty level, he managed well enough alone, but every now and then he had lean upon to my shoulder."
There was gladder tidings a week later, "All is full of mercy with us. Dear father still continues to improve, though his knees are certainly not hurrying to Great was my However, he gradually rallied.
fulness of strength." the grief that closing week was stormy and dismal. I had so hoped that he could be in the healing On the sunshine "just to receive the finishing touches."
had fourth of April, the " Father pronounces himself better than ever this morning." That joy of recording, was the last bulletin.
p. 4of welcome It was There undue was no hardly such the usual sort cases. in it was I might even it, but hearty, spontaneous, and, familiarity in say, affectionate.
" Meester The foreigners, who Everybody was called him delighted him. see to He had Sparegen," vied with Englishmen in assuring him of their joy at his return.
The cheery word still more Paix was a genial smile and Hotel de a for la all.
peaceful when he became Old acquaintances, and ministers of the gospel, its guest. Even the clergyman, who claimed had a specially hearty reception from him.
to be " a friend of more than twenty " been have because," standing, said years' he, cribbing from you time," was favoured with quite a large slice of attention.
that all Most to his mind, however, were the King's three mighty men, George Miiller, John Bost, and Hudson the company of these spirits, he kindred In Taylor.
literally Was I not honoured to be an onlooker ? revelled. Family worship was a delightful item of each It was, of doings. day's course, usually conducted by C. H. S., but he sometimes asked His take others part. to unstudied comments, and his marvellous prayers, were an inspiration indeed.
did in my not wonder that requests were received for a share in this privilege.
: — "We had two fresh arrivals to find, journal, the following interesting enury for March 3 they had morning through requested, Strangers the prayers.
waiter, father, to stately mother and daughter from Belgrave admission to our worship, so a a tall Square were made right welcome." It was often directly after breakfast that the work had to be seen to it must for ; be known that C. H. Spurgeon's holidays were by no means altogether devoted to He lound his truest delight in active service. Sometimes, so-called pleasure-taking. There if the truth must be told, all of us that he rested insufficiently.
it appeared to ; — how he would answer them were me, worried they those ceaseless for letters How he loved himself, when I wanted him to be by the sea, or under the olives ! the olive trees, chiefly because they told him of his Lord and of Gethsemane !
I begrudged him the time he spent in corresponding with all save I confess that how wrote This mother Church.
Tabernacle time and the dear the at matter: — "As is folk would wish not bother other concerninghis letters, to this not seem any him must does admit great with that nonsensical epistles, it the time would be answer them to him better spent the labour far in to still, ; must understand what be endured."
sunshine cured think be but can't ; He knew time, why he answered better, by almost the everyone.
so well this He knew also how would and power glad the recipients be, of letter-writing.
what Quite friends he would a venerable his recently, in secure. life-long saint, eighty-ninth year, sent me, "just to look at," a letter he had received from dear father
AUTOBIOGRAniY. SrURGEON'S H. It was a message answer Mentone. a sermon The of gratitude to for in at in Christian Herald, and ran like this : " My Dear Brother, I thank you for your word of good cheer. " to be is a great joy the It You will very likely get home before means of comfort to an aged beHever.
shall, I am coming as fast as the gout will let me. The but tell them Lord not leave will you now that hoary hairs have come, but will now carry you His bosom.
Peace in be unto you ! " Yours heartily, " C. H. Spurgeon." Who can tell the joy that brief, bright, brotherly note brought the octogenarian, who, first to " eet home " ?
all, was not the after AN ANCIENT OLIVE TREE, MENTONE. The weekly sermon had there was other work to be done. But to be revised, and the magazine edited. is very busy with Here is a striking holiday item there was magazine, and Moreover, you the he cannot to-day."
write fears to generally some book on the stocks, and since he who would write books must read original a thinker as he was, — it them, — a maxim which obtained even with so is
p. 6SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, H. : — "We have beguiled many of our hours by reading, and father written in my diary in fragrant nosegays by-and-by."
has been culHng flowers of thought to be arranged The only mishap on our journey to Mentone was the temporary loss of a bag full of ; but a more serious loss than that seemed scarcely possible to the author and books He was in terrible He was as a workman bereft of his tools. devourer of books. " Great was till the satchel was forthcoming. to be comforted distress, and refused the Pastor's joy on finding his peculiar treasure."
I, too, was set to work, and that With very special delight recall the fact that I had the President of the Pastors' College as my private Let me give a few tutor. of the Mentone branch quotations which will sufficiently indicate the curriculum of French which from Chapter a father history of read that Institution I then stuck to Hodge questioned me afterwards, till dinner-time, and by to-morrow is very good real working of dear I hope father interest order.
to get into to It shall do my very best to prevent him ever regretting it."
him.self so in my welfare. " Father and son worked The history and Hodge. driest matter btcrsts into a at " Father is now on a sofa, at an C. H. S. puts some of his fire blaze to it." zvheji to my study of political economy, prior a primer open window, inspecting of it.
admit me Conference wonder course 'extraordinary College the to will this if ; history, and am, as examination have just completed greatly hope an " in so." A still more interesting way of studying French history was usual, top of the class.
French and borrowed Father read Revolution, Carlyle's introduced yesterday.
Passmore seemed Mr. There appreciate a us!" that hint follows to this to it (even) more Hodge. it was method to hear than But, oh, glorious of instruction C. H. Spurgeon read Carlyle ! Every day, when the weather favoured, and health permitted, we had an outing of some drive up one of the valleys, and a stroll consisted only of a often sort.
It ; but we generally took our lunch, and " Old George " was sorely tried because back cloth, and no centre-piece more elegant there was no spot for his sufficiently level these were sharpened which orange an than but scorned.
appetites oui" trifies ; How the dear Pastor gloried in the freedom of these rambles The spring flowers !
and spiders, no less than the towering hills and dashing trap-door the filled his rills, The prayer and constantly found praise, and prayer, and soul with praise poetry.
" We lunched beneath the expression, and once poetry overflowed. the least at fir No wonder, then, that Meanwhile, the birds were singing to the poetic trees. us. in extempore rhyme. and S. gave H. vent burst delight his to forth, fire It that we had been reading Cowper together before the should be perhaps explained meal."
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SPURGEON S H. GORBIO, NEAR JIEKTONE. "fifty times would Five times we went up the Gorbio valley, and declared that CASTLE AND FOUNTAIN AT ROQUEBRUNE, NEAR MENTONE.
p. 1were made to Bordighera, — " the place where the sun seems always shining Nice, and ^lonaco, and Roquebrune, and Ventimiglia, and Dolce Acqua. pyngDt, 1S&4, by Harper & Brothert. DOLCE ACQUA, ITALY. Cap As soon as the weather cleared, the cheery Martin was a favourite spot.
out, "Son Tom, I propose a drive to Cap Martin." rang I thereupon heartily voice and seconded others had joined us by the the resolution, friends time,) (for this " we clambered over it unanimously.
rocks, and a breezy drive, carried After the watched coursers foam pale green shore, and dash toward the themselves the in We were a jolly party altogether, and who will say that dear father spray about us.
" was not the jolliest of all 1 Sometimes, quite an excursion party was organized, "personally conducted" by visit: — "We had a splendid Thus we read, C. H. S.
of our in the chronicles trip, to Ventimiglia, — a whole the day before in two yesterday, party of carriages.
us,
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SPURGEON'S H. Father was guide, of course, and interested us greatly with his graphic descriptions You know how much more one can learn of the amphitheatre and the cathedral.
when he is at hand to pc'nt it out." PALAZZO ORENGO, LA MORTOLA, ITALY. I am tempted from quote charmingthe report a the largely to to of visit As of Mr. Thomas it was fully enjoyed by him whose time of Hanbury.
residence " March 23, I am endeavouring to picture, it by in silence. I cannot pass rest '79. The morning was wet and cold but, suddenly, the wind changed, and the sun tried ; We were wondering if we might hope for a drive in to struggle through the clouds.
Mr. H anbury's afternoon, when carriage was announced be the waiting to to in noticed the change before we did, Mr. H. had convey us Palazzo Orengo.
the to and was more of favourable weather he us, with kindly confident so sent a for ;
SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. lO H. us when we wished. The of a charming ride, and a promise prospect return to lovely stroll in an earthly paradise, (to say nothing of a rechercM lunch,) was eagerly jumped at.
" From road, we gateway on walked high magnificent by an the the easy At every turn, — nay, at every step, — there was somedecline toward the mansion.
The walks are spread with thing to admire and marvel tiny blue beach stones.
at. ENTRANCE TO MR. HANBURY S GARDEN, LA iMORTOLA. that, though the plants and shrubs were overflowing with tOKCns of the SO crystal we and was H.
Mr. our went garden guide, dryshod. over recent the rain, rare and and and and curious descanted concerning the agaves, eucalypti, aloes, ot my a number saw quite plants which he had from gathered every quarter.
friends, — she-oak, wattle, well remember that dear father gum, Australian etc."
Thousands was specially delighted with the wonderful show of anemones. of these grass, — a fallen rainbow, fresh green bright flowers, of every hue, s.prang from the An Much it was owner's him surely regret, pleased to greatly.
aloe, too, its !
AUTOBIOGRAPHY. SPURGEON'S H. It was the finest in the garden, and Mr. H. knew only too well beginning to flower.
still further to beautify itself must end in death. Dr. Bennet's garden was our chief resort, — "a that its effort But paradise on the veritable How many times It was near it was visited, side of a rocky steep."
I cannot tell. invitation was necessary. Father loved to look on the town at hand, and no special desired me It was and sketch from the scene.* not the view-point, to this first ; and great was my joy to transfer to my time mv pencil had been service his at some which such queer sketch-book scenes him, the interested as particularly specimens cliff with old town, the tunnel-pierced of architecture in the the Italian MENTONE ARCHITECTURE.
illustration of " Mentone, as seen from garden," was given in an Bennet's * This view Dr.
is not reproduced here, as ni., but the other scenes mentioned by Pastor Thomas Spurgeon have been prepared from his sketches, together with Vol.
of the chapter. at the beginning the illustration
p. 12SPURGEON'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. "SsS^^a^M^^^sfiiKTHE TUNNEL THROUGH THE RED ROCKS, MENTONE. Roquebrune castle and guard-house on running its brow, fountain the ruined at Never had olive tree (see page 7), or a specially gnarled and twisted (see page 5). aspiring artist a more indulgent patron. the smoking-room, where After dinner, there was generally an adjournment to freely with the other visitors at the hotel, who were by no means loth father chatted And he could discourse on to exchange sentiments with the distinguished preacher.
How pleased he was to meet an aged Mennonite Baptist almost any theme. there ! An Alsatian baron, who had translated some of the sermons, and had come all the way from Cannes to see him, was evening, with due ceremony, received, one his in private sitting-room.
Will anyone be surprised to hear that, on one occasion, Mr. Spurgeon witnessed "We were ' brillante stance de viagie' a conjuring performance entertained a at ? ' Le Professeur PTCstidigitateur, B. Marchelli.' The performance was very given by good father seemed Dear enjoy of a that mightily, for conjuror.
strolling to it
p. 13SPURGEON S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. ' Old George's ' pocket in especially when the Professor produced a turtle-dove from Almost every evening-, we had some reading of a light description, first-rate style."
It was my privilege, also, to add to The Ingoldsby Legends being a favourite work. of my Australian by reading merriment humorous sketches paternal the certain experiences, sometimes amid a shower of newspapers and other missiles.
We enjoyed our Sundays thoroughly. The Presbyterian Church was not then built, so we worshipped in a room of Mrs. Dudgeon's villa.
Dr. Hanna and others He always had unstinted preached, and our Pastor was often an interested listener.
praise for a sermon which Jesus, and proclaimed exalted "That His dyinolove.
was a very sweet sermon," he used to say when such a discourse had been delivered.
How to hear George delighted he was " Patient Muller on waiting upon God."
the man behind The preacher came to Especially did he the message. rejoice in our communion service, and I remember closed it with prayer.
that, after asking for my beloved parents, he prayed very earnestly for "the dear son in great things I had great pleasure in informing him that I was the son Australia." in Australia grasp my hand, — the ; ! how warmly did he old man did we and oh dear Little ! dream then that, nine years after, he would help to marry me in New Zealand.
I may venture it was my joyful Perhaps to add, concerning our Sundays, that On one occasion, to conduct several MetroPastor of the services.
privilege the I told him, afterwards, how politan Tabernacle occupied a seat under the verandah.
I did not happen it was that to address "outsiders." cannot fortunate forget the Not loving encouragement he gave me. prize the lenient criticisms and less did I may be pardoned, valuable hints as to style and for treasuring the delivery.
too, memory of how, during this happy holiday, he conceived the idea of having me ever of instituting a Sunday afternoon service that him, and I might conduct.
with But the Master willed it otherwise. We had a whole day with George Muller in Dr. Bennet's garden, and I am able from my to copy date following of the testimony striking letter as this the to advantage of such fellowship himself father declares able better far to The stimulus to 'trust and afraid' through Mr. Muller."
not be intercourse with How well God times His aid In the same epistle, faith was greatly needed then.
! words our sorrow continued recording mother's occur these at after illness, : "Another Colportage Association.
source of funds the of anxiety the lack for is to the God of This matter also we have believingly commended all grace, who will in many straits before, and Dear father has been surely not let His servants want.
befriend him, — for the Lord has always been trouble In delivered. also this will is ^700 to Him what
p. 14SPURGEONS AUTOBIOGRAPHY. H. director of the Asylums of La Force, C. H. Spurgeon For Pastor John Bost, a public Besides being deeply interested meeting.
consented preside in his at to the man The work among epileptics, father was greatly taken with the himself.
in common, the Frenchman had Bost was Englishman and somethino' Pastor for He himself " Mr. Mliller brimful of humour, and withal somewhat is a stout.
said, " Both The meeting was a grand a big man." great man, John Bost success. is I, for one, was laughing ; and their addresses speakers mingled of fun with plenty ' The were most dear and epileptics crying the effectively time.
alternately all ' pleaded for." at Mentone would hardly be complete of C. H. Spurgeon if it did This sketch to mind how how amused he was by Carnival procession.
the not call tell how and laughed he he was the various heartily devices, the at interested in He was specially pleased with a company mounted upon donkeys, grotesque ones.
The men's bodies were the candles, their heads the and representing candlesticks.
I almost wond«er that the group flames, and on their spears they held extinguishers.
did not figure afterwards in Sej^)Hons in Candles. returned, the eager worker looked longingly As soon a measure of health as nurse declared that he was not to go back, but His head the home.
towards fit Here harness be the patient was bulletin for again. impatient official in to is to my enough undertake the hardly strong March mind, seems, to ; but he will not hear of staying longer, and has thousand duties of his gigantic work Urgent representations from the Tabernacle, that already engaged a sleeping-car."
; but an extra week restored, came to hand he should remain away thoroughly till He was as a greyhound in the leash was all that the combined efforts could secure.
till he was back at his post. And what a home-coming Nightingale Lane then heard sweeter music it was produced, — the music !
of loving welcome to dear ones mingled Philomel than ever And when blessed ministry at the Tabernacle to God.
the gratitude with fervent doxology, loud as the voice of many waters, to Heaven was resumed, there a rose Pastor almost as well as he loved from a church and congregation that loved their them.
later, when from the same What a welcome he must have had, thirteen years to God sunny land he went home