| 193 Sermon Outlines Edited and Condensed - Four volumes in One
"Reading gives delight, class, and ability; the wise crave it, the crafty dscourage it, and the stupid neglect it."
Foreward by Dr. Tom Malone
Foreward:
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born on June 19, 1834 and after a glorious ministry departed this life on January 31, 1892. It is doubtful if his life for Christ, his great preaching, and his influence on the world has been surpassed by any other man since the ministry of the apostle Paul. Many millions who never heard him preach have read his sermons and imagined how it would have been in the great Metropolitan Tabernacle from 1861 to June of 1891, to hear this spiritual giant preach the Word of God. We do not have him to day but we have his writings.
Spurgeon was a great reader from his early boyhood and devoured the work of Foxe and Bunyan, He showed to us that it was no sin to borrow from the writings of others. Jesus borrowed a boat, a colt, and a pillow upon which to lay His head. In the earliest days of my minitry I read from twenty volumes of Spurgeon's sermons and with prayer and study used many of his thoughts putting them into my own words. My sermon preparation in later years was greatly influenced by the sermons of R.A. Torrey. It would be foolish to ignore the great works of Spurgeon and not use his help in our own preaching. This book of Sermon Notes By Spurgeon to quote the great preacher, "is not to encourage indolence but to help." It is like pouring water into a pump to help it draw much more to quench the thirst of thirsty souls. plagiarism is dishonest but "borrowing" is honorable. We must use all the help we can get that God may make us better preachers and soul winners. A thorough study of one of these great Bible outlines produces many other original thoughts and sermons. We study the Word of God and seek the power of the Holy Spirit for our preaching but we should remember that the thoughts and words of Aquila and Priscilla made Apollos even a greater preacher.
Spurgeon was a separatist, a man of scripture and a soul winner and his printed works are the same.
Dr. Tom Malone, Sr.
Pontiac, MI
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