3 of 3

Spurgeon, on the other hand, knew that sin is much, much deeper than individual temptations and actions that can be patched up by a single, perfunctory reconciliation. Its deep wound sometimes requires protracted surgery. So he encouraged those who experienced "dark nights of the soul"—nights that have no place in Wilkinson's scheme—with these words: "Though the harrow go over and over thy soul, and the deep plough cut into thy very heart; though thou be maimed and wounded, and left for dead, yet if the Spirit of God do it, it is a blessing indeed."

This, though it will not sell millions of books as back-cover blurb copy, is a message with depth and staying power. Sorrow can strengthen faith. Affliction can be, as Spurgeon elsewhere put it, "the best book in a minister's library." But 130 years of middle-class prosperity later, it seems millions of American Christians prefer instead to buy a book that downplays such godly sorrow.

Chris Armstrong is managing editor of Christian History magazine.

Copyright © 2002 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

More Christian History, including a list of events that occurred this week in the church's past, is available at ChristianHistory.net.Subscriptions to the quarterly print magazine are also available.

Prayerofjabez.com includes the text of Spurgeon's sermon on Jabez (no. 994, vol. 17, year 1871).

Issue 29 of Christian History (not online, but available in print and on the Christian History Interactive CD-ROM) is dedicated to Spurgeon.

An article from that issue on Spurgeon's sufferings is available online at Pilgrim Publications. That site, featuring the unabridged works of Spurgeon, has extensive information on him.

Christian History Corner appears every Friday at ChristianityToday.com. Previous editions include:

History in a Flash | A new CD-ROM offers quick access to the facts of church history, plus interactive quizzes. (Aug. 16, 2002)

How the Early Church Saw Heaven | The first Christians had very specific ideas about who they would meet in the afterlife (Aug. 9, 2002)

Divvying up the Most Sacred Place | Emotions have historically run high as Christians have staked their claims to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Aug. 2, 2002)

Legacy of an Ancient Pact | Why do Christians still chafe under restrictions in some Muslim nations? It all started with Umar (July 26, 2002)

Big Church Revival | Christian gyms and shopping malls may be new, but full-service megachurches are positively medieval. (July 19, 2002)

Phantom Saints | Juan Diego could soon join a long line of pious, exemplary, and quite possibly imaginary Catholic heroes. (July 12, 2002)

2002 Is Not 1789 | Before trying to figure out what the framers of the Constitution really thought, remember that they were from a wildly different country—the past (July 5, 2002)

Between Extremes | Church leaders didn't like Pelagius's ideas about free will, but they've never been able to avoid them completely (June 28, 2002)

Severe Success | Bernard of Clairvaux was a tough act to follow—yet thousands of Christians walked his path. (June 21, 2002)

Coming to America | Commentators who call proposed INS policies an unprecedented invasion of privacy forget what foreign visitors were asked 80 years ago, and why. (June 14, 2002)

When Pacifists Attack | 350 years ago, George Fox launched a powerful, peace-loving movement with an assault on established Christianity. (June 7, 2002)

Captive Christians | Views from inside Roman, English, and German prisons give a sense of how kidnapped missionaries might feel. (May 31, 2002)

first page |  3 of 3

share this page

August (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46