Preaching and Preachers

Preaching and Preachersman, 'Well, are you saying, then, that it is your sermon?' 'Oh no, sir'said the young man. 'Well, then, whose sermon is it?' 'It is a sermonof William Jay of Bath, sir' said the student. Jay was a famous preacherin Bath in the early part of the last century and some of his sermonshad been printed in two volumes. 'Wait a minute,' said Spurgeon, andturning to his library, he pulled out one of the volumes and there wasthe sermon, the exact sermon-the same text, the same headings, thesame everything! What had happened? The fact was that Mr.Spurgeon had also preached William Jay's sermon and had actuallyput it into print with other sermons of his. Mr. Spurgeon's onlyexplanation was that it was many years since he had read the twovolumes of Jay's sermons and that he had forgotten all about it. Hecould say quite honestly that he was not aware of the fact that whenhe had preached that sermon he was preaching one ~f the sermons ofWilliam Jay. It had registered unconsciously in his memory. Thestudent was absolved of the charge of preaching one of Mr. Spurgeon'ssermons, but was still guilty of theft!There is another very good story which I repeat for the comfort ofany preacher in need, or any man in a state of desperation-s-laypreachersparticularly. It is another story about Spurgeon who, as isknown, was given to fits of depression. He suffered from gout, andthat condition is often accompanied by an element of depression.During one of these attacks Spurgeon was so depressed that he felt hecould not preach, indeed that he was not fit to preach. So he refusedto preach in the Tabernacle the following Sunday and went off to thecountry to his old home in Essex. On the Sunday morning he slippedinto a seat at the back of the little chapel where he had attended as aboy. A lay-preacher was preaching that morning, and the poor manproceeded to preach one of Mr. Spurgeon's printed sermons. Themoment the good man had finished Spurgeon rushed on to him withtears streaming down his face, and thanked him profusely. The poorman said, 'Mr Spurgeon I don't know how to face you, 1 have justbeen preaching one of your sermons.' '1 don't care whose sermon itis,' said Mr. Spurgeon, 'all I know is that your preaching this morning294