The

Sword and the Trowel

A Record

OF

Combat with Sin & Labour for The Lord

Edited by C. H. Spurgeon

1876

“They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.”—Nehemiah 4:17, 18.

London:

Passmore & Alabaster, Paternoster Row,

and all booksellers.

Preface

Gentle Reader,

THE Preface of our volume is written last, and so is really the conclusion: thus oddly do things happen in this queer world. There is this advantage in it, that we have the more to look back upon and to write about in a grateful style. We have now completed twelve volumes, and very good-looking volumes they are as they stand before us on our library shelf. Twelve volumes represent twelve years of mercy received, of work accomplished, of experience gained, and of progress made. “Bless the Lord, O my soul” is the utterance which presses most importunately upon our lip. Yes, let it come forth, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” We commenced this magazine very tremblingly, for our pen was a very young goose-quill, but it has held out, and it is not worn to the stump even now. We meant to do our best, but feared that the elder potentates in the editorial chair would so far excel us as to snuff us out. Our fears have vanished, our magazine is yet alive, and lively too, and full of promise of better things in the future. Fresh subjects are found, though sometimes we cannot tell where to look for them, and fresh contributors come forward also to assist our editorial labours when old friends are removed. Our mercies as pastor, president, and preacher have been many, but those received as Editor must not be forgotten.

We have aimed at practical usefulness, and it is with much thankfulness that we remember the many occasions in which philanthropic institutions have obtained help through articles in these pages: in one case £1,000 was sent by a reader of The Sword and Trowel, and in many others substantial donations have been forthcoming. To help unknown friends to do good is as sweet a pleasure as to receive aid for our own work, and the joy is all the purer because no trace of selfish alloy can be found therein. At the same time it is with equal pleasure that we remember our personal obligations to Sword and Trowel readers. The College, Orphanage, Colportage, Blind Society, and Book Fund owe to them no small measure of their support; and here, too, our joy has no selfishness in it, for in none of these works have we the remotest pecuniary reward, we seek only the glory of God and the good of our fellow men. As for editing this magazine we have never received a farthing, and it has been from the first a labour of love, we think we shall in this case also be acquitted of selfishness if we ask our readers to increase our circulation by commending the magazine to ...