Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students (Introduction)

‘Lectures to My Students' by C. H. Spurgeon was originally published in 1897. Here, Mr. Spurgeon drew together a number of his lectures in written form, “desiring to keep my counsels alive…..and impressing them upon others who dwell beyond the precincts of our class room.”

In this first all to brief introduction, Mr Spurgeon gives us a glimpse of his thinking in bringing these lectures forth, he gives us an idea as to what style and manner he employed with his students, letting us see how comfortable he felt among them.

He comments briefly on the times in which he and his students lived, and what type of men were needed in the ministry. Something of his humour also is evident in his remarks.

Mr. Spurgeon clearly explains how that many men of his day were being “hindered in their efforts to do good by the slenderness of their knowledge.” Thus the Pastor's College enabled such men to not only train for the full-time ministry, but also to learn at the College in the evening. He stresses the importance of preaching the gospel, and explains that the College holds “by the doctrines of grace and the old orthodox faith.”

He had no sympathy with the “countless theological novelties” of his day, and explains that they were “repetitions of errors exploded long ago.”

This is but the introduction to his series of lectures, the first one being entitled “The Minister's Self-watch.”