Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Menton, France, to the students at his college in London, Saturday evening, [late 1880s].

To the College

Beloved Brethren,

         In my absence I never cease to remember you, because I have you all in my heart, as the hope of the church, & the future benefactors of the world. I trust every man is conscientiously labouring at his studies, never wasting an hour. Your time for study is so short, too much will be required & expected of you that I beseech you quit yourselves like men. Every moment with you is worth a Jew’s eye, & it’s profiting will be a hundred-fold in the future. We have to cope with no mean adversaries. Our antagonists are well armed & well trained. Our trust is in the Lord alone & we go forth only with a sling & a stone, but we must practise slinging, till we can throw to a hair’s breadth & not miss. It was no unpractised hand wh smote so small a target as Goliath’s brow. Do not let the devil make fools of you by suggesting that because the Lord works you may be idle. I do not believe it of the least among you.

         Brethren, for our Lord’s sake, maintain a high degree of spirituality –; may the Holy Spirit enable you so to do, dive in God that you may live for God. Let the church see that her students are her picked men. I rely upon you in my absence to help in all meetings for prayer or revival to the utmost of yr ability –. Nothing wd give me greater joy than to hear that in my absence the Lord was moving some of you to make up for my lack of service.

         I am much better. “Here everlasting spring abides” & though flowers wither there are always fresh ones to fill their places. The balmy summer air is as oil to my bones.

         I send my sincere love to you all & especially to your honoured tutors, & the venerable Principal, to whom belong life & the same to you all. My dear brother will be to you all that I could have been & you will pray for him & also for

                                 Your loving friend

                                             C. H. Spurgeon

Address: none

Postmark: none

Text: Aberystwyth University Library, Special Collections, GB 0982 ML/1/8/5.