Book Review: Come Ye Children (Spurgeon)

I wonder what it would be like to watch a video of Charles Spurgeon preaching?  We will never know thanks to the delays of technology – but thankful for the preserving of his words and how he continually spurs us on with his grip and understanding of Scripture and the application of it to the Christian life and ministry.

Come Ye Children is a small book with excerpts from sermons and writings all dealing with leading children to Christ, being parents, or serving in ministry with children.  The three best uses of this book: 1.  Have your children’s ministry team go through it together.  There are 23 short chapters – the longest one may be 6 pages.

2.  Give it to parents who have children – maybe a child dedication present.

3.  Read it and apply it. 

This is where I’ll begin – with that last point.  The only children’s ministry I’ve ever done before taking this current ministry position is VBS or babysitting or childcare.  But, Spurgeon has spurred me on to be more diligent in my task at hand and helped me remember the importance and seriousness of teaching children the Word of God.

Only draw back to reading this: the language.  Of course Charles Spurgeon speaks more in KJV than in the Message…so just persevere.  Have to press on through our chronological snobbery. 

“Christian children mainly need to be taught the doctrine, precept, and life of the gospel: they require to have Diving truth put before them clearly and forcibly.  Why should the higher doctrines, the doctrines of grace, be kept back from them?  It is ours to make doctrine simple; this is to be a main part of our work.  Whether we teach young Christians truth or not, the devil will be sure to teach them error.” (p 10)

“You cannot feed lambs, or sheep either, unless you are fed yourself.  It is quite right for you to be teaching a great part of the Lord’s Day; but I think a teacher is very unwise who does not come to hear the gospel preached and get a meal for his own soul.  First be fed, and then feed.” (p 30)

“I commend to you the study of instructive books, but above all I commend the study of Christ.  Let Him be your library.  Get near to Jesus.  An hour’s communion with Jesus is the best preparation for teaching either the young or the old.” (p 31)

“We should view everything in this world by the light of redemption, and then we shall view it aright.” (p 69)

“Your Sunday schools are admirable; but what is their purpose if you do not teach the gospel in them?  you get children together and keep them quiet for an hour-and-a-half, and then send them home; but what is the good of it?  It may bring some quiet to their fathers and mothers, and that is, perhaps, why they send them to the school; but all the real good lies in what is taught the children.  The most fundamental truth should be made most prominent; and what is this but the cross.” (p 75)

“Oh, that we were more godly ourselves; that we talked more of godliness, and that we loved godliness better.  none of us ever knew what a Savior Christ was till we knew what an evil thing sin was.  If the Holy Ghost does not teach us the exceeding sinfulness of sin, we shall never know the blessedness of salvation.” (p 89)

I definitely have more favorite quotes from this book – but hopefully this will give you a taste of Spurgeon.