Five college students decided to spend a Sunday in London before their ordination to the ministry. They wanted to hear the famous pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (He is considered the “Prince of Preachers”). To get a choice seat they arrived at the Tabernacle long before the service was to begin. As they waited, a man came and visited with them. After hearing of their purpose in coming to London, he asked if they would like to see the church’s heating plant.
It was a warm July day, and the students were not as interested in heating plants as in effective sermons. But since there wasn’t anything else to do, they politely went with their host. He lead them down some steps and then opened the door. In a subdued voice he said, “There, gentlemen, is our heating plant.”
What the surprised students saw were approximately 700 people praying for the service which was soon to begin in the tabernacle above. Then they were further surprised to learn that the friendly host was none other than Spurgeon himself.
We hear much about the sermons of Spurgeon but little about the prayer life of this great preacher. Here is what he said about a church and prayer.
“if a church is to be what it ought to be for the purposes of God, we must train it in the holy art of prayer. Churches is without prayer meetings are grievously common. Even if there were only one such, it would be one to weep over.: the form is kept up, but the people do not come. Oh, my brothers, let it not be so with you! Do train the people to continually meet together for prayer. Riles them to incessant supplication.”
“there is a holy art in it. Study to show yourselves approved by the prayer fullness of your people. If you pray yourself, you will want them to pray with you; and when they begin to pray with you, an for you, And for the work of the Lord, they will want more prayer themselves, and the appetite will grow.”
“Believe me, if a church does not pray, it is dead. Instead of putting united prayer last, put it first. Everything will hinge on the power of prayer in the church.” C.H. Spurgeon Vol. 35, p. 60
In back of every admirable quality and gift Spurgeon may have possessed was a powerful, praying church. These people demonstrated that the fervent prayers of a righteous people avail much.
