I’ve been reading Spurgeon’s “Pictures of Pilgrim’s Progress” lately, and really enjoying it! Charles Spurgeon was excellent at putting the abstract or allegorical into practical terms.

Here’s a little section of it for you all to enjoy and meditate on. The context is “Help”, the mysterious character in the story who pulled Pilgrim out of the Slough of Despond.

I wish I could put my Master’s message into words that would burn their way into your hearts. I desire that every church member may be a worker for Christ. We want no drones in this hive; and we want all bees, and no wasps. The most useless persons are generally the most quarrelsome; and those who are the most happy and peaceable, are usually those who are doing most for Christ.

We are not saved by working, but by grace; but, because we are saved, we desire to be the instruments of bring others to Jesus. I would stir you all up to help in this good work; old men, young men, brethren and sisters, according to your gifts and experience, help. I wish that each one of you would feel, “I cannot do much, but I can help; I cannot preach, but I can help; I cannot pray in public, but I can help; I cannot give much money away, but I can help; I cannot officiate as an elder or deacon, but I can help; I cannot shine as a ‘bright particular star’, but I can help; I cannot stand alone to serve my Master, but I can help.”

An old Puritan once preached a very singular sermon; there were only two words in the text, and they were, “and Bartholomew”. The reason he took the text was that, in the Gospel, Bartholomew’s name is never mentioned alone; he is always associated with one of the other apostles. He is never the principle actor, but always second. Let this be your feeling; that, if you cannot do all yourself, you will help to do what you can.