FOR THOSE OVER FIFTY

The following is a portion of a sermon by C.H. Spurgeon entitled, The Old Man’s Sermon. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Richard

Your work is almost done, it only remains to leave behind you a monument by which you may be remembered. Mar- ble and brass will perish, but the Truth of God will remain! Set up a memorial of faithful testimony! Not much longer will you mingle with the sons of men. Your seat will be empty and the place which knows you today will know you no more. Hand on, then, the blessed treasure of the Gospel! You die, but the cause of God must not. Speak now, so that when you are gone it may be said of you, “He, being dead, yet speaks.” Call your children and your grandchildren to- gether and tell them what a good God you have served! Or, if you have no such dear ones, speak to your neighbors and your friends, or write it down that other eyes may read it when yours are glazed in death.

Reach out your hands to the ages yet to come and present them with the pearl of great price. Pray God to enable you to set your mark upon the coming generation and then set about winning youth to Jesus by a cheerful, bold, unhesitating witness to His love and power! Willing to go, we all ought to be, but we ought scarcely to desire departure till we have seen the interests of the cause of God secured for coming time! If there is one more soul to be saved, one more heart to be comforted, one more jewel to be gathered for the Redeemer’s crown, you will say, dear Friend, I am sure “Let me wait till my full day’s work is done.”—

“Happy if with my last breath I may but lisp your name,

Preach you to all, and say in death,

‘Behold, behold the Lamb!’”

With this last practical thought I send away my venerable Brothers and Sisters, asking them to take care that their eventide shall be made to glow with the special light of usefulness by their abundant witnessing. I would urge the Lord’s veterans to yet more valorous deeds. If, like David, you have slain the lion and the bear and the Philistine when you were young, up! Do another deed of daring, for the Lord lives, still, and His people have need of you! Though your joints are rather rusty and your limbs can hardly bear you to the battlefield, yet limp to the conflict, for the lame take the prey. He who helped you when you were but a youth and ruddy will help you now though you are old and infirm—and who knows what you may do?

One of the finest paintings I ever saw to move one’s soul was the picture of old Dandolo, the Doge of Venice, leading the way in an attack at sea upon the enemies of the Republic. He was far past the usual age of man and blind—yet, when the efforts of others failed to save his country, he became the leader—and was the first to board the ships of the enemy. The young men felt that they could not hold back when they saw the heroic conduct of the blind, gray-bearded man! His brave example seemed to say, “Soldiers of Venice, will you ever turn your backs?” And the response was worthy of the challenge!

Oh, my honored Brethren, deserving reverence for your years, show us your metal! Let the young ones see how victo- ries are won! Quit yourselves like men and let us see how he who is washed in the blood of Jesus would not hesitate to shed his own blood in the Redeemer’s cause! Your zeal will stimulate us, your courage nerve us and we, too, will be val- iant for the Lord God of Israel! So may God’s Spirit work in you and in us. Amen.