The closing words of Mr. Spurgeon's last sermon on June 7th,
1891, were characteristic of the man, as follows:
"What I have to say lastly is this: How greatly I desire that
you who are not yet enlisted in my Lord's band would come to Him because you see
what a kind and gracious Lord He is. Young men, if you could see our Captain,
you would down on your knees and beg Him to let you enter the ranks of those who
follow Him. It is heaven to serve Jesus. I am a recruiting sergeant, and I would
fain find a few recruits at this moment. Every man must serve somebody: we have
no choice as to that fact. Those who have no master are slaves to themselves.
Depend upon it, you will either serve Satan or Christ, either self, or the
Saviour. You will find sin, self, Satan, and the world to be hard masters; but
if you wear the livery of Christ, you will find Him so meek and lowly of heart
that you will find rest unto your souls. He is the most magnanimous of captains.
There never was His like among the choicest of princes. He is always to be found
in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold He always takes the
bleak side of the hill. The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on His
shoulders. These forty years and more have I served Him, blessed be His name!
and I have had nothing but love from Him. I would be glad to continue yet
another forty years in the same dear service here below, if so it pleased Him.
His service is life, peace, joy. Oh, that you would enter on it at once. God
help you to enlist under the banner of Jesus even this day. Amen."
