The Life and Experiences of a Layman by Charles Boller

Pages 108 - 112


is a divine and a human side to our holiness and redemption.

The human side requires a godly sorrow for sin committed. Forsaking all sins. Repentance, prayer and faith in the atoning blood of Christ. This brings pardon, and God, according to His promise, will always do His part.

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42. Recall Resolutions

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Every morning compose your soul for a tranquil day. During the day, recall the resolutions made, and refreshing your memory with the same. If something disturbs you, be not dismayed; having discovered the fact, humble yourself before God, and thus bring your mind into a quiet attitude. Say to yourself, "Well, I have made a false step, I therefore must be more careful and watchful."

Do this every day, though you fail frequently. When you are at peace, do so profitably, seeking to be calm under all circumstances. Above all, do not be discouraged. Be patient. Wait. Wait!


43. Hearing Spurgeon preach twice in London, England

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It was in 1887 as I traveled for the second time to Germany that we planned to hear the greatest preacher of the time. For years it had been our personal wish since we had read his spiritually rich writings. When on Sunday morning we made inquiries about where to go we were told, "O, you would like to hear our great Preacher?" As we approached we saw all the streets filled with wagons, omnibusses, streetcats and with people on foot; thus I said, "Oh, what's wrong here?" The next minute we found ourselves in a public place filled with thousands of people, and the large chapel was before us, but with two closed doors and I thought, we'll go in there so we can hear and see Spurgeon. I looked to the long side of the church and saw a group of people going in and thought, those are certainly members of the congregation. I went to a friendly looking sister and courteously asked her to help us


find a place where we could hear her great preacher well and also see him. She took us through a private entrance. "I will call the church assistant, who will find you a good place. We members have an assigned time by which we must be in our places. Then the large doors are opened and the thousands of strangers storm in hastily and have the right to sit anywhere else. Naturally each trys to find a place close to the preacher, but unfortunately not everyone manages," she said to us.

The doors opened. It was an overpowering image for us. They came like a flood. A great wave of humanity, so to speak, waltzed in through the two large front doors and immediately all seats were taken. After a short song was sung Spurgeon went to the pulpit and delivered a powerful, faith-filled prayer, thanking the Lord for the souls who would be converted to the Lord here this morning. I though, how bold, commanding and positive. I had never heard such a thing before.

Then he read from Chapter 3 of Colossians: "Thus you have been raised with Christ," etc.


I asked my neighbor, "Is that the sermon?" "Oh, no. That is the lesson," was the answer. In the reading Spurgeon explained every verse. After a short song was sung again he read his text from Colossians 3. He spoke with great power and in a natural tone without raised voice. Someone told us that you could hear him quite well to the edge of the third gallery. A holy silence prevailed in the large assembly. Indeed all the people listened breathlessly. Once he raised his voice like a trumpet and said, "Today, yes even now souls are converting to the Lord. Thank God for it!" Then for a moment he was still. You could hear many under the gallery as well as in the gallery sighing and crying.

Never before have I seen so many handkerchiefs up to the eyes of the audience as on this Sunday morning with this powerful preacher. This is generally a good sign that when the heart is contrite and the tears of repentance richly flow, the beloved savior has entered the heart.

After the sermon we had an opportunity to have a discussion with this giant of God in his room and to shake his hand, which to this day still does my spirit good.


No offering was collected. But for his school one was given the opportunity to donate something.

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44. My Visit with the Writer Karl Gerok

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Karl Gerok was the greatest religious German writer in Württemberg. He was also minister to the royal court and he lived in the capitol city of Stuttgart. When I traveled through Germany the first time, it was my intention to visit this spiritual giant of the 18th [sic] Century. On the fourth attempt I found him at home. As I rang the bell the door flew open and I stood before a great opening and saw a nameplate on another door with the clear inscription: "Royal Court Preacher." With a faint heart I knocked. No answer. I repeated the knock with more force. Then I heard a far-echoing "Come in!" I opened the door and stood in a large, empty room and in the next one I saw an elderly man sitting at a desk busily writing. He spoke in great haste. "You are most certainly the man from America that my wife told me about."


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Text provided by Lockwood Library, State University of New York at Buffalo, BX8080.B65

Susan Kriegbaum-Hanks