Did He Know What He Had Done?
John Egglen had never preached a sermon in his life.
But then one morning he did. The snow left his town of Colchester, England, buried in white. He thought of staying home.
But he reconsidered. He was, after all, a deacon. And if deacons didn't go, who would? So he put on his boots, hat, and coat and walked the six miles to the Methodist Church.
He was one of the few who came. Only thirteen people were present. Twelve members and one visitor. Even the minister was snowed in. Someone suggested they go home. Egglen would hear none of that. They'd come this far; they would have a service. Besides, they had a visitor. A thirteen-year-old boy.
But who would preach? Egglen was the only deacon. It fell to him.
His sermon lasted only ten minutes. It drifted and made no point in an effort to make several. But at the end, he lifted his eyes and looked straight at the boy and challenged: "Young man, look to Jesus. Look! Look! Look!"
Did the challenge make a difference? Let the boy, now a man, answer. "I did look, and then and there the cloud on my heart lifted, the darkness rolled away, and at that moment I saw the sun."
The boy's name? Charles Haddon Spurgeon. England's prince of preachers.
Did Egglen know what he'd done? No.
Do heroes know when they are heroic? Rarely.
Just be faithful - God will handle the rest.
But then one morning he did. The snow left his town of Colchester, England, buried in white. He thought of staying home.
But he reconsidered. He was, after all, a deacon. And if deacons didn't go, who would? So he put on his boots, hat, and coat and walked the six miles to the Methodist Church.
He was one of the few who came. Only thirteen people were present. Twelve members and one visitor. Even the minister was snowed in. Someone suggested they go home. Egglen would hear none of that. They'd come this far; they would have a service. Besides, they had a visitor. A thirteen-year-old boy.
But who would preach? Egglen was the only deacon. It fell to him.
His sermon lasted only ten minutes. It drifted and made no point in an effort to make several. But at the end, he lifted his eyes and looked straight at the boy and challenged: "Young man, look to Jesus. Look! Look! Look!"
Did the challenge make a difference? Let the boy, now a man, answer. "I did look, and then and there the cloud on my heart lifted, the darkness rolled away, and at that moment I saw the sun."
The boy's name? Charles Haddon Spurgeon. England's prince of preachers.
Did Egglen know what he'd done? No.
Do heroes know when they are heroic? Rarely.
Just be faithful - God will handle the rest.
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