Summary of The Minister's Fainting Fits – Charles Spurgeon 

by Craig Josling 31/8/18

Introduction

1. Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was an English Baptist preacher in London. His essay 'The Minister's Fainting Fits' was published in a book called Lectures to my Students. This is my summary of it.
2. “Fainting fits” ie. Time when you are down and out (feeling low).
3. Spurgeon himself suffered deep depression “at seasons by no means few or far between”.
4. He writes this paper and shares his experience of it so “that younger men might not fancy that some strange thing had happened to them” ie. So his young students won’t be surprised if they have ‘down times’ during their ministry.

Why does depression come?

1. Because we are men. Ie. sons of Adam, frail, feeble.
2. So that Ministers “... may learn sympathy with the Lord’s suffering people.”
3. Because we are unsound physically or mentally ie. Each of us has our own bodily maladies and “is any man altogether sane?”
4. To keep ministers of the gospel humble eg. “Had it not been for the broken wing, some might have lost themselves in the clouds.” (Page 2.)
5. The nature of ministry work. Ie. Bearing the weight of souls, disappointment at rejection of the gospel, Christians falling into sin, mentally exhausted after preaching. “ours is more than mental work-it is heart work, the labour of our inmost soul ….. it is our duty and our privilege to exhaust our lives for Jesus. We are not to be living specimens of men in fine preservation, but living sacrifices….” Christian leadership can be lonely, feel lack of sympathy (no-one understands or cares). Eg. Jesus alone in the Garden of Gesthemane. [That’s why ministers’ fraternals are so good].
6. Sedentary habits. Sitting for so long without exercise, “self immolated victim”. [Get outside and enjoy God’s good creation.] 

When depression is likely to come?

1. After the hour of great success. God uses it to humble us after success. Eg. Paul’s thorn. “the gracious discipline of mercy breaks the ships of our vainglory with a strong east wind, and casts us shipwrecked, naked and forlorn, upon the Rock of Ages (p.4).
2. Before some great achievement. “the sons of Anak stalk before us .. Whenever the Lord is preparing a larger blessing for my ministry … depression has now become to me a prophet in rough clothing.” Scouring the vessel ready for the Master’s use. 
3. One crushing stroke. Eg. a brother most relied upon becomes a traitor, a beloved member yields to temptation, division within, slander. (page 5.) Hard words wound delicate minds. Time toughens us up in this regards. For Spurgeon it was the fire in the Surrey music hall where people were killed. [Implications for people entering full time ministry. Don’t do it if they are looking for the quiet life.] 
4. Causeless depression. Shapeless, undefinable. No person has any answers. “needs a heavenly hand to push it back.”

Remedies

1. Rest. (page 5). “rest time is not waste time. Its is economy to gather fresh strength… in the long run, we shall do more by doing less.”
2. Look to Jesus (page 6). “Jesus is still great, let his servants suffer as they may, piloted me back to calm and reason and peace” after the Surrey music hall disaster. 
3. Understand that God’s way of working is to use weakness, that he may be glorified and we look forward to heaven (page 7).

Conclusion

1. Depression is a normal part of ministerial experience (p7.)Keep going. Live day by day, hour by hour (looking to God) “put no trust in frames and feelings, care more for a grain of faith than for a grain of excitement". Don’t be surprised when people let you down.
2. “Serve God with all your might while the candle is burning, and then when it goes out for a season, you will have the less to regret. Be content to be nothing, for that is what you are.” (page 8).
3. "Between this and heaven there may be rougher weather yet, but it is all provided for by our covenant Head."