The Blind Eye and Deaf Ear of Spurgeon: Class 3

It is class time again. Last Wednesday I shared a few thoughts from C.H. Spurgeon's book "Lectures to my Students." As promised today I will continue to share my notes with you.

*What follows are my notes exactly how they appear (spelling mistakes, chopped up sentences, etc.) in my notebook.*

Today I just want to look at one single chapter. If you want to know how to deal with gossip, and unfair criticism Spurgeon has some helpful hints. Here are a few nuggets from his chapter:

XXII The Blind Eye and the Deaf Ear

pg 321 A minister ought to have one blind eye and one deaf ear.

- You cannot stop people's tongues, and therefore the best thing is to stop your own ears and never mind what is spoken.

- It is part of the generous to treat passionate words as if they had never been uttered.

pg 323 In churches which are well established and afford a decent mantinance, the minster will do well to supervise all things, but interfere with nothing. If deacons cannot be trusted they ought not to be deacons at all, but if they are worthy of their office they are worthy of our confidence.

pg 324 Faith in God should tone down our concern about temporalities, and enable us to practice what we preach.

- The blind eye and the deaf ear will come in exceedingly well in connection with the gossip of the place.

pg 325 Suspicion makes a man torment himself and spy towards others.

pg 326 Surely we are not popes, and do not wish our hearers to think us infalible.

pg 327 It would be better to be deceived a hundred times than to live a life of suspicion.

pg 329 Listening is a sort of larceny, but the goods stolen are never a pleasure to the thief.

pg 330 Public men must expect public criticism.

pg 331 Flattery is as injurious as it is pleasant.

- Pride will not mind reason, nor anything else but a good drubbing.

pg 332 Your blameless life will be your best defence, and those who have seen it will not allow you to be condemned.

Here are some Spurgeon links that will be more than helpful:

Pyromaniac's recent post about Spurgeon

Spurgeon Archive

Spurgeon U.S.

The Letters of Spurgeon

Spurgeon's Library