ADDING MOSS TO THE ROSE
Gilbert Laws’ biography of Andrew Fuller [Andrew Fuller: Pastor, Theologian, Ropeholder (London: Carey Press, 1942)] is a rarity, possibly because it was published during the war years when paper was scarce. But due to the fact that it is an important document, here is his rendition of the entirety of C.H. Spurgeon’s letter to Andrew Gunton Fuller upon the former’s receiving the latter’s life of his father (on page 127):
Venerable Friend,
I thank you for sending me your Andrew Fuller. If you had lived for a long time for nothing else but to produce this volume, you have lived to good purpose.
I have long considered your father to be the greatest theologian of the century, and I do not know that your pages have made me think more highly of him as a divine than I had thought before. But I now see him within doors far more accurately, and see about the Christian man a soft radiance of tender love which had never been revealed to me either by former biographies or by his writings.
You have added moss to the rose, and removed some of the thorns in the process.
Yours most respectfully,
C.H. Spurgeon.
Venerable Friend,
I thank you for sending me your Andrew Fuller. If you had lived for a long time for nothing else but to produce this volume, you have lived to good purpose.
I have long considered your father to be the greatest theologian of the century, and I do not know that your pages have made me think more highly of him as a divine than I had thought before. But I now see him within doors far more accurately, and see about the Christian man a soft radiance of tender love which had never been revealed to me either by former biographies or by his writings.
You have added moss to the rose, and removed some of the thorns in the process.
Yours most respectfully,
C.H. Spurgeon.
With a commendation like this, what else could I do? Checked the online catalogue -- nope, not there. But lots of older things haven't been catalogued electronically yet. Went to the library, checked the old "slips" catalogue. Yes! It's there!
Or not. Went down into the bowels of the earth where the volume was (meant to be) shelved. And where Gilbert Laws's Andrew Fuller ought to be, there is nothing but space.
I'm sure there's something postmodern I could say about that, but I'm not clever enough. I'm just sad.
Meanwhile, the good people at the issue desk have initiated a search. I'm not holding my breath.
[By the way -- I love the blog's new "skin". Nicely minimalist!]
David Reimer
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DavidR |
8:56 a.m.