Amused

To follow up on yesterday's "Jesustainment" blog post, today I offer the words of Charles Spurgeon on the same issue:

"I fear there are some who preach with the view of amusing men, and as long as people can be gathered in crowds, and their ears can be tickled, and they can retired pleased with what they have heard, the orator is content, and folds his hands, and goes back self-satisfied ... Now observe, if I, or you, or any of us, or all of us, shall have spent our lives merely in amusing men, or educating men, or moralizing men, when we shall come to give our account at the last great day we shall be in a very sorry condition, and we shall have but a very sorry record to render; for of what avail will it be to a man to be educated when he comes to be damned? Of what service will it be to him to have been amused when the trumpet sounds, and heaven and earth are shaking, and the pit opens wide her jaws of fire and swallows up the soul unsaved? Of what avail even to have moralized a man if still he is on the left hand of the judge, and if still, 'Depart, ye cursed,' shall be his portion?"

(Charles Spurgeon, "Soul Saving Our One Business," The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 25, 674-676)