The Mission of Sorrow

The Christmas season is usually about great joy, yet many don’t feel joyful at Christmas. Even Christians are reminded of their losses and sometimes feel lonely and depressed. According to 19^th Century author Gardiner Spring, sorrow has a mission to fulfill in the lives of God’s believing people.

Gardiner Spring was a Presbyterian pastor in New York City from 1810 until his death in 1873. Though he may not be familiar to many of us today, he was influential in his time. I’m not aware of any biography of him, so I’m collecting all the bits of information I can find on him in the hopes of writing a biographical vignette for his birthday in February. It took me a while just to find out his birthday. Spring was a leader in the nationwide revival known as the Second Great Awakening, but for some reason he is little known today. His memory deserves to be recovered from the mists of history.

Spring’s book The Mission of Sorrow: God’s Gracious Purposes in Our Afflictions was recently reprinted by Solid Ground Christian Books. I’ve been reading an online version, but I hope to obtain a hard copy soon. I’ve been greatly blessed in reading the text of this book. It covers a subject that is unknown or doubted by many professing Christians and denied or completely ignored by popular prosperity preachers: that God actually has a design in sending His people sorrow. The Mission of Sorrow is written from a biblical/theological standpoint: God and His glory are central to properly understanding and responding to the sorrows He sends. Man and his needs are not the primary focus, though Spring’s book shows from Scripture how man’s deepest needs are met through a proper response to sorrow’s ministry.

The Mission of Sorrow contains 9 brief chapters in only 96 pages. Though short, the book is substantial; no fluff here. His theological viewpoint gives the book a grand sweep in its interpretation of sorrow. To quote David Ash of Shiloh Online Library: "The Mission of Sorrow by Spring, is one of the most complete books ever written on the subject of SORROW. Each chapter builds upon the other, until the sorrowing believer is brought at last to heaven." Viewing the chapter titles will prove this point and illustrate the author’s method:

Chapter 1 - Sorrow God's Witness

Chapter 2 - Sorrow Deserved

Chapter 3 - Submission Under Sorrow

Chapter 4 - Sorrow Disturbs Idolatrous Attachments

Chapter 5 - Sorrow The Friend of Christian Graces

Chapter 6 - Sorrow Taking Lessons from the Bible

Chapter 7 - Sorrow At the Throne of Grace

Chapter 8 - Meetness for Heaven Through Sorrow

Chapter 9 - No Sorrow There

The author pulls no punches in showing from Scripture the reason for sorrow and how it is designed to help us. But he leads us to the throne of grace and beyond, all the way to Heaven. Those under affliction and truly seeking God will find a balm for their souls. I’m thankful for this reprint and happy to recommend it.

Also available from:

Amazon — $9.35 new | from $6.03 used and new

Reformation Heritage Books — $8.00

The Mission of Sorrow

SGCB | Case Discounts

Solid Ground Christian Books has announced a huge discount (88% Discount on Cases) on selected case quantities of the following books:

• COME YE APART: Classic Daily Devotional on the Four Gospels by J.R. Miller
• A PASTOR'S SKETCHES Vol. 2 by Ichabod Spencer
• ACCURATE REVISED EDITION OF PILGRIM'S PROGRESS by John Bunyan (edited by Barry Horner)
• OPENING UP EPHESIANS by Peter Jeffery
• THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT by Benjamin B. Warfield
• LEGACY OF A LEGEND: The Spiritual Wisdom of Edward Payson
• GOLDEN HOURS: Heart-Hymns of the Christian Life by Elizabeth Prentiss

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SGCB Case Discounts

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Timothy Dwight's Theology

Timothy Dwight's Theology: Explained & Defended, 4 volumes.
(May 14, 1752-January 11, 1817)

I'm researching the printing history, etc. of a couple sets of Dwight's Theology that I have to sell. One set is an 1836 printing (9th edition). While searching, this evening, I came across Solid Ground Christian Books' recent reprinting of this set. What a treasure this will be for pastors and students of theology.

This set contains chapel sermons by the late president of Yale College and grandson of Jonathan Edwards.

Lyman Beecher, a sophomore at Yale College, left us a stimulating account of the condition of the students, in 1975, when Dr. Timothy Dwight ascended to the presidency. He noted:

“Before he [Timothy Dwight] came, college was in a most ungodly state. The college church was almost extinct. Most of the students were skeptical, and rowdies were plenty. ...[M]ost of the class before me were infidels, and called each other Voltaire, Rousseau, D’Alembert, etc.” (Lyman Beecher, Autobiography, as quoted by Leonard Woolsey Bacon in A History of American Christianity.)

Here is how Dr. Dwight dealt with these hardened students:

“They thought the faculty were afraid of free discussion. But when they handed Dr. Dwight a list of subjects for class disputation, to their surprise, he selected this: ‘Is the Bible the word of God?’ and told them to do their best. He heard all they had to say, answered them, and there was an end. He preached incessantly for six months on the subject, and all infidelity skulked and hid its head. He elaborated his theological system in a series of forenoon sermons in the chapel; the afternoon discourses were practical. The original design of Yale College was to found a divinity school. To a mind appreciative, like mine, his preaching was a continual course of education and a continual feast. He was copious and polished in style, though disciplined and logical. There was a pith and power of doctrine there that has not been since surpassed, if equaled.” (Lyman Beecher, Autobiography, as quoted by Leonard Woolsey Bacon in A History of American Christianity.)

Dwight's Theology: Explained and Defended in a Series of Sermons was meant to be preached and made effective in convincing men and converting them to the service of God. These sermons were designed to be completed within the four years of the college curriculum, so that every graduate should have heard the whole of it.

Considering the cost of an antiquarian set, Solid Ground's price is outstanding!

Purchase at: CBD | RHP | Amazon | Logos

Dr. Joel R. Beeke, President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, has also added his recommendation for this set:

"Dwight's theological sermons are worthy of careful study. Their clear, scriptural guidelines and experiential warmth promote practical Christianity. Read with discernment, they will still feed the soul today and challenge us to godly living in Christ Jesus."

Timothy Dwight's Theology