“…the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31b

“William Booth {Founder of the Salvation Army} died in the year 1912. He had travelled over five million miles and preached over 60,000 sermons. His body lay in state for three days as 150,000 people filed passed his casket. Forty thousand people attended his funeral service including former thieves, tramps, and harlots.
Among the mourners was Queen Mary, who arrived without warning. She sat at the rear of the hall, next to a prostitute. The prostitute whispered to the Queen, not realizing to whom she was speaking and said ; “I was a harlot …He told me “when you get to heaven Mary Magdalene will give you one of the best places.” and then she said to the Queen  “He cared for the likes of us.”

The Necessity of the Spirit

“I will dare to say it, that in every age of the world the most despised ministry has been the most useful; and I could find you at this day poor Primitive Methodist preachers who can scarce speak correct English, who have been the fathers of more souls, and have brought to Christ more than any one bishop on the bench. Why, the Lord hath been pleased always to make it so, that he will clothe with power the weak and the foolish, but he will not clothe with power those who, if good were done, might be led to ascribe the excellence of the power to their learning, their eloquence, or their position.”-C. H. Spurgeon from the sermon The Necessity of the Spirit’s Work Delivered on Sabbath Morning, May 8th, 1859 {Spurgeon himself was converted in a Methodist Chapel – Shawn}

Booth and Spurgeon

“William Booth was also converted in his teens and became a worker for the Lord within days of his conversion. Spurgeon supported William Booth’s “holy activities” and commended him for “stirring the masses of London.” Spurgeon had William Booth lecture at his pastor’s college and William Booth invited Spurgeon to minister at his mission hall in Whitechapel.”

From the article, Charles Spurgeon the Puritan Prince of Preachers by Dr. Peter Hammond

A recent Sword of the Lord mentioned William Booth’s contempt for Calvinism. It may be true that he disliked the Congregational Calvinism he encountered when trying to enter the ministry. But evidently he liked at least one Calvinist, C. H. Spurgeon. {see footnote} Maybe Christians should try to be more like Spurgeon and Booth. – Shawn

“I’m never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist. I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist, but if I’m asked what my creed is, I reply, it is Jesus Christ!”  – C.H. Spurgeon

Other Sources:www.kenconnolly.org

www.salvationarmy.org

http://www.reformationsa.org/articles/CH%20Spurgeon.htm

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/1991/issue29/2936.html?start=2