Audiobook · read by volunteers
Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses
Andrew Murray (1828–1917)
Read by Joy Chan · 9 chapters · 3 h 52
About the book
What would it mean to give your whole life to God, without reservation? That is the question that Andrew Murray puts to his listeners in these short addresses. The title talk, Absolute Surrender, argues that the Christian life reaches its full strength only when a person hands everything over, with no part held back, and trusts God to supply the strength. Other messages in the collection turn to topics such as the fruit of the Spirit, being set apart for the Holy Spirit and what becomes possible with God where human strength fails. Murray writes plainly, with short sentences and a pastor's patience, and his words are meant to be heard as sermons rather than studied as theology. The nine chapters are read by Joy Chan in just under four hours. The recording will appeal to readers of devotional literature and to anyone curious about a classic of evangelical spirituality.
Introduction
Andrew Murray (1828-1917) was a South African minister and writer, a pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church who became well known across the English-speaking world for his devotional books. Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses dates from 1895 and collects talks given to Christian gatherings in the late nineteenth century. It belongs to a period when conferences, conventions and revival meetings produced a rich literature of short, practical, heartfelt messages.
The collection is a series of short messages about the necessity and joy of surrendering our lives completely to God. The tone is warm and direct. Murray repeats his central idea from different angles, convinced that the main obstacle to a stronger spiritual life is not lack of effort but lack of surrender. Chapter titles such as The Fruit of the Spirit is Love and Separated unto the Holy Ghost show the range of his themes.
The audio edition has nine chapters and lasts about 3.9 hours. It is read by Joy Chan, a LibriVox volunteer.
Why listen today? Murray's writing is a direct window into a living tradition of Protestant piety, and many listeners find that its quiet insistence on trust and humility speaks beyond any denomination. It is suited to reflective listening, one chapter at a time. Because each chapter stands alone, the book suits a daily practice of one address at a time. It will also interest readers who study the history of religious movements, since Murray's tone and vocabulary reflect the revival culture of his time, and they offer a direct view of how such messages were shared with a congregation.
Public domain
Andrew Murray died in 1917: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text