IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ililM iM ill 9 m 11 2.0 111= 1-4 III 1.6 v: orking, and strictly conscientious. ■'He had a wondci ful memory for passages of orator)- which he admired, and used to pour forth to me w ith great gusto, iii our walks, long screeds from o[)cn-air addresses of a very rousing description, which he had heard delivered at Colchester Fair by the Congrega- tional minister, Mr. Davids. His imagination had evidently been greatly impressed by these services^ -^^ WIW<*'g''W W « ?i PBi u 'iii twW i w > r»i '^HM ' iiJ i ^m 28 STURGEON OUR ALLY. I' at which, by the bye, his father was selected to g^ive out the hymns on account of the loudness of his voice. • — a quality which would appear to ha\e run in the family, but which had not at that time shown itself in my young friend. I have also he;ird him recite long passages from Bunyan's 'Grace Abounding.' " He was a delightful companion, cheerful and sym- pathetic, a good listener as well as a good talker. And he was not cast in a common conventional mould, but had a strong character of his own. "The school v;as broken up before the regular time by an outbreak of fever, and I did not return to it; but we exchanged occasional letters for some years afterwards. He remained with Mr. Swindell for a year or so, and then removed to another school, kept by an old friend of his own at Cambridge. "In or about 1852 I was occupying a post in a high- class school (Mr. Thorowgood's, at Totteridge, near London), and there being a vacancy for another assistant, I wrote, with Mr. Thorowgood's approval, to my old friend Spurgeon, proposing that he should come and fill it. He asked for a few days to decide definitely, and then wrote, declining, chiefly on the ground that he was unwilling to renounce the evan- gelistic work which he combined with the position he then held. He stated then, or in a subsequent letter, that he had preached more than 300 times in the ])revious twelve months, and that the chapel at Water- beach was not only full, but crowded, with outside listeners at the open windows. Shortly afterwards, he received the call to New Park Street Chapel, in > 1 111! PEDIGRKK AM) 150VH00I). 29 near lothor )roval, hould Iccidc n the eva li- on he etter, the ^'atcr- itside ards, el, in London, of which he ga\ e me prompt intimation ; and soon after his settlement there, I called upon him by appointment. I spent half a day with him, and he poured forth to me, without reserve, the full talc of his successes, telling me of the distinguished men who continually came to hear liim, and of the enco- miums pronounced on his delivery by elocutionists like Sheridan Knowles. " He showed me the small manuscript books in which he wrote his morning sermons, in a plain round hand, (his evening sermons being less carefully prepared), and read me one of the sermons as thus written. It did not consist of notes and jottings, but was complete in itself, and occupied about a quarter of an hour in the reading. I estimated that it must have been amplified about threefold in actual delivery. He told me that he could always say exactly what he intended, and in exactly the time which he intended. " His fame was not then known to the general public, and it was only from himself that I learned it. There was something ludicrous in the idea of a man talking so big about his own performances, but it was the simple truth, and he told it with the simpli- city of a child. His great power was to him a simple matter of fact, of which he had no more reason to be proud, than a bird of its power to fly, or a fish of its power to swim. " One of his most marked characteristics was the consummate ease with which he did liis work, and he was fully conscious of this strong point. I le certainh' was a thorough believer in himself from the time that yn^ ^ It- I ii 3<> SPURGEOX OUR ALLY. he first went to London. He knew what he meant to do, and he did it in his own way, without troubling himself about adverse criticism. He did not break his heart at being scorned or misrepresented. " This characteristic of being always at his ease was at the root of what was called his irreverence, I remember suggesting to him in this connection that a man ought to feel and show some sense of awe in the presence of his Maker ; and his reply was to the effect that awe was foreign to his nature — that he felt jjerfectly at home with his Heavenly Father. " As to the early history of his th^^ological views, 1 can add something to what has been already pub- lished. In Mr. Swindell's household there was a fciilhful old servant — a big, sturdy woman, who was well known to me and all the inmates as " cook." She was a woman of strong religious feelings, and a devout Calvinist. Spurgeon, when under deep religious con- viction, had conversed with her, and been deepl)' impressed with her views of Divine truth. He ex- plained this to me, and told me in his own terse fashion that 'it was "cook" who had taught him his theology.' I hope I am not violating his confidence in mentioning this fact. It is no discredit to the memory of a great man that he was willing to learn Irom the humblest sources." " The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole dis- posing tliereof is with the Lord." The Mr. Swindell who kept the school to which Professor Everett refers was an ardent Baptist. Ii ,' ill liii: ii;M !ill PEDIGREE AND BOYHOOD. 31 .e ex- teisc im his idcnce to tlic Icani Spurgeon had been in an Episcopah'an school at Maidstone. He could not bear the service, and avoided it as much as possible. The Canon took him to task for it, and asked him his name. " Spurgeon." "That is not what I wish ; your Christian name." " I have none, I am not a Christian." " What is the name your godfather and godmother gave you at your christening ? " " I had no godfather." " Then you were not baptized." " Indeed I was," said Spurgeon, "my father baptized me in the china basin." " No," said the Canon, "you were not properly baptized unless your sponsors promised that you should renounce the devil and his works, believe in the articles of the Christian faith, and keep God's hoK' commandments. Read the Bible and see if there is not a necessity for faith on your part, or on that of your sponsors, to make your baptism valid." When he found Jesus, he of his own free will, and without any one to guide or influence him, resolved to be immersed, believed himself called to preach, and sought to fit himself for ihe position. e dis- 'indell refers ^'^^^ms^ 14 ^^^^^^^l^f^SSSSM CHAPTER III. HIS CONVERSION AND IMMERSION, '■ And he received sight forlhwith, and arose, and was immersed." — Acts ix. i3. /^HE story of his conversion, as told by his father ^-^ and by himself, brings us face to face with the wonderful power of God. Said the father, " I was, as I remain, in the Con- gregational Church, and it was to my independent church that I drove over every Sunday from Colches- ter to Tollesbury. Charles was going with me on the Sunday with which I am concerned. However, this particular Sunday turned out stormy, and his mother said, 'you had better go to the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Colchester.' The preacher's name was the Rev. Robert Eaglen. He was a plain unlettered man. His text was. Is. xlv. 22 : ' Look unto me and be ye saved.' He cried out " Look to Jesus. " There sat Spurgeon under the gallery apart from all. He caught the preacher's eye. The boy of fifteen tossed by doubt, and feeling that he was sinking into hell, looked and began to live. How mysterious are God's dealings. The minister because there wer& so few present, came near giving up 32 HIS CONVERSION AND IMMERSION. 33 CRSION, >ed." — Acts ix. i3. by his father "ace with the , in the Con- independent rom Colches- th me on the owever. this d his mother ■e Methodist ame was the ettered man. e and be ye apart from )oy of fifteen Isinking into 'he minister tar giving up the sermon. Had he done so, how different might have been the history of the world : but he preached, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon gave his heart to God. "That night," said the father, "we were all at home, and after reading and prayer, I said * Come boys, it is time to go to bed.' * Father,' remarked Charles, ' I don't want to go to bed yet.' ' Come, come,' said I, whereupon he said he wanted to speak to me. We sat up long into the night, and he talked to me of his being saved, which had taken place that day, and right glad was I to hear him talk. " In the text ' Look, look, look,' " Charles said, " I found salvation." How difficult to realize the truth that beneath that gallery was a youth that would influence millions. He never forgot his obligation to the Primitive Methodists, and always granted them the use of the Tabernacle for their Anniversary meetings. One more strange fact meets us here. He had now believed, and was attending Mr. Swindell's school, who was a strong Baptist. The connection with Mr. Swindell gave a direction to the whole of his life. He believed that God had chosen his inheritance for him. Referring to this train of circumstances, he said in a sermon : " I can see a thousand chances, as men would call them, all working together like wheels in a great piece of machinery, to fix me just where I am ; and I can look back to a hundred places where if one of those little wheels had run away, if one of t!»ose little atoms in the great whirlpool of my existence had started aside. I might have been anywhere but here, occupying a very different position. Verily it is not V :i 34 SPURGEOX OUR ALLY. 11:1! in man to direct his steps. ' Man proposes but God disposes ;' and to God be all the praise for over-ruling, ordering, altering, 'working- all things according to the good pleasure of His will,' and bringing me into the place I have occupied." In an articlp written in 1853, and addressed to the editor of The Baptist Reporter, Mr. Spurgeon gave his reasons for being immersed. He said : " I am a Jiaptist not by education, but by conviction." Later on, we shall show that he never was a real Baptist, but an Immersionist; and, perhaps, as an Immersionist. he has done a work he would not have been permitted to do as a Baptist. God knows what is best, and uses and works men as we do not use or work them, for His own glory and not to please men. Let mc read the story ; he says : " Coming out from an ancient family, I am a convert from Sprinkling with water to Baptism (Immersion) in water, and with your permission I will — like a certain anonymous writer — publish my * Confessions.' " I will not say a word of what I heard of Baptists in my childhood, for I do not think my parents meant me to believe that Baptists were bad people, but I certainly did think so, and I cannot help thinking that somewhere or other I must have heard some calumnies against them, or else how should I have had the opinion } " I remember seeing a baby sprinkled within an hour of its death, and I seem to hear even now the comforts which certain parties gave to the bereaved parent : — * What a mercy it was baptized ; what a HIS CONVERSION AND IMMERSION. 35 ;es but God over-ruling, ccordinjT to 't3 ing me into essed to the eon gave his [ : " I am a on." Later eal Baptist, Timersionist, ;n permitted is best, and work them, ;n. Let mc im a convert (Immersion) will — like a ^Confessions.' 1 of Baptists irents meant eople, but I ;lp thinking heard some Duld I have i within an /•en now the le bereaved d ; what a consolation it must be ! ' This was in an Independent family, and the words were spoken by an Independent minister. " I knew an instance of an aged minister, of the same persuasion, who baptized a little boy, although the father was adverse to it. The child was running about in the hall of the minister's house, and the mother looking on. He was caught up, and the pious man exclaimed : ' Come along, Mrs. S., the poor child shall not live like a heathen any longer.' So the conjuration was performed, and the little boy was put into the P?edobaptist covenant. He was not only suffered to come, hwt forced to come ; and doubtless went on his way rejoicing to think it was over. " I was at fourteen sent to a Church of England school, where we had three clergymen w^ho by turns came to teach us their religion. But somehow or other, the young gents did not seem to get on much, for when one of them was asked by the clergyman \\o\\ many sacraments there were he said * Seven,' and w hen that was denied, he said * Oh, sir, there is one that they take at the //altar.' Upon which t could not help saying * That's hanging I should think,' which suggestion made even the reverend gentleman smile, although, of course, I was bidden not to be so rude as to interrupt again. I am sure that many of the sons of the gentry in this large establishment were more ignorant of Scripture than the boys in some of our Ragged Schools. " One of the clergy was, I believe, a good man, and it is to him I owe that ray of light which sufficed to p 36 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ;l'. I'll I ill l| l> I ^|||:ii 1 •■ ! ,1! ,' show me believers' baptism. I was usually at the head of the class, and, when the catechism was to be re- peated, something like the following conversation took place : " C. — What is your name ? " S. — Spurgeon, sir. " C. — No, no ; what is your name ? " S. — Charles Spurgeon, Sir. " C. — Now you should not behave so, for you know I only want your christian name. " S. — If you please, sir, I am afraid I haven't got one. " C— Why, how is that ? " S. — Because I do not think I am a christian. " C. — What are you then, a heathen ? " S. — No, sir ; but we may not be heathens, and yet be without the grace of God, and so, not be truly christians. " C. — Well, well, never mind ; what is your first name ? " S. — Charles. " C. — Who gave you that name ? " S. — I am sure I don't know, sir. I know no god- fathers ever did anything for me, for I never had any. Likely enough my father and mother did. " C. — Now you should not set these boys a laugh- ing. Of course I do not wish you to say the usual answer. " He seemed always to have a respect for me, and gave me the Christian Year, in calf, as a reward for my great proficiency in religious knowledge. HIS CONVERSION" AND I.MMKRSIOX. 37 it the head to be re- lation took r you know tiaven't got iristian. DHS, and yet ot be truly 5 your first ow no god- [er had any. |ys a iaush- the usual for me, and reward for re. " Proceeding with the catechism, he suddenly turned to me and said : " Spurgeon, you were never properly baptized. " S. — Oh )es, sir, I was ; my grandfather baptized me in the little parlor in his china basin, and he is a minister, so I know he did it right. " C. — Ah, but you had neither faith nor repentance, and therefore ought not to have received baptism. S. — " Why, sir. that has nothing to do with it ; all infants ought to be baptized. C. — " How do you know that ; does not the Prayer Pook say faith and repentance are necessary before loaptism ? And this is so scriptural a doctrine that no one ought to deny it." (Here he Vv^ent on to show that all the persons spoken of in the Bible as being baptized were believers ; which, of course, was an cas}' task.) " Novr, I shall give you till next week to find out whether the Bible does not declare faith and repentance to be necessary qualifications before bap- tism. " I felt sure enough of victory, for I thought that a cereriiuny my grandfather and father both practised in LiKir ministry must be right, but I could not find it ; I was beaten, and made up my mind as to the course 1 would take. " (-". — Well, Charles, what do you think now? " S. — Why, sir, I think you are right, but then it applies to you as well as to me. " C — I wanted to show you this; for this is the reason wh\- we appoint sponsors. It is true that without faith 1 had no more right than you to holy baptism, i i'li' ':!:, 1 1. ^i'^li! 38 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. but the promise of my sponsors was accepted b)- the church as an equivalent. You have no doubt seen your father when he has no money give a note of hand for it ; and this is regarded as payment, because as an honest man, we have every reason to expect he will pay it. Now sponsors are generally good people, and in charity we accept their promise on behalf of the child. As the child cannot at the time have faith, we accept the bond that he will ; which promise he fulfills at confirmation, when he takes the bond into his own hands. '• S. — Well, Sir, I think it is a very bad note of hand. " C, — I have no time to urge that, but I believe it to be good. I will only ask you this : ' Which seems to have the most regard to Scripture, — I, as a church- man, or your grandfather as a dissenter ? He baptizes in the very teeth of Scripture, and I do not, in my opinion, do so, for I require a promise which I look upon as the equivalent of repentance and faith, to be rendered in future years. " S. — Really, sir, I think you are most likely right. but since it seems to be the truth that only belie\er.s should be baptized, I think you are both wrong, though you S'Tem to treat the Bible with the most politene;-.s. " C. — Well then, you confess that you were noi properly baptized ; and you would think it your duty, if in your power, to join with us and have sponsors to promise on your behalf ? " S. — Oh, no ! I have been baptized once before I ought ; I will wait next time till I am fit for it. I HIS CONVERSION AND IMMERSION. 39 ted b>- the loubt seen a note of nt, because to expect Tally good promise on it the time lill ; which e takes the ad note of i L believe it 'hich seems IS a church- rle baptizes not, in my ich I look aith, to be ikely right, | y believers )ng, though I politeness. \ were not your duty, e sponsors )nce before for it. " C. — (Smiling). Ah, you are wrong, but I like to sec you keep to the Word of God ; seek from Him a new heart and divine direction, and you will see one truth after another, and very probably there will be a great change in those opinions which now seem so dee!)ly rooted in you. " I resolved from that moment that, if ever divine CTace should work a change in me, I would be bap- tized, since, as I afterwards told my friend, the clergyman, I never ought to be blamed for improper baptism, since I had nothing to do with it ; the error, if any, rested with my parents. " I have, I hoped, felt the power of Jesus' love ; and by the means of a good Baptist minister I was set right as to the mode, and was baptized in the River Lark, at Isleham, in Newmarket, Cambridge- shire, by the Rev. W. W. Cantlow. " I have a brother, younger still, who has come out and has passed through the same ordinance. ** We were charged with making too much of bap- tism, and were told that we ought to wait and sit down at the Lord's table, in hopes that our views might yet change. But we do not make too much of baptism; I count it as but dross if men but trust in it — mere stubble to be consumed. Christ is all! Nothing bring I in my hands. Away with 'putting into the covenant,' 'regenerating,' 'christening,' and all this popish merit-mongoring ! Let us have bap- tism in its place within the church ; but not as a merely useful ordinance for all, or indeed, as to merit, for any. As to which has the best of the point, the ! I ii' ill I Jl 40 SPURGEOX OUR ALLY. man in the gown, or the sprinkler in plain black, I think I might illustrate their relative position by a fable : " ' A certain king had a window in his palace, w hich being broken caused him much inconvenience. Having in his service two glaziers, he commanded them to repair the said wiivdow ; the one flatly re- fused to obey hi;:- majesty, and the other hung a cobweb over it. Whereupon the monarch confined one for six months, and the other for half-a-dozen.' " I rejoice to ha\e got clear of both, V\-hilst yet I love and give the hand of fellowship to all who believe the doctrine ; B\' grace are ve saved through faith, and that not uf \'(;urscl\"es, it is the gift of God." ]Vatcrhcacli. C. S. BaptirAiig at hlcliain Ferry. " In January, 1850, I was enabled by divine grace to lay hold on Jesus Christ as my Saviour, while hearing the gospel preached at Colchester. Being- called, in the providence of God, to live at Newmarket as usher in a scliool, I essayed to join myself to the church of believers in that town ; but according to my reading of Iloiy Scriptures, the believer in Christ sh.ould be buried with him in baptism, and so enter upon his open christian life. I cist about to find a Baptist minister, and I failed to find one nerrer than Is'.L'ham, in the Fen country, where resided a certain Rev. W. W. Cantlow, who had once been a missionary in Jamaica, but was then pastor of one of the Isleham J>aptist churches. My parents wished me to follow I I i'^ ins CONVERSION AND IMMERSION. 41 n black, I tion by a lis palace, nveniencc. •mmandetl ; flatly re- ir hunq; a I confined a-dozen.' liilst yet I ho believe ugh faith, God." c. s. ane ^race ur, while |r. Being- lewmarket elf to the [ing to my lin Christ so enter to find a Irrer than a certain issionary Lsleham o follow my own convictions. Mr. Cantlow arranged to baptize me, and my employer gave me a day's holiday for the purpose, I cannot ever forget the 3rd of May. 1S50 : it was my mother's birth-day, and I myself was witliin a few w ceks of being sixteen years of age. I was up early to iiave a couple of hours of quiet pra}'er and dedica- tion to God. Then I had some eight miles to walk to reach the spot where I was to be immersed into the Triune name, according to the sacred command. W'lirit a walk it was ! What thoughts and prayers thronged my soul during that morning's journey ! It was by no means a warm day, and therefore all the better for the two or three hours of quiet foot-travel which I enjoyed. The sight of Mr. Cantlow's smiling face was a full reward for that country tramp. I think I see the good man now, and the white ashes of the turf-fire by which we stood and talked together about the solemn exercise which lay before us. " We went together to the Ferry, for the lsleham friends had not degenerated to indoor immersion in a bath made by the art of man, but used the ampler baptistry of the flowing river. " lsleham Ferry, on the River Lark, is a very quiet spot, half-a-mile from the village, and rarely disturbed by traffic at any time :>f the ) '. The river itself is a beautiful stream, dividing Cambridgeshire from Suffolk, and is dear to local anglers. The navif^ation of this little River Lark is soon to be re-opened between lUiry St. Edmunds and the sea at Lynn, but at lsleham it is more in its infancy. i-i. mmmiiffitmmmmii&mt^ 42 SPURGEOxV OUR ALLY. I " The ferry-house, hidden, in the picture, b)- the trees, is freely opened for the convenience of minister and candidates at a baptizing. Where the barge is hauled up for repairs the pre: ,"her takes his stand, when the baptizing "s on a week-day, andthere are few spec- tators present. But on the Lord's Day, when great numbers are attracted, the preacher, standing in a barge moored mid-stream, speaks the Word to the crowds on both sides of the river. This can be done the more easily, as the river is not very v/ide. Where three persons are seen at a stand, is the usual place for entering the water. The right depth with sure footing may soon be found, and fo tb^ delightful service proceeds in the gently-flowing stream. No accident or disorder has ever marred the proceedings. "In the course of seven or eight miles the Lark serves no fewer than five Baptist churches, and they would on no account give up baptizing out of doors. " To me there seemed a great concourse on that week-day. Dressed, I believe, in a jacket, with a boy's turn-down collar, I attended the service previous to the ordinance ; but all remembrance of it has (ione from me ; my thoughts were in the water, sonittimes with my Lord in joy, and sometimes with myself ir, trembling awe, at making so public a confessioa There were first to be baptized two women, Diana Wilkinson and Eunice Fuller, and I was asked to conduct them through the water to the minister, but this I most timidly declined. It was a new experi- ence to me, never having seen a baptism be" 'e, and I was afraid of making some mistake. T' c ■>\'ind 1 4 HIS CONVERSION AND IMMKRSION. 43 , by the minister barge is id, when "ew spec- en great ng in a 1 to the be done Where lal place ith sure ehghtful im. No leedinf^^s. :he Lark nd they f doors, on that with a ,:)revious |ias f:;onc iu.-times l\.-,e)f in ifessioa I, Diana iked to Iter, but |expori- 2, and •'\ ind blew down the river with a cutting blast, as my turn came to wade into the flood ; but after I had walked a few steps, and noted the people on the ferry-boat, and in boats, and on either shore, I felt as if heaven, and eartli, and hell, might all gaze upon me ; for I was not ashamed, there and then, to own myself a follower of the Lamb. Timidity was gone, I have scarcely met with it since. I lost a thousand fears in that River Lark, and found that 'in kec[)ing his commandments there is c^reat reward.' It was a thrice-happy day to me. God be praised for the preserving goodness which alKnvs me to write of it with delight at the distance of forty years ! " Many clays have iiassed since then, Many changes I liave seen ; Vet liave been uphehl till now; Who could hold nie up Init thou?" " I am indebted to IMr. Wilson, the present pastr.r of Islehnm, for the following note, which reniinds me of an excellent companion I had almost forgotten : '* ' Mr. W. H. CantloA\', a worthy Baptist deacon at Ipswich, well remembers, when a bo}- at school, walking with Mr. S[)urgeon f:-i m Newmarket to Islv.- ham, a distance of eight mi'es, to be at the baptism. He says: ' I often think of tlie earnest talks he hul with me, and always remember one remark he made, on our way to the week-night service, about the need of obtaining spiritual food during the week, as it was so long to have to wait from one Sunday to the other.' !!i.' 44 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i| ' • III 'l ' 'II o < < r- PJ Pi M I— « w t/J HIS CONVERSION AND IMMERSION. 45 H U < p. c H PC > PS »! M fa «H < H- < Hi " ' The recollection of the service at the river-side is fondly cherished by several still living, who rejoice that they were there. But the most precious memor)- of that day is the prayer-meeting in the vestry, in the evening, where Mr. Spurgeon prayed and people wondered and wept for joy, as they listened to the lad. One may be excused for envying those whc^ were there. " ' In front of the new school-room, adjoining the chapel, is the following inscription : — This Stone was Laid on September iqth, i88S, by mr. g. aptiiorpe, in memory of the late REV. W, W. CANTLOW, WHO, WHILE PASTOR OF THE CHURCH, BAPTIZED THE REV. C. H. SPURGEON, At Isleham Ferry, ox Mav 3R13, 1S50. " ' Mr. Cantlow's grave is only a few yards off.' " Mr. Wilson also explains our engraving, and adds an amusing story : ' " ' In the view of the Ferry, the chaise and cart arc waiting to cross the river by the ferry-boat. One old lighter is rotting away in the water, and another lies high and dry under repair. The box is for keeping eels un;il they can be sent to market ; and the long pole is for crossing the river in the small bo-^t, which is also to be seen, if you look for it. qpvp M|!'!l!|l|i I u iii'i! J.6 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " ' To conclude ; the late vicar, a very solemn man, meeting a deacon of ready wit at the ferry, began to find fault with a recent baptizing there. Said the \icar : " ' I suppose this is the place where the people came crowding the other Sunday, showing the little respect they had for the Sabbath day.' " 'There was, indeed, a great crowd,' replied the deacon, ' but they were all as still and attentive as in the house of God.' " * Is it true that the man J. S. was baptized ? ' enquired the vicar. " ' Yes, quite true,' said the deacon, * and he seemed to be full of joy at the time.' " * What ! ' exclaimed the vicar, ' a man who never w ent to school, and cannot read a word ! How much can he know about the religion he came here to profess ? ' " ' Well,' answered the deacon, with a smile, ' Very likely the poor man knows little as yet. Still, he tv)!d us how he found the Saviour, and became happy in his love. But,' added the deacon, ' Do not you, sir, christen little children, declaring that you make them children of God, while you are perfectly aware that the children know nothing at all ? ' " " If .lUy ask, why was I thus baptized ? I answer, because I believed it to be an ordinance of Christ, very specially joined by him with faith in his name. ' He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' I had no superstitious idea that baptism would save me, for I was saved. I did not seek to have sin 11 HIS CONVERSION AND IMMERSION. 47 washed away by water, for I believed that my sins were forgiven me throu^^h faith in Christ Jesus. Yet I regarded baptism as the token to the believer of cleansing, the emblem of his burial with his Lord, and the outward avowal of his new birth. I did not trust in it ; but because I trusted in Jesus as m\- Saviour, I felt bound to obey him as my Lord, and follow the example which He set us in Jordan in His own baptism. I did not fulfil the outward ordinance to join a party, and become a Baptist, but to be a Christian after the apostolic fashion ; for they, when they believed, were baptized." As an Immersionist, he was true from first to last. A writer, in speaking of his loss to the world, gives expression to the 1 hought which impresses the student of his life as we behold the honors paid him, now that he has passed into the beyond : " He was the leader of many communions who would reject the name of Baptists. The w^hole Non- conformist world looked to him as its chief. He was the one man among them who had a hold on the people and on the popular imagination. He was their one great preacher. His name was a flag. There are other aole men among these sects, many able men, many men of profound religious sense, of devotion, of learning, of high qualities ; Mr. Spurgeon alone had a commanding name and a personality which made him a far-reaching force. "He was not the most learned — it was not his learn- ing at all ; nor the most adroit tactician, nor many other things ; but he was Spurgeon. He was a great I {''I r 48 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. I- 1 preacher because he preached year after year to great audiences whom he held spell-bound, captivated subdued, and obedient to his will. Not eloquent, perhaps, but he reached the ends at which eloquence aims by homely and forcible persuasiveness, by autho- rity, by endless variety of manner, by knowledge of human nature, by eccentricity, and above all by the intensity of his conviction, and his unquenchable ardor in the salvation of souls. How many he saved the census does not tell us. He had admirable per- sonal qualities and virtues, among which refinement was not one. But if he lacked delicacy, he had strength, and he was so great a man that nobody c;i:i be named as likely to succeed to his influence or his authority." A v^- Cn AFTER IV. HIS EDUCATION. \ I 'And the Jews nuirvelled, saying, rlow knoweth this man learning, having never learned." — John vii. 15. I th( ill b( N regard to his education tnere will be various judgments formed. The fact is, the world rates us at our estimate of ourselves rather than at that of others. If there was anything in which Spurgeon gloried it was that, without a University education, he had been able to do what no living man had been able to accomplish with it. He gloried in his Saxon English, and he had something to glory in. His transcendent power as an orator came because God had made him pat-tongued. He was born so, and not made, as true poets are. He often said, *' I hate oratory, I come as low as I can. High flying and fine language seem to me wicked when souls are perishing." By this he meant straining after cheap effect. As a preacher, who became tired of the voluminous "Amens" that were rolling in a continuous stream over the house, said, "My friends, I have no objec- tion to a hearty 'Amen,' now and then, when you feel as if you must, but this getting off thunder at three cents a clap, I don't believe in." Nor did Spurgeon ; but the real bolt hot from God he loved in a rapturous way. 49 iUi 50 STURGEON OUR ALLY. iliiii 4^} " Of education in the Academic sense he had none," said a man who thinks liimself a j 'dge, but who had no just conception of the attainments of the great preacher. It is Mr. Spurgeon's fault that he is called unedu- cated. He was accustomed to speak of having es- caped college training as if it would have harmed him. It was in his 1 8th year, to use his own language, "he escaped that more complete education which his parents desired to give him," by a ludicrous accident described by him as follows : — "Soon after I had begun, in 1852, to preach the Gospel in Waterbeach, I was strongly advised by my father and others to enter Stepney (now Regent's Park) College, to prepare more fully for the ministry. Knowing that learning is never an encumbrance, and is often a great means of usefulness, I felt inclined to avail myself of the opportunity of attaining it, although I believed I might be useful without a college training. I assented to the opinion of friends that I should be more useful with it. Dr. Angus, the tutor of the college, visited Cambridge, where I then resided, and it was arranged that we should meet at the house of Mr. Macmillan, the publisher. Thinking and praying over the matter, I entered the house at exactly the time appointed, and was shown into a room where I waited patiently for several hours, feeling too much impressed with my own insignificance, and the greatness of the tutor from London, to venture to ring the bell and enquire the cause of the unreason- ably long delay. HIS EDUCATION 51 " At last, patience having had her perfect work, the bell was set in motion, and, on the arrival of the servant, the waiting young man of 18 was in, ncd that tile doctor had tarried in another room, and could tarry no longer, so had gone off by train to London. The stupid girl had given no information to the family that any one had called and had been shown into tlie drawing-room ; con.scquently the meeting never came about, although designed by both parties. " I was not a little disappointed at the moment ; but have a thousand times since then thanked the Lord very heartily for the strange providence which forced my steps into another and far better path." One of the great dailies, in announcing the death of Mr. Spurgeon, referred to the great preacher as a " man of scarcely any education." The same idea prevails quite too generally. In one of the late numbers of the Sivordmid Trowel, Mr. Spurgeon editorially noted the death of Mr. Edwin S. Leeding, who was " usher in the school of Mr. Henry Lewis, in Colchester in 1845." Young Spurgeon, then eleven years of age, was "one of the boys under his care." Mr. Spurgeon, gratefully re- calling those early days said : " He was a teacher who real* lught his pupils ; and by his diligent skill I gained the foundation upon which I built in after years, He left Colchester to open a schoo' of his own in Cambridge, and I to go, first to Maidstone, and then to Newmarket for some two years. Then we came together again ; for I ^ 52 SrURGEON OUR ALLY. joined him at Cambridge to assist in his school, and in return to be helped in my studies. He has left on record that he did not think that there was need forme to go to any of the Dissenting Colleges, sinee 1 had mastered most of the subjects studied therein ; and his impression that I mighty ivhile zvith him, have readily passed through the University, if my bei> Nonconformist had not come in the way. I have always looked to him, among the many of whom I have gathered help, as MY TUTOR." Surely, one who, but for bigotry which excluded dissenting ministers from its privileges, could have "easily passed through the University" of Camb- ridge, cannot justly be said to have been a "man of scarcely aiiy education." John Ploughman became the conception that Mr. Spurgeon sent out into the world as '""ereal Spurgeon. That was the Spurgeon that Cha Haddou Spur- geon travelled with and knew, and saw when he looked into the looking-glass, but the Spurgeon God made, and that flamed and thundered in the pulpit, he never saw as others saw him, and knew little of him when he descended from the Mount of Transfigu- ration, and the reaction came, and John Ploughman with jokes and quaint sayings, tapped, like the dove' at the window of the Ark, and asked admission. A book has been made up of the quaint sayings and anecdotes of the man as he appeared when off duty. A writer in the Neiv York Tribune said : " Few men appear at their best in the light of such homely revelations ; even the halo that surrounds the HIS KDUCATIO.N. 53 names of a Tennyson or a Gladstone might become less dazzling if some biographer were to relate all their jokes, good bad and indifferent, as well as the multitude of little ephemeral incidents in their lives, which have no intrinsic importance in themselves. It speaks well for Spurgeon's real greatness that a reading of Mr. Ellis's gossipy book does not, on the whole, diminish our respect for him. We feel that his wit was sometimes ponderous and his jokes clumsy, that he had some of the defects as well as many of the virtues of the middle-class Englishman, that he was contemptuously indifferent to many tendencies of life and thought in which intelligent men and women to-day are profoundly interested, that he had no part or lot in the intellectup' and religious movement of the age which is so completely revolutionizing the world, and that his conception of religion was in many respects painfully narrow and unsatisfactory. But we also feel that, within its limitations, he was a man of surpassing force, who wrought a great and lasting work in his day and generation. Mr. Spurgeon possessed the power, only given to men of superior endowments, of making his very defects and limita- tions tell in his work. Being such a man as he was, it would have been a signal misfortune for him to have grown into larger sympathies, or to have gained a wider outlook. He was one of those men whom a liberal education in a university, or an acquaintance with the higher aspects of intellectual culture, would have ruined. Such a training would have dissipated the rude and rugged strength of the man, and, because ' "I 54 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. foreign to his nature, would have given him nothing to take its place. H.ippily for his fame, and we may- add, for the world, he was allowed to grow into the work he was so nobly fitted to do, unspoiled by the doubts that knowledge suggests, or the dilctanteism which tJiC higher culture so often produces. He did not see a great deal, but what he did see he saw with wonderful distinctness, and believed with all the splendid earnestness of his nature. His executive ability as an organizer, his homely sympathy with homely folk, his * sanctified common sense ' in dealing with all sorts and conditions of men, his bonhomie which put him in touch with everybody, and his earnest, simple, and powerful, if not brilliant, preach- ing of righteousness, made him easily one of the irreatest moral forces in his aoe. His Tabernacle, around which as a centre were grouped so many religious, benevolent and educational impulses, be- came, many years ago, a vast people's cathedral, radiating a moral influence in every direction ; and setting an example which the cathedrals of the Established Church would honor themselves in imitating. " It would be childish as well as unfair, to criticise such a man because he Avas what he was, and not something else. His characterization of modern religious thought, in a recent controversy, as ' the down-grade in theology,' and his refusal to associate with those who sympadiized with it, exposed him to much harsh criticism. But his course in that contro- versy was so entirely in keeping with his often HIS EDUCATION. 55 expressed opinions, that it should not have excited surprise, nor, indeed, indignation ; for believing as he did, he could not honestly take any other course. It should be remembered of Spurgeon that in his theology, and in his conception of Christianity, he belonged to the past : and he should oe judged, therefore, by the standards of the past. He was probably the last of the long line of brilliant and forceful preachers whom Calvinism has produced in the English-speaking races. That he did what he did at a time when the tendency of religious thought was so strongly away from much that he held vital, is a striking proof of his power as a preacher and leader of men. * He will take his place in history as one of the greatest figures in English Protestantism, worthy to stand in that noble and brilliant company of men who have shed an imperishable glory on Scottish Calvinism and English Puritanism." Men, to a larger extent than many think, get what they desire. Probably Mr. Spurgeon would have been pleased with that magnificent description of his life and work. Those who saw him in his grandeur, and beheld the workings of that analytic mind, knew that a thorough education would not have injured him. It would have revealed him to himself, and brought him into contact with the brightest intellects of the age ; polished the arrow, and perhaps saved him to the denomination that needed him, and not allowed him to feel as he did, because of associations with men smaller than himself. Spurgeon could be bottom, sides and top to a movemen*: that is not '■»-. ' ii''i\w-'yr^'qpfwww» ippw'WH!wwa»iiHiiiiiiiai 56 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i '' '■l!i|::i ''li rii Mr {'■ ended but waits for some one great enough and true enough to take the fallen banner and follow Christ along the sunlit plains of God's tru'.h, and declare Him the Leader of the embattled host. We went over this ground together, when for eight hours we discussed the Communion question, and when I prophesied that he would lead the way to the " Down Grad^.*' which afterwards came to pass ; he could not realize it. T told him that if he could refuse to be ordained, aii to be called Reverend with his brethren, and ignore the ordinance of the Lord's Supper as a church sacrament, why could not others ignore some other command, and thus unsettle the mind relative to divine authority ; he was a law to himself. He was praised so extravagantly and called " peculiar," and at the same time was so true to God, and was so blessed of God, and, we may say without fear of contradiction, was so dear to God, that we do not wonder he felt himself warranted in doing things which he condemned others for doing. The Rev. Thomas Armitage, D.D., who knew Spurgeon w^ell, and was loved by the great preacher as one of the brightest lights of the American pulpit deserves to be loved, says of Mr. Spurgeon : " He was peculiar as a man ; all that he was grew out of that fact. He had a deep conviction of sin, but he transferred it to another set of truths. If sin was so mighty, it needed a pungent remedy, and so he preached a pungent atonement. There was need of a sacrificial life in the believer, as though he were HIS EDUCATION. 57 grew )f sin, If sin id so need were another Christ. He went on to the future. If sin smites the heart of God, if sin awakens the thunders of God's lips, then the man who insists on its repeti- tion must have a pungent punishment. The preacher was of Holland stock — martyr stock. The family liad been persecuted. There were three centuries of preaching force in him. His mother fed him on Fox's Book of Martyrs, Bunyan's battle v/ith the devil, Robinson Crusoe and the Bible — stiff sort of food for a boy — so that when he was sixteen years old, he had the whole Spurgeonic ministry wrapped up in his breast. He came into the pulpit at a peculiar time. There was great learning, but a spiritual dearth ; the people were not touched. In those early days of the London ministry, I was sitting on the platform with him in Surrey Music Hall, when the young preacher tamed, took his hand, and placed it in the hand of David Livingstone, and said to the assembled thou- sands, ' This man has given me my love for the study of the Word of God.' " Let us not be deceived ; Mr. Spurgeon had mar- vellous drill. As Rev. Joseph Cook has well said : " He had a splendid education in the essentials, and he was indefatigable in the acquiring of know- ledge. His large house is filled with books — an ordinary house would not have been adequate for his large library." Rev. Hugh Price Hughes confirms what has just been written concerning the estimate placed on the great preacher's scholarship. He says : lU-'J- 58 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. "The extent of Mr. Spurgcon's scholarship has been greatly underestimated. He wos himself largely to blame for this. " He had a weakness of going out of his way to repudiate scholarship, and to conceal his own schol- astic attainments. He had the largest library I ever saw in a minister's private house, and it was as varied as it was extensive. It contained a large selection of excellent and standard books of modern Science, and those Mr. Spurgeon told me he had read diligently and with great interest. There were signs of that on the margin of some of them, Again, he had a fine selection of the Poets, and books on questions of Art. He showed me the whole of Mr. Ruskin's works, given him by Mr. Ruskin himself with very affec- tionate inscriptions. Mr. Spurgeon was an excellent Latin scholar, and knew something of Greek, Hebrew and French. I am not aware whether he ever mas- tered German or Italian. His theological library was very extensive, and he spoke to me \\ith great admiration of some High Church and Roman Cath- olic writers. He loved some of the devotional writings of the Catholic school. At the same time, every drop in his veins was full of sturdy Protes- tantism." He could discern and enjoy spiritual life wherever he found it. Rare books were his delight. He kept a secretary searching for facts, which he had not time to hunt up. A man was seen day a^ler day in the British Museum. A stranger asked him, "Are you preparing HIS EDTJCATTON. 59 anything for the press ?" " Oh, no," was the reply, " I am one of Mr. Spurgeon's men, gathering quaint sentences from the old fathers for the Treasury of the House of David." His books and the editorials of the Sivord and Troivcl, and the numberless articles that were signed by his name, were the offspring of his prolific brain, while much of the manual labor was performed b}- able secretaries, and his scholarly brother James, all of whom were willing that the praise of the work should be given to him whose name secured for the production world-wide circulation. He was an omnivorous reader. He rarely \\ent anywhere without a book in his pocket, He could suck the life out of a book in a short time, and never hesitated to use what came in his way. He could climb to azure heights, and get observations which would enable him in an hour to map out work for a secretary, that would keep him busy for days. He possessed a marvellous memory, and facts and fancies, gathered in reading, were shelved in his mind for future use, and came at his bidding and fulfilled their mission. No man can create facts ; he can only use those which are at hand. It is dilicjence that secures them. But above facts and books and secretaries was the genius of the man that was God's gift to the Age in which he lived. He was greater than he knew. Henry Ward Beecher, when at the height of his fame, once remarked, 'I often look with wonder on that man speaking with such manifest effect, and I wonder at him as much as any other man can." m ■ 11 . . mm;iiuii'*u<.iiMM>'M^-u^ 6q SPURGEOX OUR ALLY. 1! III t This experience must have often come to Spurgeon, when swaying the people with the wand of his eloquence, and producing impressions upon their minds which proved that he was an instrument in the hand of God, employed to accomplish a divine purpose ; and when, having fulfilled his mission, he stepped down to the level of "John Ploughman," until the time came again to string the harp, and evoke music essential to the life of the world. Spiirgcons Power. As has been said, " There have been many preachers more learned than Spurgeon, many more original. The pulpits of America and England have recently sounded forth much that is gorgeous and convincing, and have echoed the best examples of the sermon from Chrysostom down, but this century has not heard a voice raised for Christ with so complete a mastery of scripture, thought, and language as was exhibited by Spurgeon, who has left a precedent and an example, as a man mighty in the Scriptures, which no preacher, of whatsoever church or denomination, can afford to disregard." .(^V.^.y<^ •»• i \ I s 1, s n V t t> CHAPTER V. HIS CALL TO THE MLXISTRY, AND TIH-: BEGINNING OF HIS WORK. " That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy OhoNt which dwelleth in us.'' — 2 Tim i. 14. 'HE New Birth brought the youthful Spurgcon into a new world. It made a new man of him. The Bible became his delight, and was illumined by the Spirit of God. Old things had passed away and behold all things had become new. The Canon of the school at Maidstone had started him in the riglit direction, and opened his eyes to the fact that fLiitli is the prerequisite to baptism. He found out that he had never exercised it, and determined to do so. His father and mother were Congregationalists, and saw no special necessity of his being immersed, as large numbers of Congregationalists without immer- sion were communing in Baptist Churches. Spurgeen, after a careful study of his Greek Testa- ment, found that Jesus Christ, his Lord and Saviour, was immersed; that the word in the Greek, properly translated into English, reads "to immerse, to dip, to plunge," and he resolved to obey God. Eight miles away was a little Baptist Church at Isleham Ferry, on the river Lark. Thither on the 61 I .1 62 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. 3rd of May, 1850, his mother's birthday, dressed in a jacket and a boy's turn-down collar, he went to be buried with Christ by immersion. His parents did not accompany him. His mother, as he was getting ready to go, said to him : " Charles, I have often prayed that you might be saved, but never that you might be a Baptist." " Ah, mother," replied the son, " God has answered your prayer with his usual bounty, and given you more than you asked." The eiirht-mile walk with a friend with whom he conversed all the way, the joy found in the service of Christ, the drawing near to Christ, as, dead to the world, he was buried with his Lord, beneath the yielding wave, his coming forth to newness of life, and beginning that very day to tell to others round the joy he had found in the service of his Master, have been set forth by him again and again. He said : " I lost a thousand fears in that river Lark." His call to the ministry came with his conversion. He believed that God brought him from darkness to light, that he might tell to others the story of redeem- ing love. Mr. Spurgeon moved from Newmarket into Camb- ridge, where he studied during the day, and engaged in various forms of Christian service during the even- ing. In one place, that he might get access to the people, he set writing-copies for the children, who were terribly neglected, and then he called at their houses to see how they were progressing with their writing. The parents were proud of these visits ; and Ills CAI.L TO THE MIXISTRV. 63 they gradually became attached to the young usher, and came gladly to listen to their childrens' benefactor. There were many in the l^V-n country who recognised in these earlier addresses the characteristics of the great preacher. He joined the Lay Preachers' Asso- ciation of the St. Andrew s Baptist Church, of which J HE COTTAGK AT TEVERSIIAM WHERE MR. SI'URGEON S I IR.-,i SERMON WAS PREACHED. Robert Hall was formerly pastor. His first text wa.^, " Unto you therefore which believe he is precious."- — I Peter ii. 7, and was preached in Teversham. Writing in 1881, Mr. Spurgeon thus referred to his own days of early plodding: " I was for three years a Cambridge man though I never entered the University. I could not have V I tifi^ HS: 64 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. obtained a degree, because I was a Nonconformist ; and, moreover, it was a better thing for me to pursue my studies under an admirable scholar and tender friend, and preach at the same time. " I must have been a singular-looking youth on wet evenings. During the last year of my stay in Cam- bridge, when I had given up my once as usher, I was wont to sally forth every night in the week except Saturday, and walk three, five, or perhaps eight miles out and back, on my preaching excursions ; and when it rained, I dressed myself in waterproof leggings and a mackintosh coat, and a hat with a water- proof covering ; and I carried a dark lantern to show me the way across the fields. I had many advcr.- tures ; * * * * ♦ * but what I had gathered by my studies during the day, I handed out to a company of villagers in the evening, and was greatly profited by the exercise. I always found it good to say my lesson when I hid learned it. Children do so, and it is equally good for preachers, especially if they say their lesson by heart. In m ' young days, I fear I said many odd things, and made many blunders, but my audiences were not hyper-critical, and no newspaper w^riters dogged my heels ; and so I had a happy training-ground, in which, by continual practice, I attained such a degree of ready speech, as I now possess. There is no way of learning to preach which can be compared to preaching itself. If you want to swim, you must get into the water ; and if you at the first make a sorry exhibition, never mind, for it is by swimming, as j 1 HIS CALL TO THE MLMSTRY. 6; you can, thai you learn to swim as you should. Hence, we ou<^ht to be lenient with be^inr.ers, for they will do better b}-and by. If yount:^ speakers in Cambridge had been discouraged and silenced, I might not have found my way here, and, therefore, I shall be the last to bring forth a wet blanket for any who sincerely speak for Christ, however humble may be ibeir endeavors. The fear of there being too many preachers is the last that will occur to me. I rejoice in that passage of the Psalm, ' The Lord gave the word : great was the company of those that pub- lished it.' Go forth, young men, and proclaim among the people of this vast city all the words of this life. Among these millions you will all be few enough. * * * * Fill your baskets with living seed, and in due season bring them back, laden with many sheaves. My heart is with you ; my soul rejoices in your successes ; aud I look to the great Head of the Church, through your means, to gather in his blood-bought ones." When at seventeen years of age, he preached at Teversham, wearing his round jacket and turn-down collar, all were struck with the precocious talent of the young preacher. Five miles away was Waterbeach. It was, and is, a thriving agricultural settlement. The inhabitants eat the fruit of their luxuriant marshes, while sitting beneath their own vines and fig-trees : for, instead of belonging to one domineering autocrat, the land is divided into small proprietorships. The people are consequently, as remarkable for their independence 66 Sl'URClKOX OUR AI.LV. m in relig'ious matters, as they are for their Liberalism in politics. Nonconforniit)' was everywhere in the ascendant. Such being the character of Waterbeach, it goes without saying that it was a congenial place to the young minister, and was described by him as a little " Garden of ICden," which he came to love with his whole heart. The old manse has disappeared, and a handsome and commodious meeting-house has taken its place. ** How did he preach?" was asked of an old deacon, " Why, like a man a hundred years old in exper- ience ! " Mr. Spurgeon went to Waterbeach in the fall of 185 1. The salary was £$ a quarter. Deacon Robert Coe delighted to tell of that first sermon, as the young preacher, so white and young, arose, and began to read and expound the chapter about the Scribes and Phari- sees, and lawyers, and long prayers. " I knew that he could preach, and was fully persuaded in my own mind that he would not remain long in Waterbeach. I could see that he was something very great, and was evidently intended for a larger sphere. * * * I could not make him out ; and one day I asked him wherever he got all the knowledge from, that he put into the sermons. * Oh,' he said, ' '' take a book and I pull the good things on n^ it by the hair of their heads.' " In those days the vilKi^ bore an evil name, on ac- count of drunkenness and profi gacy which abounded. Soon there was a marked change. The seats i the c t d b( HIS CALL TO THE MINLSTRV read hari- at he own each, iwas him put and their |i ac- ided. the chapel were filled, and a deep seriousness pervaded the community. His sermon from "What wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan ?" is still remembered because of its terrific warnings and solemn appeals. // zvas )iot all Sunshine, At a certain date in 1852, Mr. Spurgeon was ap- pointed to preach the anniversary sermons at a village chapel in the vicinity of Waterbeach, where the pastor was an octogenarian. When the young minister arrived, his appearance created anything but a favor- able impression on the aged minister who had proclaimed the gospel for forty years. " How do you do, Mr. ? I'vx' come to preach your anniversary sermons," said the new comer, expecting the usual welcome. " Ugh ! " replied the other looking up somewhat disconcerted, "I'm none the better for seeing j^//." Thinking that he was in a dilemma, and that the anniversary would be a failure, the old pastor rose, and, pacing the room, gave expression to his impa- tience. " Tut, tut ! a pretty kettle offish ; boys going up and down the country preaching, before their mother's milk is well out of their mouths." To the visitor all this sounded like somewhat strong language, and he inwardly resolved that the veteran should hear of the matter in another place. In the meantime, the crisis appeared to be all the more serious on account of the numbers of people who were flocking into the village from all directions, As the IW^ % :i 1 •J .k ■i. ■ II ill 68 Sl'UKCl'.OX OUR ALLY. venerable pastor remarked, they were cominj:;^ in carts, they were coipi'i^ in buc^gies ; there would be an overflowinc^ congregation. From Mr. Spurgeon's standpoint there was nothing that could be done other than for him to do his best, and to look for the blessing of God ; but this was so far from being satisfactory to the pastor that he went about the village, still expressing his disgust at the idea of boys being sent to preach. The chapel was crowded at the time of so'vice ; but, instead of yielding pleasure, this fact seemed to make the occasion still more unlucky. At first, the old pastor retired into the background, where he could not be seen. A hymn was sung, and the pra)-er was not quite what the judicious would have expected from a mere boy. Mr, Spurgeon read Proverbs x\i., and when he came to " A hoary head is a crown of glory," he showed that, .Solomon or no Solomon, it was not alwa\'s so. There were tongues in some hoary heads, which could not be civil to the boy who came to preach. Rude- ness gave no glory. Then reading further: '' if it be fotuid in the way of righteousness^'' he showed that Solomon was right after all, for, unless this were the case, a man might as well have red hair as white for a crown. When the sermon was over, the ^'gcd pastor, who had long since come forth from his hiding- place, walked up the pulpit stairs, opened the door, and as the boy-preacher descended, he received a smart, plaj'ful slap on the loins, accompanied with the complimenta:)- remark: "You are the sauciest dog that ever barked in a pulpit." Instead of com- HIS CALL TO Till'; .^!I^Is■^R^■. 69 ling- loor, ;d a with lie.st tom- plaininy; of his "supply/' Mr. now went, first to one and then to another, expressing;" his wonder and deh'j^ht, that such an extraordinary youth had appeared in the niidst of them. The above is an example of the mistakes that may be made by those who too readily despise a preacher's youth ; and, according to Deacon Coe, his trials were exceptionally heavy ; but neither in youth, nor later on in life did he ever retaliate. Much more mi(^ht be written of the manner in which the young soldier wrought for God ; but this must suffice. In a letter to his mother he said : " I am more and more glad that I never went to college. God sends such sunshine on my path, such smiles of grace that I cannot regret if I have forfeited all my prospects for it. I am conscious that I held back from love to God and his cause, and I would rather be poor in his service than rich in my own. I have all the heart can wish for ; }'ea, God hath given me more than m>' desire. My congregation is as great and loving as ever. During all the time that I have been atWater- be:ich I have had a different house for my home every day. Fifty-two families have thus taken me in ; and I have still six other invitations not yet accepted. Talk about the people not caring for me, because they give so little! They do all they can ! Tv. o or three facts deser\'e notice, l^^irst, he was grateful for what he had. He made much of the friends God gave him. He loved them, and was loved by them. After years were gone, he laid the corner- II Im Ik?- Era . ^ 1 1 'O SPURGEOX OUR ALLY. stone of the church, and was always a welcome i^ucst in every home in Waterbeach. When tired, he visited the large landed estate, and tried his hand at gunninc;- ; and though he could not have hit the side of a house, if he had aimed at it, the neighbors tolerated his random shooting because it was Pastor Spurgeon, and he was getting a rest. Secondly, he was faithful where God put him, and was not always casting about for a more desirable place. Thirdly, he did well what his hands found to do. He preached a sermon before the Sunday School Union of Cambridge and carried the house. The pastor at Waterbeach had outgrown all their calcu- lations. A young man named Gould, from Loughton, Es- sex, heard him, and, knowing the deacons of deser- ted Park Street Baptist Church, in London, said to them, " If you want to fill your empty pews, send for a young man I heard in Cambridge, by the naaie of Spurgeon." It did not move the staid deacons. Again he came, and repeated what he had said about the marvellous power of the young preacher. An invitation was sent him by Deacon James Lowe, and Spurgeon returned it, saying " that there must have been a mistake," riie\- replied at once, "You are the man we want. Come on." On he went, in due time, to crowded London, and swung into the life of the great Metropolis. What people call accidents are often providences planned of God, and working out the divine purposes, without let or hindrance on our part. HIS CALL TO THE >HXISTRV i^ Spurgeon believed it, and — wearing his huge black satin stock, and using a blue handkerchief with white spots — found his way to a boarding-house, where he was entertained. The guests were amused at the country lad, and wondered, when he mentioned that he was a preacher. They told him stories of the great divines, how one had a thousand men to hear him. and hovv^ another had his church filled with thoughtful people, such as could hardly be matched all over England. A third had an immense audience, almost entirely composed of the young men of London, who were spell-bound by his eloquence ! The study which these young men underwent in composing their ser- mons, their herculean toils in keeping up their con- gregations, and the matchless oratory which the\- exhibited on all occasions, were duly rehearsed in his hearing ; and, when he was shown to bed in a bedroom over the front door, he was not in an advan- tageous condition for pleasant dreams. The next morning the youth of nineteen, longing for the quiet village, which, as compared with London, seemed like a " Garden of Kden," went sorrowfully to the meeting-house in New l^ark Street. Borne down by a sense of weakness such as always precedes a preacher's triumph, he wended his way pondering the words, " He must needs go through Samaria." It is said that on his arrival at the vestry of the chapel, Mr. Spurgeon sat down in Dr. Gill's chair and exclaimed, *' He must needs go through Samaria." This text had been upon his mind. During the walk to the chapel he had come to regard his visit to Park Ill 1 1 ( 1 ' , 1 ^ I l^ SPURGEON OUR ALLY. Street as a part of his needful training, He had no thought of a permanent settlement in London, and said plainly to the deacons, " I knew that I should be of no use to you, but you would have me come." On that first Sunday in Park Street there were perhaps eighty present. The deacons had made a great effort to get people out, to swell the audience. One of the deacons went to a young lady and said : " Do, please, come on Sunday, there n-ill be a young man from the country, and we do want to make as much of a show as we can." The young lady went and saw the young man from the country, and heard him preach. She has seen him a good many times since ; and, in fact, in a couple of years later, she took him for good and all ; and what a blessing she has been to him and to the world, only eternity can tell. " Come again next Sunday," said Deacon Thomas Olney to Spurgeon, at the close of the service. " Can't afford it." •' Why not ? " " I have two students, and if I leave them too long 1 will lose them." " How much do they pay you .^" " Ten pounds." It is said that the son of the deacon drew out a ten pound note, and turning to him said : " Here is your money. We want you." Spurgeon saw his Jonathan, and William Olney saw his David. f c i a 1 e 1 c ^ h^g Icn Icy HIS CALL TO THP: MINISTRY. 73 To the young pastor, the church with its marvel- lous record, stretching back for more than two hun- dred years, deserved re.>pcct, and the best service it was possible to render. Previous to sketching the life-work of the gifted Spurgeon, a list of the names of those who have had the oversight of the church from its origin, will be in order : PASTORS OK THE BAPTIST CHURCH, SOUTHWARK. Appointed Name. Died or Resigned. Years Pastor. 1652 William Rider 1667 15 1668 Benjamin Keach ^704 3^j 1705 Benjamin Stinton 17 19 l| 1720 John Gill, D, I) 1771 51 ^773 Joli" Rippon, I).I> 1836 63 '^37 Joseph Angus, l).l) 1S40 4 1842 James Smith 1850 8 1851 William Walters 1853 3 1854 Charles Haddon Spurgeon . . 1892 38 Nine pastors during a period of two hundred and thirty-two years. The last pastor has held the place since 1853. After Mr. Walters left, the pulpit remained vacant for some months ; the pews were forsaken, the aisles desolate, and the exchequer empty. Decay had set in so seriously that the deacons had almost lost heart, and, until Mr. Spurgeon arrived, the cause seemed hopeless. In the order of God's providence, Man's extremity was God's opportunity. In his first sermon he spoke with freedom, as he believed that his message came from God. 74 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. Some were disappointed ; others resolved to oppose ; but by far the ijreater proportion were disposed to hear him a^ain. The result of the first sermon was proved in a few hours to have been a success. The evening congregation was greatly increased, partly because of the age of the preacner, partly from curiosity, and largely from his unusual style of address. During that first Sunday, he found a suitable companion in Mr. Joseph Passmore, one of the members of the church, who has done more to minister and promote the fame of the great preacher, than any other living man. The friendship then begun grew ever stronger as the years went on. Tlic Characteristics of the Alan stand out. I! i I Spurgeon believed that God had calli-d him to a txreat work. He believed that God could do infinite things through him, because he believed in Jesus Christ as the Mediator. He could say and feel that no man that had ever lived had his opportunitw We all know and say that God chooses men. Spuigeon's distinctive glory is, that while God chooses and uses men, God could use him as he can use very few. He was a faithful steward of God's bounty ; he could be trusted ; he was wholly given up to the service of Christ. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been given to him, and yet not a sixpence ever stuck to his palm. These great institutions are all the out- growth of God's purpose. Had God more such men, how much nn'^rht be done. !lil wjbiw w iwy iP WUM i iwjjj M p a w a K -wtiPi -. In lo HIS CALL TO THE MINISTRY. / Said a great admirer : " When with the man, when you hear him pray and preach and plan, it looks as if there was another side, and that Spurgeon was Christ's great helper." It is, perhaps, true that Christ never before had a man so much to his mind ; one that he could so implicitly trust in, and work through, both to will and to do according to his good i)lea- sure, as in and through the loved Charles Haddon Spurgeon. CHAPTER VI. il li: OPENING OF THE FIGHT, AND THE SURREY HALL DISASTER. " Rfhold 1 have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it : for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word and hast not denied mv name " — Rr^v lii 8. TN 1854, in his 20th year, after a three months' trial Charles Haddon Spurgeon was unaniniousl}' elected pastor of the Park Street Baptist Church. Southwark, London, luig. The antecedents of many generations, and the cherished reminiscenses of the older members, ^ /e- parcd for him a welcome. Rich pasturage makes fat cattle. Good people have much to do with making good ministers. In regard to the opening of the fight and the Surrey Hall disaster, Mr. Spurgeon gives this plain statement of facts : " On one of the last Sabbaths of the month of December, 1853, C. H. Spurgeon being then nineteen years of age preached in New Park Street Chapel, in 76 THE OPENIXO OF TflK IK.lir. / / response to an invitation which, much to his surprise, called him away from a loving people in Waterbeach, near Cambridge to supply a London pulpit. The congregation was a mere handful. The chapel seemed very large to the preacher, and very gloomy, but he stayed himself on the Lord, and delivered his message from James i. 17. Tliere was an improvement e\cn on the first evening, and the place looked more clucr- ful. Tlie text w as : " They are without fault before the throne of God." " Li answer t»3 earnest requests, C. H. Spurgeon agreed to preach in London on the first, third, ai d fifth Sundays in January, 1854; but before the last of these Sabbaths, he had received an invitation, dated Januar}/ 25, to occupy the pulpit for six months upon probation. *' The six months' probation was never fulfilled, for there was no need. The place was filling, the pra}'er- meetings were full of power, and conversion was going on. A requisition for a special meeting, sigtied by fifty of the male members, was sent in to the deacons, and, according to the church book, it was on April 19th, resolved unanimously: "That we tender our brother, the Rev. C. H. Spur- geon, a most cordial and affectionate invitation forth- with to become the pastor of this church, and we pray ♦^hat the result of his services may be owned of God, .vith an outpouring of the Holy Ghost and a revival of religion in our midst ; that he may be fruitful in the conversion of sinners, and in the edification of those that believe." lif- f\ I '.'■' I 78 SI'URr.KOX OUR ALLY. To this there v/as but one reply, and it was, there- fore, answered in the affirmative, in a letter dated, 75 Dover Road, April 28th, 1854. '• In a very short time the congregation so multiplied, as to make the chapel in the evening, when the gas was burning, like the black-hole of Calcutta. One evening, when, in 1854, the preacher exclaimed, " 1^}- faith the walls of Jericho fell down, and by faith this wall at the back shall come down too," an aged and prudent deacon, in somewhat domineering terms, observed to him, at the close of the sermon : " Let us never hear of that again." "What do you mean?" said the preacher, "you \\\\\ hear no more about it zc/uu it is done, and, therefore, the sooner you set about doing it the better." " A meeting was held, and a fund was commenced, and in due course the vestries and schools were laid into the chapel, and a new school-room was erected along the side of the chapel, with windows which could be let down, to allow those who were seated in the school to hear the preacher. While this was being done, worship was being carried on at Exeter Hall, from February nth, 1855, to May 27th of the same year. At this time paragraphs appeared in the papers announcing that the Strand was blocked up by crowds who gathered to hear a young man in Exeter Hall. Remarks of no very flattering character appeared in various journals, and the multitude was thereby THE OPKXINf; OF TIIF. FIC.HT. 79 increased. Caric.iturcs, such as " Brimstone and Treacle," adorned the print-sellers' windows, tlie most ridicuhnis stories were circulated, and tlie most cruel falsehoods invented, but all these things worked together for good. The gootl Lord blessed the word more and more to the convci'sion of the hearers, and Exeter Hall was thronged throughout the whole time of our sojourn. t ««nRIMSTONK AND TRP:ACLE." " To return to New Park Street, enlarged though it was, it resembled the attempt to put the sea into a tea- pot. We were more inconvenienced than ever. To turn many hundreds away was the general if not the universal necessity, and those who gained admission were but little better off, for the packing was dense 8o SI'URGKON OLR AM,V. in the extreme, and the heat something terrible even to remember. Our enemies continued to make (,ur name more and more known by penny pamphlc's and letters in the pai)ers, which all tended to swell the " catch-'em-alive-o ! " crowd. More caricatures appeared, and among the rest * Catch-'em-alive-o ! ' "In June, 1856, we were again at Exeter Hall, preaching there in the evening and at the chapel in the morning ; but this was felt to be inconvenient, bl ■u. THE orEXINC; OF THE FIGHT Si and therefore in August a fund \vas commenced to provide for the erection of a lar<^er house of worshij). Meanwhile, the Kxetcr Hall pro{)rietors intimated that they were unable to let their hall continuous!}' to one congregation, and therefore we looked about us for another place. Most opportunely, a large hall in the Royal Surrey Gardens, was just completed for the monster concerts of M. Jul lien, and, with some trem- bling at the magnitude of the enterprise, this hall was secured for Sabbath evenings. " We find the following entry in the Church-book: * Lord's-day, Oct. 19, 1856. On the evening of this day, in accordance with the resolution passed at the church meeting, October 6th, the church and congre- gation assembled to hear our pastor, in the Music Hall of the Royal Surrey Gardens. A very large number of persons (about 7000) were present on that occasion, and the service was commenced in the usual way, by singing, reading the Scriptures, and prayer. Just, however, after our Pastor had commenced his prayer, a disturbance was caused, (as it is supposed, by some evil-disposed persons acting in concert), and the whole congregation were seized with a sudden panic. This caused a fearful rush to the doors par- ticularly from the galleries. Several persons, either in consequence of their heedless haste, or from the extreme pressure of the crowd behind, were thrown down on the stone steps of the north-west staircase, and were trampled on by the crowd pressing upon them. The lamentable result was that seven persons lost their lives, and twenty-eight were removed to the 11 Sj SPUKGKON OUR ALLY. hospitals, seriously bruised and injured. Our pastor, not beinj^r aware that any less of life had occurred, continued in the pulpit, endeavorin^T by every means in his power to alleviate the fear of the people, and was successful to a very considerable extent. In attenijjtin^ to renew the service it was found that the people were too excited to listen to him, and tlu- l)eople who remained dispersed quietl}'. This lamen- table circumstance produced very serious effects on the nervous system of our pastor. He was entirely prostrated for some days, and compelled to relinquish his preachinf^ eni^:ii;ements. Throu^di the great mercy of our Heavenly Father, he v»as, however, restored so as to be able to occupy the pulpit in our own chapel on Sunday, October 31st, and {gradually recovered his wonted health and vigour. The Lord's name be praised ! " The church desire to note this event in their minutt's, and to record their devout thankfulness to God that in this sad calamity the lives of their belovxxl pastor, the deacons, and members were all pieserved ; and also with the liope that our Heavenly Father, from this seennng vvW, may produce the greatest amount of real lasting good.' " This was the way in which this great affliction was viewed by our church ; but we had, in addition to the unulterable pain of the whole catastrophe, to bear the wicked accusations of the public press. " A fund was raised to help the poor sufferers, and to avoid all fear of further panic, the preacher resolved to hold the service in the morning, though that part THE OPENING OE THE FIC.HT. 83 of the day is least favorable to larg^e congregations. The nuiltitude came, however, and continued still to come for three t^ood y<;ars. All classes came, both hitrh and low. We have before us a list of the nobilit\- who attended the Music Hall, but as we never felt any great elation at their attendance, or cared to havt- their presence blazoned abroad, we will not insert the names. It was a far greater joy to us that hundreds came who were led to seek the Lord, and to find eternal life in him. " A famous letter, signed llabitaus in Sicca, and dateil from Broad Phylactery, Westminster, appeared at this period in the Tifiies, and, as it was known to be u ritten by an eminent scholar, it produced a ver\- fa\ ( trable impression. Part of the letter ran as follows : " ' I want to hear Spurgeon. Let us go,' Now, I am supposed to be a high churchman, so I answered, 'What. I go and hear a Calvinist — a l^aptist! a man w ho ought to be ashamed ot himself for being so near the Church, and yet not within its pale?* 'Never mind, come and hear him.' Well, we went yesterda\- mort. iig to the Music PLall, in the Surrey Gardens. Fanc}' a congregation ctinsisting of 10,000 souls. s*..eaming into the Hall, mounting the galleries hum- ming, buzzing and swarming — a mighty hive of bees — eager to secure, at fu'st the best places, and, at last, any place at all. After waiting more than half-an- liour — for if you wish to have a seat you must be there at least that space of titnc in advance — Mr. Spurgeon ascended his tribune. To the hum, and s BnniHi 84 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. rush, and trampliiij^ of men, succeeded a low, concen- trated thrill and murmur of devotion, which seemed to run at once, like an electric current, through the breast of every one present ; and by this magnetic chain, the preacher held us fast bound for about two ]u)urs. It is not my purpose to give a summary of his discourse. It is enough to say of his voice, that its power and volume are sufficient to reach every one in tliat vast assembly ; of his language, that it is neither higli-flown nor liomely ; of his style, that it is .it times familiar, at times declamator}', but always liapp)', .'.nd often eloquent ; of his doctrine, that neither the Calvinist nor the Baptist ai)pears in tiic forefront of the b.ittle which is u.iged by Mr. Spurgeon with relentless animosit)-, and w ith gospel weapons-, against irreligion, cant, hypocrisy, pride, and those secret bosom-sins which so easily beset a man in daily life ; anci to sum up all in a word, it is enough to say of the man himself, that he impresses you with a perfect conviction of his sincerity. *' ' Ikit I have not written so much aboui uiy chil- dren's want of spiritual food when they listened to the mumbling of the Archbishop of , and my banqut^t at the Surrey Gard-Mis, without a desire to draw a practical conclusion ftom tliese two stories, and to point them by a moral. Here is a man not more Calvinistic than many an incumbent of the Es- tablished Church, who " humbles and mumbles." as old Latimer says, over his liturgy and tex^^; here is a m.m who says the complete immersion, or somi.'thing of the kind, of adults is necessary to baptism. These •n-K oPExrxc; oi- •,,„.; ,u:,n. <'>-c his faults of doctrine • b,M r , f >' '^f-'y "t please your . vvtrr "-"'• ''•""■^' tl'ink of inviting Mr Sn,,r„ "'''/^'"-'^ Xo"'' Grace ■■^' and a-.ptist,^who if^lT H ""-^ '^-^'-•-" Calvin. ;;-i"- to try his;:4'' oi sr;""'-^^"'-^-^^'-- ^^«i'<^' Mr. Spur^reon :__ tliom in order to write tli.m ''f-'"'" """'Perused -Vod uithin mjsc f , ' "r""- ' "•■- thereb>- "•"re that causes n.e on I^h " '"'"'"' ' f'"' ""-h Wl.en I was nearin,, ^J^l '''1^"'^ "^ ">e Lord, "a-^ the office of ^re c „t '" '^''•'"'-Street, which -^ a private entra I '"''• ""t "•''■'^ ^" ■^--- - fi"" ".e .street thron, d a;''";: "f '^' """"'^'^ '^ "■'"-•lt>- ) reached the d .r l^j ''■^'"'"'- "■'"' private road from the entrnnl r , ''"' '^ '""K W".sfc )l„l| itself a„l °'^""-' ^'''"^'^"^ to th^ "■'■"• •■' ■-'■■•I '>lock o ' :; ■^"r''"' '" ''^' «""' "P '■'"" a sermon preached on the occasion by the venerable Dr. Alexander Fletcher : ** * As early as five o'clock, thousands of persons were filling up the approaches to Surrey Gardens ; by five minutes after six the hall was filled to overflow. It is supposed that not fewer than 12,000 persons were present, and many thousands were on the out- side, and still as many more were unable to obtain admittance even to the Gardens. While the service was being conducted in Mr. Spurgeon's usual wa\-, during the second prayer, all of a sutlden there were cries simultaneously, doubtless preconcerted, from all parts of the building, of, "Fire," "The galleries are r I'' {':'''" 92 Sl'UKCIKOX OUR AI.LV. j^ivin^ way," "The place is falliiif^"; the effect of which on the audience it is impossible to describe. Many luindreds of persons rushed towards the places of exit, at the risk of their own lives, and sacrificing those of their fellow-creatures. In vain did Mr. Spur- Ljeon, with his stentorian voice, and self-possession, assure the alarmed multitutie that it was a ruse on ])art of thieves and j)ick-pockets ; the people in the i:;alleries rushed down, precipitating' themselves almost headlong over, or breakin<^ down, the balustrade of the stairs, killinL( some and fearfully wountliufr others. Those whrt fell, throu<^h force or faintin*j, were tr.im- ])led under foot, and several lives were lost in the melee. To make confusion worse confounded, it is also said, that as fast as one portion of the multitude made their exit, others from without entered. Mr. Spurgeon, who was i<;norant of any of these fatal consequences, after a temporary lull, was persuaded to make an effort to preach ; but after one or two at- tempts he found it impossible to proceed, owing to the noises which the swell-mobs-men continued to make. At len|4th, wishini^ to ^rct the people gradually out of the h.dl, he gave out a hymn, requesting the people to withdraw while it was being sung. He then pro- nounced the benediction, and, at leng'Ji, overcome by emotion, which he had long striven to repress, he was led from the platform in a state of apparent in- sensibility. The results of this dreadful panic are most calamitous and distressing. Seven lives have been sacrificed, and serious bodily injury inflicted upon a great number of persons. It is feared there ■li Till-: SUKKKV IIAI.I. DlSA^ThK. 93 arc many cases in which injury has been sustained besides those already known.'" "So far I have quoted from otliers. All that lean remember of that awful niL;ht was the sij^ht of a tumult, which I was then quite unai^le to understand. Even now it remains a myster\' to me. I hope there was no concerted wickedness at the bottom of the sad event ; though there may have been h)ve of mis- chief aitiinLT at the hrst. We were all fresh to the place, and all more or less excited. I did my utmost to be calm, and to quiel the people, and I succeeded with the great mass of them ; but away at the end of the building there was a something going on whicli 1 did not understand, wiiile aiound the seated part of the hall, there were rushes made by excited peo|>Ie, again and again, for reasons quite incomprehensible to me. One can understand now, that those who had seen the accident in the staircase may have been tr\- ing to call attention to it, thinking it a strange thing that service could have been continued after persons had been killed. Of this dread calamity I was unaware, till, as I was led down faint, I heard a whisper of it. I know no more, for I lost almost all consciousness, and, annd the weeping and cries of many, I was carried by a private garden into the street, and taken liome more dead than alive. There were seven corpses lying on the grass, and man\- have since told me how grievous was the sight. This I never saw ; but what I had seen might have been sufficient to shatter my reason. It might well seem that the ministry which promised to be so largely li if IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 12.8 M 2.2 lllitt IIIIIM itf mil 2.0 1.25 III U .8 1.6 V. <9 /i e] e. el ^m .<>> ^l o^. s. /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 4? ,\ 4s O ^9) V 'O .V ^ 6^ % V .*^^ '^ n? 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14580 1716 5 »'2 '^503 r^ if 94 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. influential was silenced forever. There were persons who said so exidtingly. They knew not what they said. " Of course there was an inquest ; verdict — acciden- tal death ; on the whole the only safe conclusion to arrive at. Our friends were crushed in spirit, but not driven from their faith or love, nor divided from their youthful minister. I was, for a short time, incapable of any mental effort. Who would not be ? How great a trial to have a number of one's hearers killed or maimed ! A word about the calamity, and even the sight of the Bible, brought from me a flood of tears, and utter distraction of mind. " During that time, I was not aware of the fero- cious assaults which were made upon me by the public press ; indeed, I heard no word of them till I , was sufficiently recovered to bear them without injury. As we read of David, that they spake of stoning him, so was it with me. Here is a specimen of what was said by a dc^ily paper, which I will not name, for it has long been of quite another mind : — •' ' Let us set up a barrier to the encroachments and blasphemies of men like Spurgeon, saying to them, ' Thus far shalt thou come, but no further'; let us devise some powerful means which shall tell to the thousands who stand in need of enlightenment, * This man, in his own opinion is a righteous Chris- tian, but in ours, nothing more than a ranting char- latan.' We are neither strait-laced nor Sabbatarian in our sentiments ; but we would keep apart, widely apart, the theatre and the church ; above all, would il!5 TIIK SURRLV IIAl.L DISASTER. 95 we place in the hand of every right-thinking man, a whip to scourge from society the authors of such vile bhisphemics as on Sunday night, above the cries of the dead and the dying, and louder than the wails of misery from the maimed and suffering, resounde;' from the mouth of Spurgeon, in the Music Hall of the Surrey Gardens.' " " Many other utterances were equally cruel and libellous. " The bitterness which was manifested was, how- ever, soon removed. The preaching in the Music Hall was resumed in the mornings only, so that da\'- light prevented any other deed of darkness, and the people flocked to the services in large numbers. Many of the upper classes came to the Hall, and this continued for many months. God was with us in mighty power. Conversions were numerous, and some of them were of a striking kind ; and all along through the years that we worshipped at the Music Hall of Surrey Gardens, there were perpetual discoveries of fresh workers, continued accessions to the church, and constant initiations of new enterprises. The College, Orphanage, Colportage, Evangelists, College Missions, and all our various branch Mission stations, have all followed upon the advance made by the church through these services. We have seen good brought out of evil ; and in our case we have been made to say with David, ' Thou caused men to ride over our heads ; we went through fire and through water ; but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.' " CHAPTER VTL- LONDON AND THE TABERNACLE. "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ " — Phil. i.i. 7. ^^ONDON and Spurgeon were suited for each ^"^ other. When he entered the Metropolitan Tabernacle, he was the best known man in the Metropolis. That untitled minister without an illustrious name, with no distinguished family con- nections, possessed London with his living, vital force. He conquered prejudice, opposition, jealousy, and became the foremost preacher in Great Britain. London, the political, moral, physical, social, intel- lectual and commercial centre of the world's busy life, is divided by the River Thames into Northern and Southern sections. To the traveller, the Northern portion contains the Parliament Buildings, Westminster Abbey, Trafal- gar Square, Exeter Hall, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral, Parks, Palaces, Museums, Picture Galleries, and unnumbered objects of interest. The Southern section was visited almost wholly because of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, its great preacher, and the institutions that cluster about him. .06 LONDON AND THE TABERNACLE. 9; London is thirty miles in circumference, and contains 5,000,000 inhabitants, and few there were in the great city that could not tell you of Charles H. Spurgeon. Thousands went to London from America and failed to see the Parliament House or the Abbey, but there were few who did not see the Metropolitan Taber- nacle, with its stone pillars, and its popular pastor. To Describe Jiim zvcrc Impossible. There was not much in sight. His face is familiar to all the world ; but his power was not in his face ; his short thick-set body was well enough, but there was not much in that. To see Spurgeon one would have to get a look at the unanswered prayers of thou- sands of people who heard him preach, or who read his sermons ; of people in retreats, in orphanages, on sick beds, or in foreign lands, that, helped by his words, prayed for the speaker ; and there is not much of that visible. God can see it, and God alone. Spurgeon has gone home, and the feeling \\ ill increase with those who knew him best, that we saw only glimpses of the man God worked through and blessed. Great preachers are not made up of any one ser- mon, no more than great edifices are constructed of one brick. When I heard this fluent, honest, pungent, simple exhortation, and saw it fall like fascinating- music upon twice five thousand pairs of ears, I said it is not one little turret of the Parliament House they are gazing at, it is the whole monstrous edifice that fills their eyes, moves their sensibilities, and delights their imagination. It is this man's hundreds 98 SPURGEON OUR ALI,V. of sermons, red hot from his great heart, and the much serving- which his hands have done for the blessed Christ, that speak to them to day by the mouth of this disciple of his, jaded and broken from close following of Him who taught daily in the Temple, and was always about His Father's business, whether in the Temple or out of it. From the commencement of his labors in the Metropolis, he had a happy manner of turning to account daily occurrences. Great National events, Royal marriages, deaths, or public calamities, fur- nished food for sermons. The following description came to us in the Western land, and was published in our paper beyond the Mississippi in 1854: " His voice is clear and musical ; his language plain ; his style flowing, but terse ; his method lucid and orderly ; his matter sound and suitable ; his tone and spirit coraial ; his remarks always pithy and pungent, sometimes familiar and colloquial, yet never light or coarse, much less profane. Judging from a single sermon, we supposed that he would become a plain, forcible and affectionate preacher of the Gospel in the form called Calvinistic ; and our judgment was the more favorable, because, while there was a solidity beyond his years, we detected little of the wild luxuriance naturally characteristic of very young preachers." Want of order and arrangement was a fault the preacher soon found out himself, and he refers to it when he says, " Once I put all my knowledge together LONDON AND THE TABERNACLE. 99 in glorious confusion ; but now I have a shelf in my head for everything ; and whatever I read or hear 1 know where to stow it away for use at the proper ime. Hugh Price Hughes has truly said: "Mr. Spur- gcon's popularity in the pulpit was unparalleled and unapproached. There never has been anything like it. It began when he was a bo}', and it lasted to the end. What made this phenomenon the more astoun- ding, was the fact that he preached three new sermons every week. No one else ever got 3,000 persons to an ordinary week-night service week after v/eek. The great Anglican preachers, like Canon Liddon, make twelve fine sermons a year, Mr, Spurgeon made one hundred and fifty! The great Methodist prea- chers have been in the habit of preaching their sermons over and over again in their ceaseless itiner- acy. Whitfield never did so well, it is said, as when he repeated one of his fiery appeals, for the fiftieth time. But Mr. Spurgeon has printed nearly 3,000 sermons, and the fountain seemed as inexhaustible as ever. 1 confess that when I have had the privilege of a little talk with Mr. Spurgeon, I have looked at him and listened to him, and said to myself: 'What is there in this man that has made him the most popular preacher that ever spoke the English tongue ? ' I have always believed that the chief secret of his attractiveness was the fact that in every sermon, no matter what the occasion, he explained the way of salvation in plain and simple terms. There are thou- sands of people everywhere, who beneath all their iil, 100 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. superficial indifference, or apparent opposition, lon^if in their hearts to know what they must do to be saved. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Millions, in health and sickness, want to know that their sins are forgiven. And how they can obtain that blissful assurance, Mr. Spurgeon explained in every sermon he ever preached or penned. Hence his sermons have sold by the millions, and have been regularly translated into almost every language in the civilized world. An acquaintance of mine, crossing the Atlantic, met a Jesuit Father from South America, and that priest told him that he regularly read every sermon of Mr. Spurgeon's that he could lay his hands upon, and that he owed more spirituality to Mr. Spurgeon than to any other living man ! The Day of Judgment alone will reveal the extent to which millions of all faiths in ail lands have been converted and edified by Mr. Spurgeon's sermons, because he was not too clever and too learned to explain the way to Christ intelligibly. He started with the ines- timable advantage of himself enjoying experimentally and unmistakably the Gospel he preached to others. This conscious, personal conversion was the great secret of his lucid, unfaltering and soul-converting ministry. He had the personal fellowship with Christ, which lifts the healthy scriptural Christian high above the possibility of disturbance by any new truth which science or criticism may bring to light." Such was the man holding crowds spell-bound in Surrey Hall, and asking for a meeting-house that ji'ii. m LONDON AND TIIK TABKRNACLi:. lOI should enable him to carry on his work. It came in answer to much prayer and work. Let us turn again to his story. On October 7th, 1857, the day of National Humili- ation for the Indian Mutiny, Mr. Spurgeon preached in the centre transept of the Crystal Palace to more than 23,000 people, and the sum o^ £686 was paid over to the National Fund. LOOKING AT THE CONGREGATION. Meanwhile, the collection of funds for a new build- ing went on, and in January, 1858, the money in hand was £6,100 ; by January, 1859, it was £c),6^g, and ;^5,ooo of it was set aside to pay for the ground near the Elephant and Castle. They went plodding on, the pastor collecting personally, or by his sermons, very much of the money, travelling far and wide to 102 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. do SO, Scotch friends especially helping ; till in Janu- ary, i860, after the first stone had been laid, £i6,S68 was in hand, or more than half the sum required, so that the land had been paid for, and instalments paid to the builder as requi/ed. The first stone of the Metropolitan Tabernacle was laid with great rejoicings, August i6th, 1859, by Sir Morton Peto. On this occasion Mr. Spurgeon made THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE a characteristic speech. Upon coming forward with the glass bottle, usually deposited on such occasions, he was received with immense cheering by the great assembly. Holding up the bottle he said, " This does not contain any of the current coins of the realm, for we have none to spare. But it contains the Bible, a Baptist Confession of Faith, the declaration of the deacons written on parchment, Dr. Rippon's Hymn Book, and lastly, a programme of the proceedings of the day. We are l^at^tists, Calvinists, and believers T.ONDON AND THE TABERNACLE. 103 in a Gospel that permits us to exhort the sinner to come to Christ." "We feel constrained to mention the singular providence which placed Mr. Spicer and other friends upon the Court of the Fishmongers Company, so as to secure the land ; next, the fact that the Company was able to sell the freehold ; and, next, that the late Mr. Wm. Joynson, of Mary Cray, deposited the amount to pay for an Actof Parliament to enable the eompanyto sell it, in case it turned out that they had not the legal power to do so. Singularly happy, also, was the circumstance that a gentleman in Bristol, who had never heard the pastor, nevertheless gave no less a sum than ;!^5,ooo towards the building. Eternity alone can reveal all the generous feeling and self-denying liberality evinced by Christian people in connection with this enterprize — to us, at any rate, so gigantic at the time that, apart from divine aid, we could never have carried it through. One of the chief of our mercies was the fact that our beloved brother, William Higgs, was our builder, and treated us with unbounded liberality throughout the whole affair. He is now a worthy deacon of our church, "In December, 1859, we left the Surrey Music Hall. We paid the company a large sum for our morning service, and this was the only amount out of which a dividend was paid. They proposed to open the Gardens for amusement on the Lord's Day evening, and we threatened to give up our tenancy if they did so. This prevented the evil for some time, i.l!,. w 104 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. but at length the baser sort prevailed, and under the notion that Sunday " pleasure " would be remuner- ative, they advertised that the Gardens would be open on the Sabbath ; we, therefore, felt oound in honor to leave the place, and we did so, After a while a fire almost destroyed the building, and the relics were for years turned into a hospital. We commenced on December i8th, 1859, our third and longest sojourn at Exeter Hall, which ended on March 1st, 1 861. A few of our remarks upon leaving that place may fitly be quoted here : — " 'In the providence of God we, as a church and people, have had to wander often. This is our third sojourn within these walls. It is now about to close. We have had at all times and seasons a compulsion for moving ; sometimes a compulsion of conscience, at other times a compulsion of pleasure, as on this occasion. I am sure that when we went first to Sur- rey Music Hall, God v/ent with us. Satan went too, but he fled before us. That frighful calamity, the impression of which can never be erased from my mind, turned out in the providence of God to be one of the most wonderful means of turning public atten- tion to special services, and I ^oubt not — fearful catastrophe though it was — it has been the mother of multitudes of blessings. The Christian world noted the example, and saw its after-success ; they followed it, and to this day, in the theatre and in the cathedral, the word of Christ is preached where it was never preached before. In each of our movings we have had reason to see the hand of God, and here particu- LONDON AND TIIH TABERNACLE. lO: larly, for many residents of the West End have in this place come to listen to the Word, who probably might not have taken a jounif^y beyond the river. Here God's grace has broken hard hearts ; here ha^•e souls been renewed, and wanderers reclaimed. 'Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength ; give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name ! ' And now we journey to the house which God has in so special a manner given to us, and this day would I pray as Moses did, ' Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be sea . :red, and let them that hate thee flee before thee.' " " Under date January 6th, i86 , there s*-ands in our records the following solemn declaration, signed by the pastor and leading friends : " * This church needs rather more than ;!^4,ooo to enable it to open the new Tabernacle free of all debt. It humbly asks this temporal mercy of God, and believes that for Jesus' sake, the prayer will be heard and the boon bestowed. As witness our hands. ' " " Now let the reader mark that, on May 6th of the same year, the pastor and many friends also signed their names to another testimony, which is worded as follows : " * We, the undersigned members of the church, lately worshipping in Yew Park Street Chapel, but now assembling in th^ Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, desire with overflowing hearts, to make known and record the loving kindness of our faithful God. We asked in faith, but our Lord has exceeded 106 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. our desires, for not only was the whole sum given us, but far sooner than we had looked for it. Truly the Lord is good and worthy to be praised. We are ashamed of ourselves that we have ever doubted him, and we pray that as a Church and as individuals, we may be enabled to trust in the Lord at all times with confidence, so that in quietness we may possess our souls. To Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we offer praise and thanksgiving, and we set to our seal that God is true.' " After about a month of opening services, we began regular work at the Tabernacle in May, 1861, the whole building being fnr from debt, and the accounts showing that ;^3i, 332 4^-. \od. had been received, and and the same amount expended. Truly we serve a gracious God." The Tabernacle is 146 feet long, 81 feet broad, and 62 feet high. There are some 5,500 sittings of all kinds. There is room for six thousand persons with- out excessive crowding, and there is also a lecture hall holding about 900, a schoolroom for 1000 chil- dren, six class-rooms, kitchen, lavatory, and retiring rooms below stairs. There is a ladies' room for work- ing meetings, young men's class-room. Secretary's room on the ground floor, three vestries for pastor, deacons and elders, on first floor, and three store rooms on the second floor. Large as is the building, the accommodation is all too little for the work to be carried on, and rooms at the Retreat and the College are brought into use. LONDON AND THE TABERNACLE. 107 It was the feeling of Mr. Spurgeon that the archi- tect had divine help, and that for eonvenience, acoustic properties and comfort, the building is unmatched. That it has been the birthplace of a vast number of souls, and the centre of influence that has made the desert wastes of London bud and blossom as the rose, is admitted by saint and sinner, infidel and believer. CHAPTER VIIL STURGEON'S HELPERS " But I have all, and abountl ; T am full, having received . . . the things which were sent from you, , . . a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God." — Phil. iv. 18. IVERY man has something ; no man has every- thing. Spurgeon was an extraordinary man ! This was shown, not alone in the wonderful things he was able to do by himself and for himself; but in what he could have other people do with and for him. Thousands can serve, but very few can get rtien joy- ously and loyally to serve them. To the glory of God and the Metropolitan Taber- nacle Baptist Church, let it be said that there has been one church big, and broad, and kind enough to let their minister grow to his utmost height and breadth, without the desire to cripple him. The pulpit was the throne where Spurgeon was absolute monarch. From it, utterances went forth that helped mankind. In it, he could stand and thunder out against sin and wrong-doing, whethei in church or state, and have the support of the people. Christ was his leader, and following Him he could not know defeat. The words, '* Verily, verily, I say unto lO'i SPURGEON S HELPERS. 109 you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father" — John xiv. 12, were illustrated by his life. On that truth, whether wit- tingly or unwittingly, Spurgeon rode into London and made it all his own. Some one asks, " Has not every believing disciple the help of the Saviour to the same extent as had Rev. James A. Spurgeon, Pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Spurgeon ? " Does the question need to be answered ? Did Christ in this century or in any other since Paul's time, have a man so entirely under his control as he had Spurgeon from the moment of his conversion to his death ? Jesus chooses men ; He has a right to do it. He places men, and gives them an opportunity to do all and be all in their power. Spurgeon, as few men i il!- i I 10 SPURGEON OUR ALLY il who ever lived, laid all on God's altar — time, strength, home, happiness, prosperity, children, and even his idolized wife. The Secret of the Lord was with him, because he feared God. It is marvellous how God by Provi- dences ministered to him. He preached a sermon from the words, " Is it not wheat harvest to-day," and in the following week, it was printed in the Penny Pulpit, under the title of: " Harvest Time," and had a large sale. This led the publisher shortly after to print another of his sermons, under the title of : " God's Providences." The public at once took to the ser- mons, and by the end of the year, about a dozen had thus been issued. Joseph Passmore, a member of his church, and a printer and publisher, made arrangements to com- mence the publication of one sermon every week, beginning with the new year, 1855. Through the enterprise of the house of Passmore & Alabaster, the sermons have appeared continuously, week by week, without interruption, for thirty-seven years. Suppose now, he had had an influential deacon, small enough and disloyal enough to oppose the publication of the sermon, and other books and pamphlets, because he desired to be first and foremost in the concern, how different might have been the result. In the Taber- nacle, from deacon and treasurer to the humblest menial, all were for the Governor, as Mr. Spurgeon was called, and everything went like clock-work to mp.ke the Sword and Trowel, and all other publica- tions a success. Glory be to God for such men, even % SPUKGEON S IlilLPERS. I I I though London be their home. The church made the man, quite as much as the man made the church. In other words, the man without such a church would have been shorn of his strength. Think of a church saying to a man whose prospects of usefuhiess were second to no otlier. after his sermons had been sold by uncounted thousands, that they were opposed to the making too much of a man, and could not bear to hear the church called after the pastor's name ; or of his being told, after a wonderful meeting when one hundred and twenty-five had been welcomed to the church, that " you are too religious for this church, we want less gospel and more social life." It is the fault of the membership very often that the church continues small and weak. They will not serve as did Aaron and Hur, and hoid up the hands of their leader. Spurgcon ivroiight zvith his Workers. From the beginning he believed in Printers' Ink, and knew almost by intuition how to make the most of it. His majority was signalized by an attempt to issue a penny weekly paper called the Christian Cabi- net. Mr. Spurgton was always a firm believer in the efficacy and power of the Press, remarking pertinently and constantly to friends who noted the eagerness with which he read the daily paper that " he thought it his duty to study his morning newspaper to mark how his Heavenly Father governed the world." The most interesting and useful articles in the Christian Cabinet, were written by Mr. Spurgeon himself. If, m I 12 SPURGEON OUR ALLY I iii as he always believed, preaching is the most valuable appeal which can be made to the human heart, the second influence, scarcely less potent than the first, is the reading- of these earnest appeals in the stillness of home. Mr. Spurgeon's sermons had not long been scattered broadcast over the world before letters began to reach him telling of the effect produced by them on their readers. He thought it none of his business to exclude political topics and national cal- amities from his sermons. His discourse upon the Crimean War, entitled " Healing for the Wounded," had a prodigious sale, and contributed materially to calm the public mind in the darkest moments of the siege of Sebastopol. IV/iat sucJi a life Costs. The wonderful thing about such a life as this of Spurgeon's is, what it costs the individual to grow it. The sermons, books, editorials, letters, and witty utterances withdrawn from circulation are like sub- tracting one of the rivers of India, that supply mois- ture and fertility to vast plains, on which, because of them, mighty harvests are grown. Stand by Niagara and gaze upon the mad rush of waters, and you feel that it must soon exhaust itself. But no ; for ages and ages before America was dis- covered, that whirl of waters, has been sending up its spray and dashing against rocks and shores, and whether you watch and wait or wander beyond the noise, the flow goes on and never slackens for one moment. So has it been with Spurgeon. From an \ i spurgeon's helpers. 113 early period of his ministrations in the British Metro- poh's, the skill of the short-hand reporter was invoked to reproduce for the devout reading world, a portion of the pleasure experienced by his auditors. It was found that, contrary to what might have been expec- ted, the impromptu utterances of the gifted boy, read exceedingly well in print, and, when read to other audiences, were attended with power and unction, so that scores on shipboard, in foreign climes, men and women, were led by them to Christ. As a result, not a word of Spurgeon was suffered to fall to the ground ; all his sermons, addresses, prayers, and even casual remarks from the pulpit or lecture-room, w^re issued to the world by the religious press, and speedily gathered into volumes, some of which circulated by the hundred thousands in all parts of Great Britain, Canada, Australia and the United States. Although he spoke with wonderful precision, yet, he said, " Nothing is fit for publication as I first utter it/' This enables us to understand some of the strain put upon his time and strength which was required to prepare for the press his " Lectures to Students," "Speeches," "Tabernacle Histories," "Books of De- votion," " Popular Books," " Shilling Series," readings either for the family or the closet, and his monumental work " The Treasury of Da . id," in seven volumes, with "John Ploughman's Talks, and "Pictures," of which over 400,000 have been sold. Ihink of the help provided him for his sermon. What he said was taken down by a short-hand repor- ter, transcribed, set up in type, and brought to him mm 114 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. on Monday. Up to then, he had performed no manual labour, for he had drilled himself to think on his legs, and to give as eloquent expression to thought when on his feet, as he could in the quiet of his study. Then came the revisal. This must be thorough, so that what was said before should not be reprinted. That was given back, and another proof would be furnished, and all he could do for the sermon would then be done. Think also of what the subscription for the weekly sermon made him do. No matter who preached, be it James, his brother, or Dr. Pierson, or Dr. anybody else, no mention was made of it. There was but one name known in the Tabernacle work from start to finish. He became treasurer of many funds, because people would send money more willingly, if the givers thought the gift would come under his eye. The Rev. James Archer Spurgeon deserves mention. As a helper, he is as remarkable as his brother. The great preacher said of his brother in T/ic Szvord and Trowel, June, 1887: " The work done by the various agencies at the Tabernacle has never been claimed by the senior as his own. He has endeavored on all fit occasions, to represent himself as rather the figure-head of the ship, than anything else. The time has come when, with loving earnestness, he must indicate one, out of many, to whom honor is due — one to whom less of praise has always been given than he has deserved — ' 'A I spurgeon's helpers. 115 one who would be just as well pleased if nothing,- whatever were said upon the matter. "James Archer Spurgeon is well described by his usual title of Brother. The officers of the church have always found him to be this, with an emphasis, and assuredly I have found him to be so these many years, to an unexampled degree. There may be other men who have excellent brothers, but I am second to none in indebtedness to God on this point. He has taken in the church a position which involves great anxiety, and recjuires great judgment ; for he has been at the head of the practical oversight, and has shielded me from cares which else must have overwhelmed me. It is enough for one man to preach, conduct the public services, and preside over so vast a church and congregation. The arrangement of details, to be carried out by deacons and elders, is more than the same person could attempt in addition. Yet this work, though very trying, and needing much prudence, is quite unobserved by the general public, and even by the church itself. You must go behind the scenes to know what has to be done there to make the wheels move harmoniously, and keep the whole machine in order. If the man who attends to these most important concerns was anxious to be seen, and to have his work recognized, he would prove his unfitness for it ; but my brother had no such thought ; he has all along sunk himself, and only regarded the prosperity of the cause. No one can ever know the varied burdens which have been laid upon the pastor and the co-pastor, but it ought to be known that the ii6 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ti second and less seen nas borne his full share of the load. *' In the College, as Vice-President, the observation of the moral conduct of the students in their lodgings, and their general character as Christian men, is a vital point, involving careful watchfulness, forbearance, and tact. This has all along been a special part of my brother's work, and how much of pain he has spared me, and how much of benefit he has conferred on the men, I will not attempt to measure. I trust I may never have to miss help so valuable, rendered in so loving a manner. We are identical in aim and faith, and we move with one heart and soul in our effort to train efficient preachers of the gospel. "At the Orphanage, the service rendered by my brother is priceless. I am quite unable to attend to the indoor department of this service ; it is all that I can do, with my many other works, to act as Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, in obtaining the funds and acknowledging the same. The Trustees of the Orphanage will bear willing testimony that my brother is their constant leader in the various departments of their service. Ably supported by all the brethren, it is his to be to the front. " In all the large monetary concerns of the various societies my brother is the superintending accountant. The figures would worry me into my grave, but /le seems to be invigorated by them. He is a born business man, and knows a good deal about every- thing which the work of the Lord touches upon in daily life. Keeping up monthly audits of most i SrURGEON S HELPERS. 117 accounts, and a constant oversight over others, he enables me to feel that all is rij^ht. Many are the brethren to whom I am personally grateful for aid in business matters, wherein T should long ago have lost my way without their guidance ; but to my own dear brother I am most of all under obligations — obliga- tions which never gall me because he regards them as such, but takes the same interest in our holy enter- prises as I do. " Concerning his public ministry I say nothing, because it speaks ft)r itself. The influential church in Croydon, with all its branches running over the wall, might alone suffice for a life-work. Mine it is to write of less obvious facts. I think it bare justice that I should myself speak of that which no one knows so well as I do. I am not aware of any law which win condemn a man for saying the truth about another, because he happens to be his brother. If there be such a law I will break it wilfully, and bear the penalty joyfully. "Among many choice blessings bestowed upon me by a gracious Providence, I acknowledge this as an exceeding great one, that I have for so many years enjoyed my brother's help. He has done for me what no one else could have done so fitly. There are confidences which a friend might hardly have chosen to accept, which it was only natural to lay upon one's own brother. The relationship is a happy one, and is the natural stock most favorable for the engrafting of a gracious fellowship. We have little time to speak to each other, for as I go to one meet- I 5v|e; ' f i 1 ii8 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ing, he goes to another. We are often only able to say a passing word to each other for weeks together, because we are wanted moment by moment in differ- ent directions ; and yet we live in unbroken fellow- ship, pressing forward, as if we were but one man, towards the mark for the prize of our high calling." Irnhis history of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Mr. Spurgeon pays the following tribute to some workers, which is so full of appreciative tenderness, that we gladly give it a place. He praises Deacon Thomas Cook, who superin- tended the work of raising funds for the new Taber- nacle, and calls attention to Elder Dransfield, one of the happiest and most useful Christians in the world ; and to Mrs. Bartlett, whose loss we cannot cease to deplore, for she not only led hundreds of young women to Christ, but was also pastor and mother to them. Among the living he mentions Deacon Wm. Olney, and Deacon W. C. Murrell, who for many years has borne all the buffetings of the crowd at the doors, and by the sacrifice of his own personal com- fort, has enabled the church to worship in peace and quietness. Our deacons number nine, and our elders thirty- one. In 1859 the church for the first time appointed elders to aid the pastor in the spiritual concerns of the church. This arrangement has been of vital importance, and has met a manifest necessity. It was in 1868 the writer rode with Deacon Thomas Olney after the morning service, and saw him carry away more than ;^ioo in gold to minister to the poor, V * !'■ i \ /I i :\. k.'» SPURGEON'S HELPERS. 119 I 1 and when the pastor was spoken to about the dear old man — who died in 1869 — Mr. Spurg'^on said: " Never minister had a better deacon, never church a better servant." When he died, hundreds of the Lord's poor, to whom he had been an incarnate providence, missed and mourned him. It was he who ministered so tenderly to the aged Dr. Rippon, for so many years his pastor, and who died almost literally in his arms. His love for Mr. Spurgeon surpassed anything I ever witnessed, and is one of the cherished memories of London life. The sons were worthy of sul 1 a sire. One of them entertained regularly as many friends as it was the duty or pleasure of the Tabernacle to look after. It was my privilege to dine with twenty other guests, and at this dinner we were brought into acquaintance with the workings of the Tabernacle. We have read what Mr. Spurgeon said of his brother James. Let us read what James says of his brother Charles. Under the head of Discipline of the Cluirch^ James uses this language : — " Amongst the officers of the church, foremost stands the Pastor, who, though its servant, is so to rule, guide, and discipline it, as God shall direct by the Holy Spirit. In connection with the church at the Tabernacle, two such officers are now laboring. It is a trite remark that if two men ride a horse, one must sit behind, and he who is in front must hold the reins and drive. Co-pastorships have been sources of dis- comfort or blessing as this principle has been under- stood. Wherever it may have been disregarded, it is m 1 20 SFUKGEON OUR ALLY. Hi '^■)^ not (by the grace of God) likely to be so in the case in hand. Where one of the two brothers has been instrumental in creating the necessity of additional help, from the very fulness of blessing resulting from his labours ; and is, moreover, so superior in talent, influence and power, it is a privilege to follow in the order of nature and birth, which God from the first had evidently designed. The Deacons whose business is to serve tables, and see to the raising of money, were elected for life. The Elders are elected annually, and are the leaders of the various meetings, and supervise the spiritual interests of the church. The seeing of enquirers, and examining them, the visiting of candidates for church membership, the seeking out of absentees, the caring for the sick, the conducting of prayer-meetings, catechumen and Bible classes for the young men — these, and other needed offices our brethren the Elders discharge for the church. ChurcJi McmhcrsJiip. " AH persons anxious to join the church are reques- ted to apply personally upon any Wednesday evening, between six and nine o'clock, to the Elders, two or more of whom attend in rotation every week for the purpose of seeing enquirers. When satisfied, the case is entered by the Elder in one of a set of books pro- vided for the purpose, and a card is given, bearing a corresponding number to the page of the book, in which particulars of the candidate's experience are recorded. Once a month, or oftener when required, the junior Pastor appoints a day to see the persons li t. ^ I SPURGEONS' HELPERS. 121 thus approved by the Elders. Tf the Pastor is satisfied, he nominates an Elder or church member as visitor, and, at the next church meeting, asks the church to send him to enquire as to the moral character and repute of the candidate. If the visitor be satisfied, he requests the candidate to attend with him at the fol- lowing or some convenient church meeting, to come before the church and repl}' to such questions as may be put from the chair, mainly with a view to elicit expressions of his trust in the Lord Jesus, and hope of salvation through His blood ; and any such facts of his personal history as may convince the church of the genuineness of the case. We have found this a means of grace, and of great blessing." The church in 1892 numbered 5328 members. The church maintains 26 missions and charitable schools. It has 64 teachers and 8513 scholars in the schools. The loyalty of the membership to the church and the Pastor and all the officers of the church, is one of the distinguishing features of the organism that is, and has been, and will be a felt power in London and England and the world. It has seemed to many that it would have been beneficial to the cause, if more had been made of the sermons of James Spurgeon, instead of ignoring them, while a sermon preached Ly Charles was printed each week, 'iven if it had not been delivered on the previous Sabbath. It is believed that the sermons of the brother who has ridden behind, are equal to those that have been given to the world by the brother, who for thirty-eight years has ridden at the fore. Now that n ^ m'A •II: 122 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. the elder brother, ripe in honor, and rich in the love of millions, has gone before, those who loved him best will be glad to welcome utterances from the pen and lip of one who deserves the highest praise for a loy- alty that is as beautiful and complimentary as it is rare. In culture, in address, in the ability to interest people in the Gospel, the magnificent success at Croydon, where a large church has been gathered, and at the Tabernacle, where he has succeeded in holding the throng for weeks and months at a time, proves that his great power as a preacher, though it has been over-shadowed by the world-wide reputation of the brother, deserves a recognition not yet received. Two such brothers make fraternal love seem worthy of a place in song and story, that shall surpass the tales of romance, and glorify the name they bore, and the church in which they toiled. ;, M • ) K ll ■\(iK.^U ■1 CHAPTER IX, SPURGEON'S FIGHT WITH ROME, ': "Anduponher forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, TKF. MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."— Rev. xvii. 5. t^OMANISM was always Anti-Christ to the Pastor -*■ \, of the Tabernacle. This was owing to his early reading of " Foxe's Book of Martyrs," which, alas ! is too seldom read now-a-days. He believed Rome to be unchangeable, and that she will ever be the enemy of the Scriptures, until destroyed by our Lord, with the brightness of his coming. He unhesitatingly declared, that if the Papists are right, we are heretics and lost ; and if we are right, they are idolaters, and under the curse pronounced by Christ in Revelation. Mr. Spurgeon has always been a sturdy Protestant. When a youth, he com- peted for a prize which was offered for the best essay on Popery; it was entitled, "Anti-Christ and her Brood, or Popery Unmasked," *" His ministry has always proceeded upon the sound principle : Peace through our Lord Jesus Christ ; the complete suffi- *James J Ellis— Life of Spurgeo", page 30. 123 i*S i 124 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i ciency, and sovereign authority of the Holy Scriptures, and no truce w ith Romish or any other vital err jr." In his histoiy of the church of which he was so proud to be Pastor, he uncovers Popery, as, with per- secuting hate, it followed unto death Baptists who gloried in being permitted to suffer for Christ's sake. He began with a quotation from " that rampant Ritu- alist, W. J. E. Bennet, of Frome," in his book upon the " Unity of the Church Broken." He speaks of fanatics who infested the north of Germany, called Puritans. Usher calls them Waldenses ; Spelman, Paulicians (the same as Waldenses). They gained ground and spread all over England ; they rejected all Romish ceremonies ; denied the authority of the Pope, and more particularly, refused to baptize infants. Thirty of them were put to death for their heretical doctrines, near Oxford ; but the remainder still held on to their opinions in private, until the time of Henry H. (1158); and the historian Collier tells us that, wherever this heresy flourished, the churches v\'ere either scandalously neglected or pulled down, and infants left unbaptized. They denied the received doctrines of the church, such as purgatory, prayers for the dead, and the invocation of saints; and, re- fusing to recant, they, by order of the king, at the instigation of the clergy, were branded with a hot iron on the forehead, to be whipped through the streets of Oxford, and, having their clothes cut short by their girdles, to be turned into the open fields, all persons being forbidden to afford them any shelter or relief, under the severest penalties. This cruel sentence I. :.;'r SPURGEON'S fight with ROME. 125 was executed with the utmost rigour ; and, it being the depth of winter, all these unhappy persons per- ished with cold and hunger. Baptists zverc Persecuted by Romanists. Spurgeon said it in England when the trend of the English Church was towards Romanism ; and when even Dissenters were bowing down to Rome in ways that carried consternation to the hearts of oak, and that drove the lovers of Judah's Lion through the gloom of the Ritualistic Fight into the open field of anta- gonism with "The Mystery of Iniquity." Hear him : — " Induced, no doubt, to flee to this country from the Continent by the rumoured favour of Henry II to the Lollards, they found nothing of the hospitality which they expected ; but for Jesus' sake were ac- countd the ofifscouring of all things. Little did their enemies dream that, instead of being stamped out, the (so-called) heresy of the Baptists would sur- vive and increase, till it should command a company of faithful adherents to be numbered by millions. All along our history from Henry II to Henry VIII, there are traces of the Anabaptists, who are usually mentioned either in connection with the Lol- lards, or as coming from Holland. Especial mention is made of their being more conspicuous when Anne of Cleves came to this country, as the unhappy spouse of that choice defender of the faith, the eighth Harry. All along, there must have been a great hive on the \\ I ■• 1 h> 126 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. |i I 1 ! - t Continent of these ' Reformers before the Reforma- tion,' for despite their being doomed to die almost as soon as they landed, they continued to invade this country to the annoyance of the priesthood and hier- archy, who knew by instinct the people who are their direst enemies, and whose tenets are diametrically opposed to their sway. Baptist Martyrs, It may not be known to our readers that the Bap- tists have their own martyrology, and are in nothing behind the very first of the churches of Christ, in sufferings endured for the truth's sake. A fine old volume in the Dutch language, illuminated with the most marvellous engravings, is in our possession. It is full of interesting details of brutal cruelty and heroic endurance. From it we have taken the story of Simon the Pedlar, as a specimen of the endurance of the baptized believers in Flanders ; one instance out of thousands : — " About the year 1553, at Bergen-op-Zoon, in Bra- bant, there was a pedlar named Simon, standing in the market selling his wares. The priests with their idol — the host — passing by, the said Simon dared not show the counterfeit god any divine honor ; but, fol- lowing the testimony of God in the Holy Scriptures, he worshipped the Lord his God only, and him alone served. He was therefore seized by the advocates of the Romish Antichrist, and examined as to his faith. This he boldly confessed. He rejected infant bap- tism as a mere human invention, with all the com- '^miM SPURGEON'S FIGHT WITH ROME. 127 mandments of men, holding fast the testimony of the word of God ; he was therefore condemned to death by the enemies of the truth. They led him outside the town, and, for the testimony of Jesus, committed him to the flames. The astonishment of the by- standers was greatly excited when they saw the remarkable boldness and steadfastness of this pious witness of God, who, through grace, thus obtained the crown of everlasting life. " The bailiff who procured his condemnation, on his return home from the execution, fell mortally sick, and was confined to his bed. In his sufiering and sorrow he continually exclaimed, * Oh ! Simon, Simon.' The priests and monks sought to absolve him ; but he would not be comforted. He speedily died in despair, an instructive and memorable example to all tyrants and persecutors." During the Reformation, and after it, the poor Anabaptists continued to be victims. Excesses had been committed by certain Fifth-Monarchy men, who happened also to be Baptists, and, under cover of putting down these wild fanatics, Motley tells us that, •* thousands and tens of thousands of virtuous, well- disposed men and women, who had as little sympathy with Anabaptistical as with Roman depravity, were butchered in cold blood, under the sanguinary rule of Charles, in the Netherlands." The only stint allowed to persecution in the low countries was contained in a letter of Queen Dowager Mary of Hungary : " Care being only taken that the provinces were not entirely depopulated." Luther and Zwingle, though II 1 ^i^i 128 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. I ( N> themselves held to be heretics, were scarcely a whit behind the Papists in their rage against the Anabap- tists, Zwingle especially uttering that pithy formula, " Qtd itertim mcrgit, mcrgaiur'' thereby counselling the drowning of all those who dared to immerse believers on profession of their faith. The time will probably arrive when history will be rewritten, and the maligned Baptists of Holland and Germany will be acquitted of all complicity with the ravings of the insane fanatics ; and it will be proved that they were the advance-guard of the army of religious liberty, men who lived before their times, but whose influence might have saved the world centuries of floundering in the bog of semi-popery, if they had but been allowed fair play. As it was, their views, like those of modern Baptists, so completely laid the axe at the root of all priestcraft and sacramentarianism, that violent opposition was aroused, and the two-edged sword of defamation and extirpation was set to its cruel work, and kept to it with a relentless persever- ance never excelled, perhaps never equalled. Ail other sects may be in some degree borne with, but Baptists are utterly intolerable to priests and Popes ; neither can despots and tyrants endure them. We will leave the Continental hive, to return to our brethren in England. Latimer, who could not speak too badly of the Baptists, nevertheless bears witness to their numbers and intrepidity : " Here I have to tell you what I heard of late, by the relation of a credible person and a worshipful man, of a town in this realm of England, that hath about five hundred ijftV'J SPURGEON'S FIGHT WITH ROME. 129 of heretics of this erroneous opinion in it. The Ana- baptists that were burnt here, in divers towns in England, (as I have heard of credible men, I saw them not myself), met their death even intrepid, as you will say, without any fear in the world. Well, let them go. There was, in the old times, another kind of poisoned heretics, that were called Donatists, and these heretics went to their execution as they should have gone to some jolly recreation and ban- quet." Latimer had, ere long, to learn for himself where the power lay which enabled men to die so cheerfully. We do not wonder that he discovered a likeness between the Baptists and the Donatists, for quaint old Thomas Fuller draws at full length a parallel between the two, and concluded that the Baptists are only "the old Donatists new dipped." We can survive even such a comparison as that. Bishop Burnet says, that in the time of Edward VI, Baptists became very numerous, and openly preached this doctrine, that '^Children arc Christ's ivith- out watery (Luke xviii. 16). Protestantism nomin- ally flourished in the time of Edward VI., but there were many unprotestant doings. The use of the reformed liturgy was enforced by the pains and pen- alties of law. Ridley, himself a martyr in the next reign, was joined in a commission with Gardiner, afterwards notorious as a persecutor of Protestants, to root out Baptists. Among the " Articles of Visita- tion," issued by Ridley in his own diocese, in 15 50, was the following : '• Whether any of the Anabaptist sect, and others, use notoriously any unlawful or ral' ' \' 130 SPURGEON OUR ALLV. private conventicles, wherein they do use doctrines, or administration of sacraments, separating them- selves from the rest of the parish ?" It may be fairly gathered from this " Article of Visitation," that there were many Baptist churches in th:: Kingdom at that time. This truth is also clear from the fact that the Duke of Northumberland advised that Mr. John Knox should be invited to England, and made a Bishop, that he might aid in putting down the Bap- tists in Kent. Marsden tells that in the days of Elizabeth, " the Anabaptists were the most numerous, and, for some time, by far the most formidable opponents of the church. They are said to have existed in England since the early days of the Lollards." In the year 1575, a most severe persecution was raised in London against the Anabaptists, ten of whom were condemned — eight ordered to be ban- ished, and two to be executed. Mr. Foxe, the eminent martyrologist, wrote an excellent Latin letter to the Queen, in which he observes, — " That to punish with the flames the bodies of those who err rather from ignorance than obstin- acy is cruel, and more like the Church of Rome, than the mildness of the Gospel. I do not write thus,'' says he, " from any bias to the indulgence of error ; but to save the lives of men, being myself a man ; and in hope that the offending parties may have an oppor- tunity to repent, and retract their mistakes." He then earnestly entreats that the fires of Smithfield ! SPURGEONS FIGHT WITH ROME. 131 )te an ch he odies bstin- ome, thus,'' error ; ; and ppor- He thfield may not be rekindled, but that some milder punish- ment may be inflicted upon them, to prevent, if possible, the destruction of their souls as well as their bodies. But his remonstrances were ineffectual. The Queen remained inflexible ; and, though she con- stantly called him Father Foxe, she gave him a flat refusal as to saving their lives, unless they should recant their dangerous errors. The two men refusing to recant were burnt in Smithfield, July 22, 1675, to the great and lasting disgrace of the reign and char- acter of Queen Elizabeth. Neither from Elizabeth, James, or Charles I, had our brethren any measure of favor. No treatment V. as thought too severe for them ; even good men execrated them as heretics, for whom the harshest measures were too gentle. Had it been possible to destroy this branch of the true vine, assuredly the readiest means were used without hindrance or scruple; and yet it not only lives on, but continues to bear fruit a hundredfold. When Charles I. was unable any longer to uphold pLpiscopacy, liberty of thought and freedom of speech were somewhat more common than before, and the Baptists increased very rapidly. Many of them were in Cromwell's army, and were the founders of not a few of our village churches. When these men were to the front, doing such acceptable work for the Par- liament, it was not likely that their brethren could be hunted down quite so freely as before. Accordingly we find that contentious divine, Daniel Featley, groan- ing heavily, because they were permitted to breathe, 132 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ff [j 11 I I r and between his pious f:jroan.s, rccordinf;" for our infor- mation, certain facts which are, at this juncture, pecu- liarly useful to us. Dr. Fcatley says : "This fire, which in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James, and our gracious Sovereign (Charles I.), till now was covered in Eng- land under the ashes ; or if it broke out at any time, by the care of the ecclesiastical and civil magistrates it was soon put out. But of late, since the unhappy distractions which our sins have brought upon us, the temporal sword being otherwise employed, and the spiritual being locked up fast in the scabbard, this sect, among others, has so far presumed upon the patience of the State, that it hath held weekly con- venticles, re-baptized hundreds of men and women together in the twilight, in rivulets, and some arms of the Thames, and elsewhere, dipping them over head and ears. It hath printed divers pamphlets in defence of their heresy, yea, and challenged some of our preachers to disputation. Now, although my bent has always been hitherto against the most dangerous enemy of our Church and State, the Jesuit, to extin- guish such balls of wildfire as they have cast into the bosom of the Church ; yet seeing this strange fire kindled in the n/.ighboring parishes, and many Nadabs and Abihus offering it on God's altar, I thought it my duty to cast the water of Siloam upon it to extinguish it." The waters of Siloam must have been strangely foul in Featley's days, if his " Dippers Dipped " is to be regarded as a bucketful of the liquid. ■f SPURGEONS I-KJIIT WITH ROMK. ^i3 • ■ :il ingely is to The neighboring region which was so sorely vexed with " strange fire," was the l)orougii of Southwark, which is the region in whicii tlie church now meeting in the Metropoh'tan Tabernacle was born. We are not aware that any of its pastors, or indeed, any Baptist pastor in the universe, ever set up for a priest, and, therefore, the Nadabs and Abihus must be looked for elsewhere, but Dr. P'eatley no doubt inten- ded the compliment for some of our immediate ancestors. The fortunes of war brought a Presbyterian Parlia- ment into power, but this was very little more favor- able to religious liberty than the dominancy of the Episcopalians ; at least the Baptists did not find it so. Mr. Edwards, a precious brother of the stern " true blue" school, told the magistrates that "they should execute some exemplary punishment upon some of the most notorious sectaries ;" and he charges the wicked Baptists with "dipping of persons in the cold water in winter, whereby persons fall sick." He kindly recommends the magistrates to follow the example of the Zurichers, who drowned the dippers, and if this should not be feasible, he urges that they should, at least, be proceeded against as rogues and vagabonds. No party at that time understood reli- gious liberty to mean anything more than liberty for themselves. The despised Anabaptists, and Quakers, and Independents, alone perceived that consciences are under no human rule, but owe allegiance to the Lord alone. Even the Puritans considered universal toleration to be extremely dangerous. All the power- r- 134 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ful churches thought it right to repress heresy (so called) by the secular power. Things have gloriously altered now. No Presbyterian would now endorse a word of Edward's bitterness. Thank God, the light has come, and Christian men heartily accord liberty to each other. The day, we trust, is not far distant when even the Episcopal body uill allow us to bury our dead in the National graveyards, and will wish to escape from that connection with the State, which is as injurious to itself as it is obnoxious to other churches. Moved by the feeling that it was the duty of the State to keep men's consciences in proper order, the parliament set to work to curb the wicked sectaries, and. Dr. Stoughton tells us : — " By the parliamentary ordinance of April, 1645, forbidding any person to preach, who was not an ordained minister in the Pres- byterian, or some other reformed church, all Baptist ministers became exposed to molestation, they being accounted a sect, and not a church. A few months after the date of this law, the Baptists being pledged to a public controversy in London with Edniund Calaniy, the Lcrd Mayor interfered to prevent the disputation ; a circumstance which seems to show that, on the one hand, the Baptists were becoming a formidable body in London, and, on the othcM- hand, that their fellow-citizens were highly exasperated against them." Or, say rather, that the Lord Mayor's views not being those of the Baptists, he feared the sturdy arguments which could be brought to bear upon his friends, and concluded that the wisest course i ^i!l SrURGEON'S FIGHT WITH ROME. 135 J (so )usly rse a light berty stant bury Ish to ich is other of the sr, the :taries, entary son to ePrcs- aptist being lonths ledcfed Iniund nt the show jiing a hand, derated ayor's :d the bear I course he could take was to prevent the truth being heard. No Lord Mayor, or even King, has any right to forbid free pubHc speech, and when in past ages an official has done so, it is no evidence that his fellow-citizens were of the same mind. Jack-in-office is often pe- culiarly anxious that the consciences of others should not be injured by hearing views different from his own. Wc have now come to the margin of the actual personal histor\' of onr own church, without, we trust, having quite exliausted our readers' patience. !i iii' I I : i I CHAPTER X, THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you thrit are ai Rome also."— Romans i. i^; 'HE mission of Baptists to Romanists is signally set forth in the history of what was achieved by the men and women who bore the burden and heat of the day in English history. It is believed that Baptists have had a home in England from the days of Paul onward. From different sources we gather these facts : " That these Baptists were really an inoffensive folk, and that they held the views of the modern Baptists in the main is proved by one of the earliest documents in wliich they are mentioned, a proclama- tion of Henry VIM. in which their alleged heresies were thus enumerated : ' Infants ought not to be bap- tized ; it is not lawful for a Christian man to bear office or rule in the commonwealth ; every manner of death, with the time and hour thereof, is so certainly pre- III. Efl :',f '^ nsive )dern rlicst ama- csies bap- officc :atb, pre- THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 37 scribed, appointed and determined to every man by God, that neither any Prince by his word can alter it, nor any man by his wilfuhiess prevent or change it.' In the sermons of Roger Hutchinson, pubUshed by the Parker Society, is a discourse preached prior to 1560, the following passage from which describes one tenet on which the Anabaptists of that day laid special stress : 'Whether may a man sue forfeits against regrators, forestallers, and other oppressors ? Or ought patience to restrain us from all suit and contention ? 'Aye,' saith master Anabaptist, * for Christ our Master, whose example we must follow, he would not condemn an advoutress woman to be stoned to death according to the law, but shewed pity to her, and said : ' Go and sin no more,' John viii ; neither would he, being desired to be an arbiter, judge between two brethren, and determine their suit, Luke xii. When the people would have made him a king, he conveyed himself cut of sight, and would not take on himself such office. Christ, the son of God, would not have re- fused these functions and offices, if with the profession oi a Christian man it were agreeable with the temporal sword to punjsh offenders, to sustain any public room, and to determine controversies and suits ; if it were lawful for private men to prosecute such suits, and to sue just and rightful titles. He 7ion est dominatus sed pass lis ; would be no magistrate, no judge, no f^rosernor, but suffered and sustained trouble, injury, wrong and oppression patiently. And so must we ; for Paul saith, 'That those which he foreknew he also II il'fi iiiii 138 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ordained before — /// csscnt coufonnes iviagini Filii sui — that they should be alike fashioned into the shape of his Son.' "In 1575 Hendrick Terwoort, a Fleming by birth, died in the same way for rejecting infant baptism and the bearing of arms. A confession of faith that he penned while in prison contains the first declara- tion in fav r of complete religious liberty made on English so " 'Obseivt Vv. '^ the command of God, "Thoushalt love the stranger as thyself." Should he then who is in misery, and dwelling in a strange land, be driven thence with his companions, to their great damage ? Of this Christ speaks, *' Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.' O that they would deal with us according to natural reasonableness, and evangelical truth, of which our persecutors so highly boast! For Christ and his disciples persecuted no one ; on the contrary, Jesus hath thus taught, " Love your enemies, bless them that curse you," etc. This doctrine Christ left behind with his apostles, as they testify. Thus Paul, " Unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling-place ; and labor, work- ing with our own hands ; being reviled we bless ; being persecuted, we suffer it." From all this it is clear, that those who have the one true Gospel doc- trine and faith will persecute no one, but will them- selves be persecuted.' " The writings of this period and the published III' THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 39 id no iLove This they both etcd ivork- Icss ; it is doc- Ihem- lished sermons of English divines (such as Latimer, Cran- mer, Whitgift, and Coverdale) are full of references to the Anabaptists and their heresies. Thus, one Dr. Some, a man of standing in the English church, wrote " A Godly Treatise," in which he charged the Anabaptists with holding the following deadly errors : " * That the ministers of the gospel ought to be maintained by the voluntary contribution of the people ; " ' That the civil power has no right to make and impose ecclesiastical laws ; " * That people ought to have the right of choosing their own ministers ; "'That the High Commission Court is an anti- christian usurpation ; " That those who are qualified to preach ought not to be hindered by the civil power, etc." Baptists in the Scventcanh Century. Traces of the presence in England of Anabaptists of foreign origin continue through the reign of Eliz- abeth. In the year 161 1, Thomas Helwys and others founded in London the first General Baptist Church. An account of the founding of the first Calvin- istic, or Particular, Baptist church is given by William Kiffin, an eminent Baptist of that time: " There was a congregation of Protestant Dis- senters of the Independent persuasion in London, gathered in the year 1616, whereof Mr. Henry Jacob m WK •M il* ife iifi • ' hli'i 140 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. was the first pastor ; and after him succeeded Mr. John Lathrop, who was their minister at this time. In this society, several persons finding that the con- i^regation kept not to their first principles of separa- tion, and being also convinced that baptism was not to be administered to infants, but such only as pro- fessed faith in Christ, desired that they might be dismissed from that communion, and allowed to form a distinct congregation, in such order as was most agreeable to their own sentiments. The church, con- sidering that they were now grown very numerous, and so mi r than could in these times of persecution conveniently meet together, and believing also that those persons acted from a principle of conscience, and not obstinacy, agreed to allow them the liberty they desired, and that they should be constituted a distinct church, which was formed the 12th of Sep- tember, 1633. And as they believed that baptism was i ot rightly administered to infants, so they looked upon the baptism they had received in that age as invalid ; whereupon most or all of them received a new baptism." T/ic Confcsnoii of 1644. In the year 1639, another congregation of Parti- c'lar Baptists was formed, and by 1644 the number of the Calvinistic churches had increased to seven. In that year these seven churches and one French church of the same faith united in issuing a Confes- sion of Faith, composed of fifty articles, which is one of the chief landmarks of Baptist history. dfe THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. I4I irti- iber Inch fes- one The Confession, besides givin^^j a brief exposition of gospel truth, according to the Calvinistic theology, pronounces baptism " an ordinance of the New Testa- ment given by Christ, to be dispensed upon persons professing faith, or that are made disciples ; who, upon profession of faith, ought to be baptized, and after, to partake of the Lord's Supper." It then specifies, "That the way and manner of dispensing this ordi- nance is dipping or plunging the body under water.' One of the four-fold confessions issued by the Smyth-Helwys church in Holland says : " The Holy Supper, according to the institution of Christ, is to be administered to the bapi ized." Indeed, in the whole history of Baptists, not a Confession can be produced that advocates the invitation or admission to the Lord's table of the unbaptized. ' Open' com- munion is as unhistorical as it is unscriptural. As early as 16 14, Leonard Busher, a citizen of London, wrote in his " Religion's Peace," ' And such as shall willingly and gladly receive it (the Gospel), he hath commanded to be baptized in the water; that is, dipped for dead in the water.' In 1640, the Baptist church of the Calvinistic faith in London, became convinced that the true baptism had been lost. It would appear that this church had inherited sprinkling froni its Independent parent, and had at first considered the subjects of baptism to the exclu- sion of the proper outward act. Believing that immersion was the only scriptural baptism, and know- ing no body of Christians in England that immersed, they sent Richard Blunt to Holland where there were 7f RmH>' I I I'll i I i i 111! ■ ' Hi 142 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. some Immersionists of their faith. He was baptized by one John Batte, and on returning, baptized Samuel IMacklock, the two then baptizing the rest. From this time forth there is no case known among EngHsh Baptists of anything being performed, or recognized as baptism, save an immersion. Indeed, the practice of immersion had not yet died out of the English church, though it was rapidly becoming uncommon. So late as 1644, an English clergyman, Blake, rector of Tamworth, says : * I have been an eye-witness of many infants dipped, and I know it to have been the constant practice of many ministers in their places for many years together.' " The struggle for religious liberty was long and fierce, and was waged by Baptists in England, as elsewhere. The period of the civil war, and of Cromwell's pro- tectorate, was one of complete immunity for those Christians who had theretofore been persecuted with- out mercy. The Baptists profited by this respite, and throve apace. Some of the men high in Cromwell's confidence, and occupying positions of prominence and trust, were Baptists. Among these may be men- tioned General Harrison, and Colonel Hutchinson, Governor of Northampton. Nevertheless, even these years were not without their perils. The Baptists were accused of sedition, and various pretexts were found to justify their persecution ; but Cromwell could never be induced to move against them. He came nearer than any man of his time in public life to the adoption of the Baptist doctrine of equal liberty liiii THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 43 ro- ose th- nd ll's Ince icn- on, ese lists ere ell He life rty of conscience for all men. He came, at least, to hold that a toleration of all religious views, such as existed among Protestants that is to say, was both right and expedient ; though he seems to have had no insuper- able objection to a Presbyterian or Independent church, established by law and maintained by the state. The toleration of the Baptists from 1643 to 1660 was not a legal status ; they still had no civil rights that their stronger neighbors were bound to respect, and it was only the dire necessity of uniting all their forces against the King which led the Pres- byterian Parliament to refrain from active measures of repression. The leading Westminster divines rebuked Parliament in sermons and pamphlets for suffering the Baptists to increase, but political con- siderations were, for a time, paramount. A single incident illustrates the Presbyterian idea of liberty of conscience at this time. In 1646, one Morgan, a Roman Catholic, unable to obtain priest's orders in England, went to Rome for them, and on his return was hanged, drawn and quartered for this heinous offence. The unspeakable Papist could not be toler- ated on any terms by the Presbyterian party, In spite of persecutions, the General Baptists throve, and in 1626, they had eleven churches in England, while in 1644, by the admission of their bitter oppon- ent. Dr. Featley, they had forty-seven. The following article is worth quoting in full, as the first publication of the doctrine of freedom of conscience in an official document representing a body of associated churches : i] a^m m W' ll.f> ; I 1%' '■,.11 144 SPURr,i:()\ OUR ALLY. "XLVIII. A civil magistracy is an ordinance of God, set up by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well ; and that in all lawful things, commanded by them, subjection ought to be given by us in the Lord, not only for the wrath, but for conscience' sake ; and th;it we are to make supplications and prayers for Kings, and all that are in authority, that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. "The supreme magistracy of this Kingdom, we acknowledge to be King and Parliament * * * And concerning the worship of God ; there is but one lawgiver, which is Jesus Christ. * * viy^' So it is the magistrate's duty to tender the liberty of men's consciences, Ecclcs. viii. 8, (which is the tender- est thing unto all conscientious men, and most dear unto them, and without which all other liberties will not be worth the naming, much less the enjoying) and to protect all under them from all wrong, injury, oppression and molestation. *- * * And as we cannot do anything contrary to our understandings and consciences, so neither can we forbear the doing of that which our understandings and consciences bind us to do. And if the magistrates should require us lo do otherwise, we are to yield our persons in a passive way to their power, as the saints of old have done, James v. 4. This is a great landmark, not only of Baptists, but of the progress of enlightened Christianity. Those who published to the world this teaching, then deemed revolutionary and dangerous, held, in all but a few THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 145 )ing Inces I in a lave but lose led few points of small importance, precise. y those views of Christian truth that arc held by Baptists to-da}'. For substance of doctrine, any of us might subscribe to it without a moment's hesitation. On the strength of this one fact, Baptists might fairly claim that, what- ever might have been said by isolated individuals before, they were the pioneer body among modern Christian bodies to advocate the right of all men to worship God, each according to the dictates of his own conscience, without let or hindrance from any earthly power. Against a general toleration the Presbyterians pro- tested vigorously. Thomas P^dwards declared that: " Could the devil effect a toleration, he would think he had gained well by the Reformation, and made a Cfood exchanc^e of the hierarchy to have a toleration for it." Even the saintly Baxter said : " I abhor unlimited liberty and toleration of all, and think myself easily able to prove the wickedness of it."' Well might Milton, incensed by such teachings, and by attempts in Parliament to give them effect, break forth in his memorable protest, moved by a righteous indignation that could not find expression in honeyed words or courteous phrases ; " Dare ye for this adjure the civil swonl To force our consciences, that Christ set ir.^o, And ride us with a '.lassie hierarchy?" And with bitter truth he added, " New Presbyter i^ yut old Priest writ large." Not in vain, as we have seen, was his subsequent appeal to Cromwell for protection from the.se wolves •t' III!! m » i i m \ T46 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. in sheep's clothiiv^, wno haa broken down one tyranny- only to erect on its base another more odious : " Peace hath her victories * No less renowned than war ; new foes arise, Threat'ning to bind our souls with secular chains ; Help us to save free conscience from the paw Of hireling wolves, whose Gospel is their maw." Nothing but the overthrow of the Long Parliament, and with it the Presbyterian domination, prevented a more tyrannous and implacable persecution than any that disgraces the fair page of England's annals. William III., tJic Orange Leader, gave the Act of Toleration. The events of the reign of James II. were favorable to the development of a spirit of toleration among Protestants, who were driven into a closer po' al and religious alliance by the fear of Catholic su^ ...- acy. The revolution that overthrew James placed on the throne the Prince of Orange, the descendant of that heroic leader of the Netherlands in their long struggle to throw off the yoke of Catholic Spain, the first ruler in modern history who was statesman enough, and Christian enough, to incorporate the principle of religious liberty into his country's laws. Thanks to William III., the Act of Toleration was passed in 1689, which, though a mass of absurdities and inconsistencies when carefully analysed, was yet a measure of practical justice to the majority, and of great relief to all. P^ven then, Catholics and Jews were exempted from its provisions, and men so ) '! 'IHE MISSION OK liAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. I47 al d on \t of long the man the llaws. was ities s yet ind of Jews m so enlightened and liberal-minded as Tillotson and Locke protested against granting toleration to them. But from that day, the grosser forms of persecution ceased forever as regarded all Protestant bodies, though the principle of complete religious liberty has never yet found general acceptance in England. This is the background to the work in the Metro- politan Tabernacle. Spurgeon was an illustration of the kind of champion needed t)y Protestantism, and his sermons, interlarded with utterances heading against Romanism, are invaluable. Here are speci- mens of his brave words. Spiirgeoiis Tribute to John Foxc, In April, 1877, he said before the Pastor's College under the head of ** Feed my sheep," these words : *' God has appointed the proper food for his sheep, hand that out to them, and nothing else. The Pope of Rome, who claims to be the lineal descendant and successor of the Apostle of whom we are speaking, attempts to feed in a strange manner. I wonder how many of the sheep are able to feed on his allocutioiis, and other specimens of cursing. He seems to be mainly engaged in uttering maledictions upon the wolves. I see no food for the sheep. How is it that he has founded no Bible Societies in Rome for the circulation of the pure word of God ? One of his predecessors has called the Protestant version, "Pois- onous Pastures." Very well, then why not circulate a pure version ? Why nut spend a part of his Peter's pence in distributing the P2pistle to the Romans? I 148 SI'URGECJX OUR ALLY. i- ■ I !!' I Why not exhort priests, cardinals, and bishops to be instant in season and out of season, preaching the Gospel according to the commission of the Lord ? Verily Peter is crucified head downwards at Rome. The tradition is symbolic of the fact, for the Apostle is placed in a wrong position, and exalted to honors which are a crucifixion to him. Jo/in Fox,\ the Martyrologist. "The history of Foxe's 'Book of Martyrs.' is, in fact, a history of hLngland's breaking away from the papal chains ; but many things associated with the issue of the work in modern times have an interest of their own, and of quite another kind. It has been said that, in the i6th centur}-, Foxe did more than all other writers combined, to make the revival of Popcy impossible in England. When John Foxe was born in 15 17, the Reformation was in that Inter- esting stage when Luther openly challenged the Pope by placing his unanswerable thesis on the door of a church in Wittenburg. The reformer and historian was born at l^oston, the unpretentious but interesting Lincolnshire town, which truly then thiived as an oasis in the watery desert of the Fen country. His fr.ther died when he was young, and his mother married a bigoted partizan of Popery. In Coventry he married and settled. He was persecuted, and went to live with his mother in Boston, and afterwards went to London, where, footsore and pennyless, he was on the verge of despair. He sat one day among the loungers in the cathedral, with sunken eyes, thin )f a •ian ing an His ther ntry and arcis ;. he ■nong thin THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. I49 sallow cheeks, and a death-like pallor overspreading his countenance. Foxe was taken notice of by some unknown good Samaritan, who spoke kind words and placed a sum ofmoney in his hands. The mysterious stranger spoke of better days, and these mysteriously dawned upon him ; he was taken into the household of the Duchess of Richmond, who had charge of the chi iren of her brother, the Earl of Surrey, then a pris- oner in the Tower, and destined soon to suffer death. "During the brief and happy reign of Edward VI., Foxe resided at Reigate, where he regularly preached the Gospel, and when out of school hours, found a profitable recreation in cleansing the parish from relics of popish idolatry still abounding. This Protestant activity won for him the hatred of Papists ; and when the times changed with the accession of Mary, the vigilant Gardner, like a Vatican blood- hound, scented his prey, and Foxe was compelled to flee for his life. Having escaped from his cruel enemies, Foxe reached Strasbourg. Afterwards, he went to Frankfort, at that time a kind of ecclesias- tical retreat. • In 1559, Foxe came back to London poor in purse. Rather than starve, he applied to his quondam scholar, the Duke of Norfolk, who then occupied a mansion in Aldgate, and who at once received the reformer into his family. There he became acquain- ted with John Dave, printer to tho Queen. Through his aid, he brought out the " Acts and Monumer ts." in 1563 — a year of dread and alarm, and suffering; pestilence, scarcity of money, and dearth of victuals Jfi i! I ^"*^ lii I : ifi V.I J li IfO SPURGEON OUR ALLY. having pressed heavily on the London citizens. The second edition was published in 1570, and he died in 1587, and his remains were laid in the Church of St. Giles, Cripplegate. All the malicious attacks of the Papists have failed to prove that John Foxe is not one of the most faithful and authentic of all historians. It was this book Spurgeon devoured wlien a boy, and the facts here set forth are gleaned from y article published in " T/ie Sword and Trowel'' oi March, 1878. Spiirgcon and the Jesnits. " If ever the devil and his imps are incarnate on earth, it is in the form of Jesuits. Yet even these are outdone, in this last quarter of the ninteenth century, by our own paid servants. For honest Catholics one can entertain respectful feelings, but towards those deceivers, who remain in a Protestant establishment and teach Popery, we can have no such sentiments ; they are even worse than the Jesuits, and we have just expressed our opinion of these creatures. "The latest developments of High Churchism in the form of loathsome books upon the Confessional, ought to sicken the nation of such a system ; but, alas ! men put up with anything no\v-a-days." — The Szvord and Trowel, July, 1877. Popery at Oxford, as described by Spurgeon, " The distinction between the Popery of Rome and the Popery of Oxford, is only the difference between prussic acid and arsenic : they are both equally deadly, 'l! THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. I51 aas ! )ord and Iveen tdly, and are equally to be abhorred. It is undeniable that some (,t the most eminent divines in the Anglican Church, are straining every nerve to effect the union of their Community with Rome, and their admiration for everything Popish is undisguised." In speaking of Ritualism, Spurgeon calls it,- " Onr own dear Popish C/mirh" and says : " Charity is at all times beautiful and Christ- like, and as between man and man, Christian and Christian, is to be maintained at all times, and none the less because of differing opinions ; but charity towards a corrupt system is falsehood to truth, dan- ger to ourselves, injury to our fellowmen, anci dishonor to God. Temporising is all the more dangerous just now, for the priests of the Anglican Church are every day becoming more pronounced in their views. As a mild instance of the decided and outspoken teach- ing of the clergy, take this from the Catechism : " ' Q. — When do we get forgiveness of sins ? •' ' A. — When we are baptized. " ' Q. — How is baptism the instrument of so great a privilege ? "•A. — By conveying to us the Holy Spirit, who from that time takes up his abode within us.' " Such is Ritualism ! Benjamin Keach, one of the earliest pastors of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, was convicted for asser- ting his belief, that believers only, and not infants, were to be baptized ; that laymen, having ability, 152 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. h i 4i might preach the gospel. For this he was imprisoned fourteen days, fined i^20, and compelled to stand in the pillory twice during one week, in the market-place of Ayesbury and Winslow, in the County of Bucking- hamshire. Into this liberty Spurgeon came ; by it he stood. As early as February i8th, 1855, in a sermon on Spiritual Liberty, he said : " Liberty is the birthright of every man. The Bible is the Magna Charta of Old Britain. Its truths and its doctrines have snapped our fetters, and they can never be riveted on again, whilst men with God's Spirit in their hearts, go forth to speak its truths. In no other land, save where the Bible is unclasped, in no other realm, save where the Gospel is preached, can you find liberty. Roam through other countries, and you soeak with bated breath ; the sword is above you ; you are not free, because you are under the tyranny engendered by a false religion. It is not until Protestantism comes, that freedom can be en- joyed. As an illustration, remember the Martyr Lambert, burnt for Christ's sake, by the Papists : "He was treated as badly as any one could have been, for, when tied to the stake, the fagots green, and the fire exceeding slow, he was burned away by slow degrees. His feet and If^gs were consumed, while life was yet in his body ; 'jid that poor soul, when the fire was just about to take axv-ay his life, though he had been hours burniug, was seen to lift up such poor hands as he had, black, charred things, and clasp them as best he could, and say out of that li THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 53 •tyr ave by [led, ,oul, life. lift Ings, that poor black face, that looked like a cinder in the flame, 'None, but Jesus, None, but Jesus,' and with that he rode in his chariot of fire up to Christ." Remember, this was said before he had attained to his majority. In October, 1858, Mr. Spurgeon del- ivered a sermon on — Confession and Absolntion, which is as terrible an arraignment of Romanism as can be found in "Why Priests should Wed," or in any of the Anti-Papal publications of these later times. He said, "There has been a great deal of excite- ment for these last few years about the Confessional. As for that matter, it is, perhaps, a mercy, that the outward and visible sign of Popery in the Church of England has discovered to its sincere friends, the inward and spiritual, which has long been lurking there. "We need not imagine that the Confessional inthe Church of England, is any novelty. It has long been there ; those of us who are outside her borders have observed and mourned over it ; but now we can con- gratulate ourselves on the prospect that the Church of England herself will be compelled to discover her own evils ; and we hope that God may give her grace and strength to cut the cancer out of her own breast, before she shall cease to be a Protestant church, and God shall cast her away as an abhorred thing. "Silly women may go on confessing as long as they like, and foolish husbands may trust their wives, if they please, with such men as these ; let those who \ f fl :-^ 154 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. I!" i ': II m have no sense do as they please about it ; but as for myself, I should take the greatest care that neither I, nor mine, had ought to do with such things. T/ie rigJit kind of Confession is a general, and never a particular one. I counsel you, if you ever make a confession before many, let it be a general one that you have been a sinner ; but, to tell any man in what respect you have sinned, or are a sinner, is but to sin over again, and to help your fellow-creatures to transgress. " How filthy must be the soul of that priest, who makes his ear a common sewer for the filth of other men's hearts. I cannot imagine even the devil being more depraved than the man who spends his time in sitting with his ear against the lips of men and women, who, if they do truly confess, must make him an adept in every vice, and school him in iniquities that he otherwise never could have known." In a lecture delivered in the Metropolitan Taber- nacle, Aug. 2 1st, i860, he described the idolatry of Rome, as seen in the worship of the Virgin Mary. " Antwerp," he said, " is so full of Virgin Marys, that you cannot turn a corner of a street but there is a blessed Virgin, sometimes under a canopy of many colors, arrayed in all manner of pretended jewelry, and at other times in a neat little niche, which it seems to have been picked out of the wall for her ladyship's accommodation." He accused Protestants of lighting candles as the procession passed for the sake of trade. THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 55 !, i ber- of ary. rys, Ire is any |elry, ems ip's the " A sailor bought some tobacco. ' Where did you get it ."* ' asked a companion. * At the shop with the Virgin Mary smoking a pipe.' " No wonder at his taking a Turk in his turban for the Virgin and her crown. " Children scattered flowers and oak leaves before the priests. Articles were exposed in the Cathedral which I dare not describe, and which I almost need to blush for having seen, they were so terribly inde- cent. Never did I feel my Protestant feelings boiling over so tremendously, as when I saw the glory of God, and the worship that belongs to Him alone, given to pictures and images of wood and stone." It was in 1840 that the Tractarian movement began to attract attention. Dr. Pusey led the way in making an assault upon the Church, to which he had pledged his love and support. It was popular then, as it is now, to be a traitor to the truth as it is in Jesus, and to pander to the interests of error. When Cardinal Newman, on that wild night, went over to Rome, the storm raging, the heavens black, stars all veiled, the wind blowing like a cyclone, nature without typifying the storm coming into the Spiritual world ; Spurgeon, a boy of ten years of age, was lying on his mother's heart, while she wrestled with her God, that this her first-born might surrender his heart to Christ ithat he might be saved, not only from the evil to come, but saved to the work that was to confront the Church of Christ. For a time it seemed that he was to be caught in the whirlpool of doubt and unbelief; but when appar- r Si . 156 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ^i: 1' \m ently farthest from hope, on as stormy a day as was the nifrht when Newman went to bow down to Pagan idols, Spur^reon strayed into the Primitive Methodist Chapel, and heard the words, '^ Look to JesiiSy you can do that, Look to Jesus y The boy looked and began to live, and that moment there crossed into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, a child, who was to strike Romanism and Ritualism blows that would break down the pates of the citadel of unbelief, and uncover its error, and largely demolish the stronghold which had been deemed impregnable. Baptismal Regeneration was finding champions in such men as Manning, and Gladstone, and others, when Spurgeon, finding by the study of the Scrip- tures, that faith was the prerequisite to baptism, and that he had never exercised it ; followed his Lord into the watery grave, and was buried with Him into the likeness of His death and resurrection in the beautiful river Lark. Two years after Manning had become a pervert to the Church of Rome, Spurgeon began his work in London, and attracted to the New Testament, and the preaching of the Gospel, attention that gave a new direction to public thought, and made the people think of something besides of Ritualism and Romanism. " Paint the dome of the Invalides" said Napoleon, when the people were in danger of being led into a terrific riot, THE MISSION OF IJAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 57 I !l the e a the ind [on, lo a What that act did in Paris, that did the " Surrey Hall Disaster," do for the Capital of Great Britain. It introduced Charles Haddon Spurg-jon to the people of London and the world. " There are," said a prominent Roman Catholic Bishop, " but two parties in the theological world, the Baptists, and the Roman Catholics ; and all other sects lie between ^hese two contending parties." It is Baptistic to note what Christ said, and to adhere to what Christ did. Christianity begins when the individual soul embraces Christ by faith, as the Redeemer and Lord. The consecrated soul is the unit in this celestial system of numeration ; but Chris- tianity does not end there. It does something. It begins in the individual, and not only produces recon- ciliation to God, but love for the brotherhood of man. Hearts redeemed unite in purpose and in name, and out of the union grows the Church. The disciples believed, were saved ; and, on the profession of faith, put on the dead, the buried, and the risen Christ, by being buried with him by baptism into death ; that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so they should walk in newness of life. Catherine, the Great, said, " It is not so easy to write on human flesh as on paper." Christ, through his apostles, wrote on paper, and on human flesh by His own hcind. The w^ork is still going on. Tvlen and women, obedient to the heavenly calling, are the illustrated editions of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That life influences the world. 1 Wt\ 1 ^B ^ 1 ■ ' IJi I f 158 SPURGEOX OUR ALLY. !: Ill; Rome claims that the history of Religion, is the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Baptists antedate them by centuries, and prove that Romanism is the outf^rowth of rebellion against the positive commands of Christ. They find in Baptismal Regen- eration, the rock of its offence ; and in Paganism, th suitor whose charms captured her. Romanism has no history apart from detailing her opposition to the truth Christ came to proclaim, and the organization He came to establish. Rome teaches that Baptism cleanses from original sin. Baptists insist on the New Birth, and upon the Immersion in water of the believer, that he may fulfil all righteousness. Rome teaches that unbaptized infants are lost. Baptists declare with Paul, " That as in Adam all die, so in Christ are all made alive." Infants that die before they reach a state of consciousness are saved by the death of Christ, whether born in a Christian land, or in a Pagan jungle. It is this death of Jesus that is peopling Heaven with an uncounted throng, which no man can number. These will appear w ashed and made clean in the blood of the Lamb. They are entering Heaven from every land, and clime, and tribe, and will make the redeemed outnumber the lost in a ratio as great, as do those enjoying free- dom exceed those locked behind prison bars. In line with this truth, hear Mr. Spurgeon in the Tabernacle, February 1st, 1863: •'We have been boasting that the Bible, and the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants, but the THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 59 ree- the the the boast requires a little examination. Do we not tole- rate many things among Protestants, which can find no warrant in the Word of God. *• You tell me that the Bible is your religion, and yet bring your infants for baptism, sprinkle their brows, and sign their foreheads with a cross, and where find you this warrant for profaning this ordinance, which sets forth the burial of believers with their Lord ? Tradition may lend a lame and forced support to baby sprinkling, but to the liible it is unknown. " Whence comes Confirmation ? P'rom Rome. Bishops ? From Rome. *• Our God is a jealous God ; and with what indig- nation must He look down upon that apostate Harlot, called the Roman Catholic Church, when in all her sanctuaries, there are pictures, images, relics, and shrines, and poor infatuated beings are taught to bow down before a piece of bread. *' It is in vain for Romanists to assert that he wor- ships not the things themselves, but only the Lord through them ; for this the Second Commandment expressly forbids, and it is upon this point the Lord calls himself a jealous God. How full is that cup which Babylon must drink ! The day is hastening when the Lord shall avenge Himself upon her, because her iniquities have reached unto Heaven, and she hath blasphemously exalted her Pope unto the throne of God, and thrust her priests into the office of the Lamb. " Let our Protestant churches, which have too great a savour of Popery in them, cleanse themselves of her ir wmW- \f r'l i ' t 1 60 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i{- 11. :il "' I III ill i liii III I fornication, lest the Lord visit them with fire and sword, and pour down upon them the plaf;ues of Babylon. Renounce, my brethren, every ceremony which has not Scripture for its warrant, and every doctrine which is not established by the plain teach- ings of the Word of God. Let us, above all, never by any sign, or word, or deed, have any complicity with this communion with devils, this gathering together with the sons of Belial ; and since our God is a jealous God, let us not pro- voke Him by any affinity, gentleness, fellowship, or unity with this * Mothv°r of Harlots,' and abomina- tions of the earth." He Raises tJie Warning Cry. " It is a most fearful fact, that though in this coun- try Popish idolatry is iiot so bare-faced and naked, as it is in other lands, yet in no age since the Refor- mation, has Popery made such fearful strides as in England during these last few years. " I had comfortably believed that Popery was only feeding upon foreign subscriptions, upon a few titled perverts, and infatuated Monks and Nuns. I dreamed that its progress was not real. In fact, I have often smiled at the alarm of many of my brethren at the progress of Popery. But we have been mfstak n. grievously mistaken. London is covered vi a a net- work of Monks, Priests, and Sisters of y, and th( conversions made are not by ones anu iwos, 'iut by scores, till England is being regarded as the most hopeful spot for Romish Missionary enterprise in the THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. l6l m :cu m )n Itled med Iften the Ml. let- thc by host the A\ hole world ; and at the present moment there Is not a mission which is succeeding to anything like the ex- tent which the Engh'sh Mission is. I covet not their money ; I despise their sophistries ; but I marvel at the way in which they gain their funds for the erec- tion of ecclesiastical buildings. It really is an alarming matter to see so many countrymen going off to that superstition which as a nation we once rejected, and which, it was supposed, we should never again receive. Popery is making advances such as you would never believe, though a spectator should tell you of it. " Clear to your very doors, perhaps in your own houses, you may have evidences erelong of what a march Romanism is making. To what is it to be attributed? I say, with every ground of probability, that there is no marvel that Popery increases, when you have two things to make it grow. First of all, the falsehood of those who profess the faith which they do not believe — which is quite contrary to the honesty of the Romanist, who does, through evil report and good report, hold his faith. And, sec- ondly, you have the form of error, known as Baptismal Regeneration, commonly called Puseyism, preparing stepping-stones to Rome. " I have but to open my eyes a little, to foresee Romanism rampant everywhere in the future, since its germs are spreading everywhere in the present." His sermons are full of terrific utterances against Romanism. Let me quote a few passages more : " Suppose the religion of Christ to be extinct, what could take its place ? Could Romanism and its su- ■3W asDa 162 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. h I: f« ii perstitions ? We answer, No ! God help us, never ! They may do what they choose with Britain, but she is too wise to take Popery back again while Smith- field lasts, and there is one of the signs of the martyrs left ; aye, while there breathes a man who marks himself a freeman and swears by the Constitution of Old England, we cannot take Popery back. She may be rampant, with her superstitions and her priest- craft, but with all earnest Englishmen we reply, *we will not have l^opcry ! ' " Rome threatens us and we ask, * By wh?*; means would you crush our faith ? Would you give us boots and instruments of torture ? Try it, sirs, and ye shall not quench Christianity. Each martyr dipping his finger in blood, /// A' is blood, would write its honors on the heavens as he died, and the very flame that mounted up to heaven would emblazon the skies with the name of Jesus. Persecution has been tried. Turn to the Alps, let the valleys of Piedmont speak. Let Switzerland testify ; let PVance with its St. Bar- tholomew ; let England with all its massacres speak. And if ye have not crushed it yet, shall ye hope to do it ? " In i860 he was at Baden Baden. He said : — " Much of Popish idolatry and superstition has passed under my observation, and if nothing else could make me a Protestant, what I have seen would do so. " One thing I have learned now which I would have all my brethren learn; viz., the power of 7i^ per- sonal Christ. The Protestants are too apt to make stal as THE MISSION OF BAPTISTS TO ROMANISTS. 1 63 )eaV:. Bar- PC ak. do has else \vould hvo uld a per- make doctrine everything, and the person of Christ is not held in sufficient remembrance. With the Roman Catholic, doctrine is nothing, but the Person is kept in view. The evil is, that the image of Christ before tlic Papist is carnal and not spiritual ; but could we always keep our Lord before our eyes, in a spiritual sense, we should be better men than any set of doc- trines can ever make us. The Lord give us to abide in Him, and so to bring forth much fruit." In 1868, in striking Puseyism and Romanism, he said : — "In the days immediately preceding the Reforma- tion, and at the time of the Reformation, God's people grew mightily and prevailed, because the believers in the Gospel were noted among their neigh- bors for the holiness of their lives ; they were the most harmless, upright, and generous of men, so that when they were persecuted, their simple neighbors said to one another: 'The priests let the lascivious, the deluded, and the debauched escape, but the good, the honest, and the holy are taken to the stake, or are cast into prison.' That was an argument against Popery of which men's minds perceived the power; and, moreover, it was because every converted person sought to bring in others, that the Gospel spread." He uttered in his latter days terrific warnings against the Romanizing tendencies of the time, which startled England, and proved that he kept right on as the foe of Rome, the lover of Christ, to the last. J ; ii Hua i ^* rn' , wrr< \ mi it » m f r CHAPTER X/. BAPTISMAL REG1:NKRATI0N IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, ^N the month of June, 1864, Mr. Spurgcon preached ^ a sermon on Baptismal Regeneration that stirred all England, and sent out its echoes over the civilized globe. Rectors, and curates, and deans, and canons rose in the fullness of their indignation, and fulminat- ed pamphlets, which were met with replies of equal warmth. Over 300,000 copies of the sermon were sold in pamphlet form ; it was printed in hundreds of news- papers, and was almost universally read. We give it as an utterance needed now, if the power of Rome is to be broken. '• And he said unto them, Go ye into .11 the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned." — Mark xvi. 15, 16. He said, " I find that the great error vvhich we have to contend with throughout England, (and it is grow- ing more and more), is one in direct opposition to my text, well known to you as the doctrine of Baptismal 'f4 BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ENO'l). l6$ 4 ii •c it le is iorld, that that Ii6. [have rrow- |o my lis mal Regeneration. Wc will confront this doj^ma with the assertion, that BAPTISM WITHOUT FAITH SAVES NO ONE. The text says, *' He that bdievcth and is baptized shail be saved ;" but whether a man be baptized or not, it asserts that ** lie that believetJi 7iot shall be damned :" so that baptism does not sav.: the unbeliever ; nay, it does not in any degree exempt him from the common doom of all the ungodly. He may have baptism, or he may not have baptism, but if he believeth not, he shall be, in any case, most surely damned. Let him be baptized by immersion, or sprinkHng, in his infancy or in his adult age, if he be not led to put his trust in Jesus Christ — if he remain- eth an unbeliever — then this terrible doom is pro- nounced upon him — " He that believeth not shall be damned." I am not aware that any Protestant Church in England teaches the doctrine of Baptismal Regen- eration except one, and that happens to be the cor- poration, which, with none too much humility, calls itself //;<: Church of England. This very i)Owerful sect does not teach this doctrine merely through a section of its m.inisters, who might charitably be considered as evil branches of the vine, but it openly, boldly, and plainly declares this doctrine in her own appointed standard, the book of Common Prayer, and that in words so express, that while language is the channel of conveying intelligent sense, no process short of violent wresting them from their plain meaning can ever make them anything else. Here are the words : wc quote them from the Catechism, which is intended for the instruction of youth, and is naturally ver\' plain and simple, since it i 1 66 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. would be foolish to trouble the young with metaphy- sical refinements. The child is asked its name, and then questioned : " Who gave you this name ?' " My godfathers and godmothers in my baptism, wherein I was made a member of Christ, the chi'd of God and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. ' Is not this definite and plain enough? I prize the words for their candour ; they could not speak more plainly. Three times over the thing is put, lest there should be any doubt in it. The word regeneration may, by some sort of juggling, be made to mean something else, but here there can be no misunderstanding. The child is not oiJy made " a member of Christ" — union to Jesus is no mean spiritual gift — but he is made in baptism a child of God " also, and since the rule is, " if children then heirs," he is also made " an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven." Nothing can be more plain. I venture to say that while honesty remains on earth the meaning of these words will not admit of dispute. It is as clear as the noon-day that, as the Rubric has it : " Fathers, mothers, masters, and dames, are to cause their children, servants, and apprentices," no matter how idle, giddy, or wicked they may be, to learn the Catechism, and to say that in baptism they were made members of Christ and children of God. The form for the administration of this baptism is scarcely less plain and outspoken, seeing that thanks are expressly returned unto Almighty God, because the person baptized is regenerate. *' Then shall the nd r sm, .lof the nore ;here may, thing The union ide in ule is, leritor more mains mitof as the lare to is," no be, to |m they )f God. Itism is thanks )ecause lall the BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. l6j priest say, * Seeing now, dearly beioved brethren, that this child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of Christ's Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits ; and with one accord make our prayers unto him that this child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning." Nor is this all, for to leave no mistake, we have the words of the thanksgiving prescribed, " Then shall the priest say, " We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church." ' This, then, is the clear and unmistakable teaching of a Church calling itself Protestant. I am not deal- ing at all with the question of infant baptism ; I am now considering the question of baptismal regenera- tion, whether in adults or infants, as ascribed to sprink- ling, pouring, or immersion. Here is a Church which teaches every Lord's day in the Sunday-school, and should, according to the Rubric, teach openly in the Church, all children, that they were made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, when they were baptized. Here is a pro- fessed Protestant Church, which, every time its minis- ter goes to the font, declares that every person there rcceivirig baptism is there and then ' regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's Church.* ' But, I hear my good people exclaim, * There are many good clergymen in the Church who do not be- lieve in baptismal regeneration.' To this my answer is prompt Why then do they belong to a Church which \\ \ i " .; i|, 1 68 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i i ! I teaches that doctrine in the plainest terms ? I am told that many in the Church of England preach against her own teaching. I know they do, and therein I rejoice in their enlightenment, but I question, gravely question, their morality. To take oath that I sincerely assent and consent to a doctrine which I do not believe, would, to my conscience, appear little short of perjury, if not absolute downright perjury ; but those who do so must be judged by their own Lord. For me to take money for defending what I do not believe — for me to take money of a Church, and then to preach against what are most evidently its doctrines" — I say /or me to do this (I judge others as I would that they should judge me) for me, or for any other simple, honest man to do so, were an atrocity so great that, if I had per- petrated the deed, I should consider myself out of the pale of truthfulness, honesty, and common morality. Sirs, when I accepted the office of minister of this con- gregation, I looked to see what were your articles of faith ; if I had not believed them I should not have accepted your call, and when I change my opinions, rest assured that as an honest man I shall resign the office ; for how could I profess one thing in your de- claration of faith, and quite another thing in my own preaching ? Would I accept your pay, and then stand up every Sabbath-day and talk against the doctrines of your standards ? For clergymen to swear, or say, that they give their solemn assent and consent to what they do not believe is one of the grossest pieces of immorality perpetrated in England, and is most pestilential in its influences, since it directly teaches men to lie whenever it seems necessary to do so, in It r ,nd ay. to les in BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. I69 order to get a living, or increase their supposed useful- ness ; it is, in fact, an open testimony from priest!)- lips that, at least in ecclesiastical matters, falsehood may express truth, and that truth itself is a mere un- important nonentity. I know of nothing more cal- culated to debauch the public mind than a want of strait-forwardness in ministers ; and,whcn worldly men hear ministers denouncing the very thing which their own Prayer Book teaches them, they imagine that words have no meaning among ecclesiastics, and that vital differences in religion arc merely a matter of twccdle-dee and tweedle-dum, and that it does not much matter what a man does believ^e, so long as he is charitable towards other people. If baptism docs regenerate people, let the fact be preached with a trumpet tongue, and let no man be ashamed of his belief in it. If this be really their creed, by all m:;ans let them have full liberty for its propagation. My brethren, those are honest Churchmen in this matter who, subscribing to the Prayer Book, believe in bap- tismal regeneration, and preach it plainly. God forbid that we should censure those who believe that baptism saves the soul, because they adhere to a church which teaches the same doctrine. So far they are honest men ; and in I^ngland, wherever else, let them never lack a full toleration. Let us oppose their teaching by all Scriptural and intelligent means, but let us res- pect their courage in plainly giving us their views. I hate their doctrine, but I love their honesty ; and as they speak but what they believe to be true ; let them speak it out, and the more clearly the better. Out with it, sirs, be it what it may, but do let us know what you I70 SPURGEON OUR ALIA'. mean. For my part I love to stand foot to foot with an honest footman. To open warfare bold and true hearts raise no objection but the ground of quarrel ; it is covert enmity which we have most cause to fear, and best reason to loathe. That crafty kindness which inveigles me to sacrifice principle is the serpent in the grass, — deadly to the incautious wayfarer. Where union and friendship are not cemented by truth, they are an unhallowed confederacy. It is time that there should be an end put to the flirtations of honest men with those who believe one way, and swear another. If men believe baptism works regeneration let them say so ; but if they do not so believe it in their hearts, and yet subscribe, and yet more get their livings by subscribing, to words asserting it, let them find congenial associates among men who can equivo- cate and shuffle, for honest men will neither ask nor accept their friendship. We ourselves _are not dubious on this point ; we protest that persons are not saved by being baptized. In such an audience as this, I am almost ashamed to go into the matter, because )ou surely know better than to be misled. Nevertheless, for the good of others we will drive at it. We hold that persons are not saved by baptism, for we think, that it seems out of character with the spir- itual religion which Christ came to teach that he should make salvation depend upon a mere ceremony. Judaism might possibly absorb the ceremony by way of type into her ordinances essential to eternal life ; for it was a religion of types and shadows. The false religions of the heathen might inculcate salvatioti by J. BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. 1 7 1 we ted. icd l()\V the old for pir- he my. ivay life ; alse by a physical process, but Jesus Christ claims for his faitii that it is purely spiritual, and how coi 'd he connect rej^eneration with a peculiar application of aqueous fluid ? I cannot see how it would be a spiritual Gospel, but I can see how it would be mechanical, if I were sent forth to teach that the mere dropping of so many drops upon the brow, or even the plunging r, person in water could save the soul. This seems to me to be the most mechanical religion now existing, and to be on a par with the praying windmills of Thibit, or the climbing up and down of Pilate's stair- case, to which Luther subjected himself in the days of his darkness. The operation of water-baptism docs not appear even to my faith to touch the point invok- ed in the regeneration of the soul. What is the neces- sary connection between water and the overcoming of sin ? I cannot see any connection which can exist between sprinkling, or immersion, and regeneration, so that the one shall necessarily be tied to the other in the absence of faith, Used by faith, had God com- manded it, miracles might be wrought ; but without faith or even consciousness, as in the case of babes, how can spiritual benefits be connected necessarily with the sprinkling of water? If this be your teach- ing, that regeneration goes with baptism, I say it looks like the teaching of a spurious Church, which has craftily invented a mechanical salvation to deceive ignorant, sensual, and grovelling minds, rather than the teaching of the most profoundly spiritual of all teachers, who rebuked Scribes and Pharisees for re- garding outward rites as more important than inward grace. \ 172 SPURGEON OUR ALLY " But it strikes mc that a more forcible argument is that t/ie Dogma is not supported by facts. Are all persons who are baptized children of God ? Well, let us look at the divine family. Let us mark their re- semblance to their glorious Parent ! Am I untru«:hful if I say that thousands of those who were baptized in their infancy are now in our jails ? You can ascer- tain the fact, if you please, by application to prison authorities. Do you believe that these men, many of whom have been living by plunder, burglary, or forg- ery, are regenerate? If so, the Lord deliver us from such regeneration. Are these villians members of Christ? If so, Christ has sadly altered since the day that He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners Has He really taken baptized drunk- ards and harlots to be members of His body? Do you not revolt at the supposition ? It is a well-known fact that baptized persons have been hanged. Surely it can hardly be right to hang the inheritors of the kingdom of heaven ! " Our sheriffs have much to answer for, when they officiate at the execution of the children of God, and suspend the members of Christ on the gallows ! What a detestable farce is that which is transacted at the open grave when " a dear brother " who has died drunk is buried in a " sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life," and the prayer that " when we shall depart this life, we may rest in Christ, as our hope is that this our brother doth." Here is a regenerate brother, who, haxing defiled the village by constant uncleanness and bestial drunkenness died without a sign of repentance, and Hi ^ IJAl'TISMAL UKGENEKATION, CHURCH OF KN(,'l). I 73 yet the professed minister of God solemnly accords him funereal rites which arc denied to unbaptized innocents, and puts the reprobate into the earth in "sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life." If old Rome in her worst days ever perpetrated a grosser piece of imposture than this, I do not read things aright ; if it does not require a Luther to cry down this hypocrisy as much as popery ever did, then I do not even know that twice two make four. Do you find — we who baptize on profession of faith, and baptize by immersion in a way which is confessed to be correct, though not allowed by some to be absolutely necessary to its validity, — do we who baptize in the name of the sacred Trinity as others do, do we find that baptism regenerates ? JFe do not. Neither in the righteous or the wicked do we find regeneration wrought by baptism. We hrue never met with one believer, however instructed in divine things, who could trace his regeneration to baptism; and on the other hand, we confess it with sorrow, but still with no surprise, that we have seen those whom we have ourselves baptized, according to apostolic precedent, go back into the world and wander into the foulest sin ; and their baptism has scarcely been so much as a restraint to them, because they have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Facts all show, that whatever good there may be in baptism, it certainly does not make a man '• a member of Christ, the child of God and an inheritor of the kingdom ; " or else, many thieves, whoremongers, drunkards, fornicators, and murderers are members of Christ, the children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of 1/4 SPURCiEON OUR ALI,Y. :'■ i: heaven. Facts, brethren, are dead against this Popish doctrine; and facts are stubborn things. Can vvc close our eyes to the fact that Popery rests on this doctrine, rind that the Church of England copies and practises the error also ? " Yet further, I am persuaded that the performance styled baptism by the Prayer Book is not at all likely to regenerate and save. How is the thing done ? One is very curious to know, when one hears of an operation which makes men members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven, how the thing is done. It must in itself be a lioly thing, truthful in all its details, and edifying in every portion. Now, we will suppose we have a company gathered round the water, be it more or less, and the process of regeneration is about to be I)erformed. We will suppose them all to be godly people. The clergyman officiating is a profound believer in the Lord Jesus, and the father and mother are exemplary Christians, and the godfathers and godmothers arc all gracious persons. We will suppose this — it is a supposition fraught with charity, but it may be correct. What are these godly people supposed to say ? Let us look to the Prayer Book. The clergyman is supposed to tell these people, ' Ye have heard also, that Our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in His Gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed for : which promise He, for His part, will most surely keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, this infant must also faithfully, for his part, promise by you that arc his sureties (until he come of age to take it upon himself) liAPTiSMAL reop:ni:ration, church of eng'd. 175 that he will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's Holy Word, and obcdienth- keep His Commandments.' This small child is to promise to do this, or more truly others are to take upon themselves to promise, and even Vow that he shall do so. But we must not break the quotation, and therefore let us return to the Book. * I demand therefore, dost thou, in the name of this child, re- nounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetcnis desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them ? ' Answer, ' I renounce them all.' That is to say, in the name and on behalf of this tender infant about to be baptized, these godly people, these enlightened Christian people, these who know better, who are not dupes, who know all the while that they are promising impossibilities ; renounce on behalf of this child what they find it very hard to renounce for themselves, — ' all coveteous desires of the world, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that they will not follow nor be led by them,' How can they harden their faces to utter such a false promise, such a mockery of renunciation before the presence of the Father Almighty ? Might not angels weep as they hear the awful promise uttered ? Then in the presence of high heaven they profess on behalf of this child that he steadfastly believes the creed, when they know, or might pretty shrewdly judge, that the little creature is not yet a steadfast believer in anything, much less in Christ's going down into hell. Mark, they do not say merely that the babe sJiall believe the creed, but they affirm that he does, I 176 SI'UKGEON OUR ALLY. for they answer in the child's name, 'All this I stead- fastly believe. Not ur steadfastly believe, but /, the little babe there, unconscious of all their professions and confessions of faith. In answer to the (juestion, ' Wilt thou be baptized in this faith ? ' they reply for the infatit, ' That is my desire. Surely the infant has no desire in the matter, or at the least, no one has been authorized to declare any desires on his behalf. But this is not all, for then these godly intelligent people next promise on behalf of the infant, that 'hesliall obediently keep all God's Holy will and Connnandments, atuJ walk in the same all the days of his life.' " Now, I ask )'c)u, dear friends, you who know what true rch\,non means, can you walk in all God's holy commandments yourselves ? Dare you make this day a vow on your own part, that you would renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps ami vanities of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh ? Dare )'ou, before God, make such a promise as that ? You desire such holiness, you earnestly strive after it, but you look for it from God's promise, not from )'our own, If you dare make such vows, I doubt your knowledge of your own hearts, and of the s{)irituality of God's law. But even if you could do this for yourself, would )ou venture to make such a promise for any other person? For the best-born infant on earth ? Come brethren, what say you ? Is not your reply ready and plain? There is not room for two opinions among men de- termined to observe truth in all their ways and words. I can understand a simj^le, ignorant rustic, who has KAi'TisMAL re(;i:m-:katio\\ churcji ok f,N(;'i). i;- lu- lls. .IS never learned to read, doini^ all this, at the coininand of a priest, and under the eye of a squire. I can even understand persons doini^ tliiswhen the Reforma- tion was in its dawn, and men had newly crept out out of the darkness of Popery; but I c;innot under- stand f^racious, j^odl>- people, standing at the font to insult the all-gracious l'\ither with vows and promises framed upon a fiction, and involving practical false- hood. How dare intelligent l^clievers in Christ to utter words which the)' know :n their conscience to oe wickedU' aside from truth ? When I shall be able to understand the process by which graci(nis men so accommodate their consciences, even then I shall have a confirmed belief that the God of truth never did, and never will, confirm a spiritual blessing of the highest order m connection with the utterance of such false promises ai^d untruthful vows. My breth- ren, does it not strike you that df jlarations so fictitious are not likely to be connected with a tiew birth wrought by the Spirit of Truth ? " 1 have not done with this point , I must take another case, and suppose the sponsors and others to be uugodlw an(. that is no hard supposition, for in many ca.-^e^ wc know that godfathers and parents have no more thought of religion thati that idolatrous hollowed stone round which the\' gather. When these sinners have taken their pi. ices, what are they about to say ? Why, they are about to take ihe mos' solemn vows I hi'.ve alreatly recounted in. their hearing ! To- tally irreligi(jus they are, but yet they promise for the baby what they never did, and never thought of doing for themselves — they promise on benalf of this child, <»MnfMNt«tt«nMni 178 Sl'URC.KON OUR ALLY. * that he will renounce the devil and all his works, ri.nd conjtantl)' believe God's holy Word, and obed- iently keep his commandments.' My brethren, do you think I speak severely here ? Reall\', I think there is something here to make mockery for devils. Let every honest man lament that ever God's Church should tolerate such a thing as this, and that there should be found gracious people who will feel grieved because I, in all kindness of heart, rebuke the atrocity. Unregenerate sitniers promising for a poor babe that he shall keep all God's holy commandments, which they themselves wantonly 'orcak every da\' ! How can anything but the long-suffering of God endure this ? What ! not speak against it ? The very stones in the .street might cry out against the infamy of wicked men and women i)romising that another shall renounce the devil and all his works, while they them- selves serve the devil, aiid do his works with greedi- ness ! As a climax to all this, 1 am asked to believe that God accepts that wicked promise, and, as the result of it, regenerates th;it child. You cannot be- lievc in regeneration by this o[)eration, whether saints or sinners are the performers. Take them to be godl\ , then they are wrong for d(^ing what th^'r consciences must con'lemn ; view them as ungodly, and they arc wrong for j)romising what they know the)' cannot perform ; aiul, in neither case, can God accept such worship, much less mfallibly append regeneration to such a baptism as thi.s. •' But. you will say, ' Wh)- do^ou cry out against it '? I cry out against it becau.se 1 believe that baptism docs not save the soul, and i\\i\\.f/ic/yfeai/iiNi^o/tthas l; vlTISMAL REGENK RATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. I 79 Isaints ■•ofUy, IlillCCS y arc lanncU su( h ion 1<» 1st it'? ^ptisni It /ids a ivrong and evil influence upon men. VVc meet with persons who, when wc tell them that they must be born again, assure us that they were born again when they were baptized. The fumber of tliese persons is increasing, fearfully increasing, until all grades of society arc misled by this belief How can any man stand up in his pulpit and say, ' Ye must be born again ' to his congregation, when he has already as- sured them, by his own "unfeigned assent and consent' to it, that the\' arc themselves, every one of them, born again in baptism? WHiat is he to do widi them? Wh)-, my dear friends, the Gosjicl then has no voice ; they have rammed this ceremony down its throat, anrl it cannot speak to rebuke sin. The man who has been baptized or sjjrinkled sa\s, ' I din saved, I am a member of Christ, a child of (lod. and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. Who arc you, that )ou should rebuke me} Call wr to reijcntance ? Call me to a new life ? What better life can I have? for I am a member of Christ — a part c)f Christ's body. What I rebuke me ? I am a child of (lod. Cannot y(3U .see it in my face? No matter whal my walk and conver- sation is, I am a child of (ind. Moreover, I am an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven, for when I die though I live in constant sin, you \\'\\\ put me in the grave, and tell everybody that I died ' in .sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal lift;.' *' Now, what can be the influence of such i)rcaciiing as this upon our beloved luigland ? Upon my dear and bles.sed countr\'? What but the worst of ills? If I loved her not, but lovi-d m)self most, I might be silent here, but, loving I'Jigland, I cannot and d.ne II i8o SPURGEON OUR ALLY i i not ; and having soon to render an account before my God, whose servant I hnpc I am, I must free myr-lf froin this evil as well as from every other, of else on my head may be the doom of souls " Here let me bring in another point. It is a most fearful fact, that in no age since the Rcfonnation lias Popery made siicJi fearful strides in England as during the last few years. I had comfortably believed that Popery was only feeding itself upon foreign subscrip- tions, upon a few titled perverts, and imported monks and nuns In fact, I have often smiled at the alarm of many of my brethren at the [)rogrcss of Popery. Hut, my dear friends, we have been mistaken, grie\ - ously mistaken. If you will read a valuable paper in the magazine called Christian \Vor/c, those of you who are not acquainted with it will be perfectly startled at its revelations. This great city is now covered with a network of monks, and priests, and sisters of mercy; and the conversions made are not by ones or twos, but by scores, till England is being regarded as the most hopeful spot for Romish missionary enterprise m the whole world ; and at the present moment there is not a mission which is succeeding to anything like the extent that the English mission is. " I covetnottheirmoney ; I despisctheirsophistries ; but I marvel at the way in which they gain their funds for the erection of ecclesiastical buildings. It really is an alarming matter to see .so many of our country" men going off to that su[)erstition which, as a nation* \\ c once rejected, and w Inch it was supposed we should never again receive. Poi)ery is making advances such as you would never believe, though a spectator should III liAI'TISMAL RKGENKRATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. l8l ike ids illy On' lu Id Lie I U Id tell it to you. Close to your very doors, perhaps even in your own houses, you may have evidence erelong of what a inarch Romanism is making. And to what is it to be ascribed ? I say, with every gnjund of pro- bability, that there is no marvel that Poj)ery should increase when )ou have two things to make it grow. I'irst of all, the falsehood of those who profess a faith which they do not believe, — which is quite contrary to the honesty of the Romanist, who does through evil report and good report hold his faith ; and then you have, secondl)-, this form of errorknownas bap- tismal regeneration, and commonly called Puseyism which is not only Puseyism, but Church-of-Kngland- ism, because it is the Prayer Book, as plainly as words can express it — you have this baptismal regeneration preparing stepi)ing-stones to make it easy for men to go to Rome. 1 have but to oj)en my e)'es a little to fore- see Romanism rampant everj'wherc in the future, since its germs are spreading everywhere in the present. In one of our courts of legislature, the Lord Chief Justice showed his superstition, by speaking of the " risk of the calamity of children dying unbapti/.ed !" Among Dissenters you see a veneration for structures, a modi- fied belief in the sacredness of places which is all idolatry ; for tv) believe in the sacredness of anything but of God and of his own Word, is to idoli/e, whether it is to believe in the sacredness of the men, the priests or the sacredness of the bricks and mortar, or of the fine linen, or what not, which you may use in the worship of God. I sec this coming up everywhere — a belief in ceremon\-, a veneration for altars, fonts and Churches — a veneration so profound that we must not I 4 I'i -— 39^^ '$ I. ' :| CJ 182 STURGEON OUR ALL^'. venture upon a remark, or straii^htway of sinners we are chief. J/ire is the essence and the so/// of Popery, peep- ing i/p i/nder the g/irb of a decent respect for sacred things. It is impossible but that the Church of Rome must spread, when we who are the watch-dogs of the fold arc silent, and others are f^cntly and smoothly turfing the road, and making it as soft and smooth as possible, that converts may travel down to the nether- most hell of Popery. We want John Knox back again. Do not talk to me of mild and gentle men, of soft manners and squeamish words ; we want the fiery Knox, and even though hi^" vehemence should "ding our pulpits intoblads," it were well, if he did but rouse our hearts to action. We want Luther to tell men the truth unmistakably, in homely phrase. The velvet has got into our ministers' mouths of late, but we must unrobe ourselves of soft raiment, and truth must be spoken, and nothing but truth ; for of all lies which have dragged millions down to hell, I look upon this as being one of the most atrocious — that in a Protestant Church there should be found those who swear that baj)tism saves the soul. " I have spoken thus much, and there will be some who will sav, spoken thus much, bitterly. Very well, be it so. Physic is often bitter, but it shall work well, and the physician is not bitter because his medicine is so ; or, if he be accounted so, it will not matter, so long as the patient is cured ; at all events, it is no business <:)f the patient whether the physician is bitter or not, his business is with his own soul's health. There is the truth, and I have told it to you ; and if there should be one, among the readers of this sermon BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. 183 when it is printed, who is resting on baptism, or rest- ing on ceremonies of any sort. I do beseech you, shake off this venomous faith into the fire as Paul th'd the viper which fastened on his hand. I pray you do not rest on baptism. •No outward forms can maki; ycni clean ' The 1 eprosy lies dee) ) wilhui. " I do beseech you to remember that you must liave a new heart and a right spirit, and baptism cannot give you these. You must turn from your sins, and follow after Christ ; xou must have such a faith as shall make your life holy and your speech devout, or else you have not the faith of God's elect, and into God's kingdom you shall never come. I pray you never rest upon this wretched and rotten foundation, this deceitful invention of anti-Christ. O, may God save you from it, and bring you to seek the true rock of refuge for weary souls. " I come with much brevity, and I hope with much earnestness, in the second place, to say that FAITH IS THE INDISl'ENSAHLE RE(,)UISITE TO SALVATION. He that hclicvetli and is ba[)tizcd shall be saved ; he that bclieveth not shall be damned.' Faith is the one indispensable recjuisite for salvation. This faith is the gift of God ; it is the work of the I loly Spirit. Some men believe not on Jesus ; they believe not. because they are not of Christ's sheej), as Mc himseli said unto them ; but His sIk e[) hear His voice: He knows them and they follow 1 lim : I le gives to them eternal life ; and they shall nc\er perish, neither shall any pluck them out of His hand. "What is this believing? Relieving consists in ^ i \' I 184 SrUKGKON OUR ALLY. ti two things, — first there is ^?;/ ncci-cditiui^ of t/ie testi- mony of God concerning His Son. God tells you that His Son came into the world and was made flesh , that He lived upon earth for men's sake, that after having si)ent His life in holiness, He was offered up a propitiation for sin ; that upon the cross He there and then made ex[)iation — so made exi)iation for the sins of the world that ' Whosoever believelh in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.' If \i*u would be saved, you must accredit this testimony which God gives concerning His own Son. Having received this testimony, the next thing is to confide ill it. Indeed, here lies, I think, the essence of saving faith, to rest yourself for eternal salvation upon tlie atonement and the righteousness of Jesus Christ, to have done once for all, with all reliance upon feelings or upon doings, and to trust in Jesus Christ, and in what He did for \'our salvation. " This is faith, receivin^r of the truth of Christ ; hrst knowing it to be true, and then acting upon that belief Such a faith as this. — such real faith as this makes the man henceforth hate sin. How can he love the thing which makes the Saviour bleed ^ It makes him live in holiness,— how can he but seek to honour that God who has loved him so much as to give I lis Son to die for him. This faith is spiritual in its nature and effects ; it operates up( n the entire man ; it changes his heart, enlightens his judi^ment, and subdues his will ; it subjects him to God's supremacy, and makes him receive God's word as a little child, willing to receive the truth u{)on the ipse dixit of the Divine One ; it sanctifies his intellect. li liAl'TISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ENG'D. 1 85 and makes him willing to be taught God's word; it cleanses within ; it makes clean the inside of the cup and platter, and it beautifies without ; it makes clean the exterior conduct and the inner motive, so that, the man, if his faith be true and real, becomes hence- forth another man to what he ever was before. " Now that such a faith as this should save the soul, is. I believe, reasonable ; )ea, more, it is certain, for zi'C have seen men saved by it in this \cry house of prayer. We have seen the harlot lifted out of the Stygian ditch of her sin, and made an honest woman ; we have seen the thief reclaimed ; \\e have known the drunkard in hundreds of instances to be sobered ; we have observed faith to work such a change, that all the neighbours who have seen it ha\ c gazed and admired, even though they hated it ; we have seen faith deliver men in the hour of temptation, and help them to consecrate themselves an(' their substance to God ; we have seen, and hope still to see yet more widely, deeds of heroic consecration to God, and displays of witness-bearing against the common current of the times, which have proved to us that faith does affect the man, does save the soul, I\I> hcareis, if you would be saved, you must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me urge \ou with all mv heart to look nowhere but to Christ crucified for your salvation. Oh ! if \ ou rest ui)on any ceremon\-, though it be not baptism, — ^ifyou rest upon any other than Christ Jesu^, xou must perish, as surely as this book is true. 1 pray you believe not every s[)irit, but though I, or an angel from heaven, preach any otlicr doctrine than this, let him be accursed, for this, ill V M .& 186 SPUIUiEON OUR ALLY. and this alone, is the soul-savins^ truth which shall rctjcncrate the world. ' He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' Away from all the tag-rags, wax candles, and millinery of Puseyism ; away from all the gorgeous pomp of Popery ; away from the fonts of Church-of-Englandism ; we bid )ou turn your eyes to that naked cross, where hangs as a bleeding man the Son of God. " None but Jesus, none but Jesus Can do lielpless sinners good." " There is life in a look at the crucified ; there is life at this moment for you." Whoever amon^; you can believe in the great love of God toward man in Christ Jesus, you shall be savcrl. If you can believe that our great Father desireth us to come to him — that he panteth for us — that he callcth us every day with the loud voice of his Son's wounds ; if you can believe now that in Christ there is pardon for transgression past, and cleansing for \-ears to come ; if you can trust him to save you, >'(ni have already the marks of regeneration. The work of sal- vation is commenced in you, so far as the Spirit's work is concerned ; it is finished in \ou so far as Christ's work is concerned. O! 1 would plead with you — lay hold on Jesus Christ. This is the foundation : build on it. This is the rock of refuge : fly to it. I pray you fly to it now. Life is short : time speeds with eagle's wing. Swift as the dove pursued by the hawk fly, fly poor sinner, to God's dear Son ; now touch the hem of his garment ; now look into that dear face, once marred u ith sorrows for you ; look into those eyes, once shedding tears for you. Trust him and if il> ■-> :- BAl'TISMAL KKGENEKATION, ( IIUK( II OK EN(. I). I 8; you find him false, then you must perish ; but false you never will find him while this word standeth true , " He that believcth and is bai^tized shall be saved ; but he that believcth not shall be damned." God give us this vital, essential faith, without which there is no salvation. Baptized, re-bapti/.cd, circumcised, con- firmed, fed upon sacraments, and buried in consecrated ground — ye shall all perish except yc beleive in him. The word is express and plain — he that believcth not shall be damned ; for him there is nothing but the wrath of God, the flames of hell, eternal perdition. So Christ declares, and so it must be. "lUit now to close, there are some who sav : ' .\h ! but baptism is in the text ; where do you put that ? That shall be another pouit, and then we have done. "TlIK BaI'TI.SM in TIIK text is EVIDKNTLV CON- NECTED WITH Faith : 'He that believcth and is baptized shall be saved." It strikes me there is no supposition here, that anybod)' would be baptized who did not believe ; or if there is such a supposition, it is very clearly laid down that his baptism will be of no use to him, for he will be damned, baptized or not, unless he believes. The baptism of the text seems to me, my brethren — if \'ou differ from me I am sorry for it, but I must hold my opinion and out with it — it seems to me that baptism is connected with, na)-, directly follows, belief. '* I would not insist too much upon the order of the words, but for other reasons, I think .that baptism should follow believing. At any rate it effectually iivo'ds the error we have been combating. A man who knows that he is -a\ed by believing in Christ docs IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I IIM 12.5 IIM IIIII2.2 IIM '40 12,0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 -< 6" ► "m '/} ^T 'el e. el ^M ^^ m^ <5>1 % Photographic Sciences Corporation f' ■ 23 WEST MAII' STREET WEBSTER, NY I458C (716) 872-4i03 o w. C/a ^ • ! :>i 1 88 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. not, when he is baptized, lift his baptism into a saving ordinance. In fact he is the vjiy best protester against that mistake, because he holds that he has no right to be baptized until he is saved. He bears a testi- mony against baptismal regeneration in his being baptized as professedly already a regenerated person. Jircthren, the baptism here meant is a baptism con- nected with faith, and to this baptism I will admit there is very much ascribed in Scripture. Into that question I am not going ; but I do find some remark- able passages in which baptism is spoken of very strongl}'. I find this; 'And be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' I find as much as this elsewhere ; I know that believer's baptism itself does not wash away sm,yet it is so, the outward sign and emblem of it to the believer, that the thing visible may be described as the thing signi- fied. Just as our Saviour said : ' This is my body,' when it was not hi. body, but bread ; yet inasmuch as it represented his body, it was fair and right according to the usage of language to say, * Take, eat, this is my body.'' And so, inasmuch as baptism to the believer represcntcth the washing of sin, it may be called the washing of sin — not that it is so, but that it is to saved .souls the outward s)Mnbol and repre- sentation of what is done by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the man w ho i;ciieves in Christ. " What connection has this baptism with faith ? I think it has just this : TArTlSM IS THE AVOWAL OF P^AITH : the man was Christ's soldier, but now in bap- tism he puts on his regimentals. The man believed in Christ, but his faith remained between God and his Id liAl'TISMAL REGENERATION, CIIU RCII OF EN(i'l). I 89 n lis own soul. In baptism he says to the baptizcr ; ' I believe in Jesus Christ :' he says to the Church ' 1 unite with you as a believer in the common truths of Christianity ;' he saith to the onlooker, ' Whatever you may do, as for me, I will serve the Lord,' It is the avowal of his faith. " Next, we think baptism is also to the believer a TESTniONV OF IIFS FAFi'il ; he does in baptism tell the world what he believes. * I am about,' saith he, ' to be buried in water. I believe that the Son of God was metaphorically baptized in suffering ; I believe he was literally dead and buried.' To rise again out of the water sets forth to all men that he believes in the resurrection of Christ. There is a showing forth in the Lord's Supper of Christ's death, and there is a showing forth in baptism of Christ's burial and resur rection. It is a type, a sign, a .symbol, a mirror to the world ; a looking-glass in which religion is, as it were, reflected. We say to the onlooker, when he asks what is the meaning of this ordinance, ' We mean to set forth our faith that Christ was buried, and that he rose again from the dead, and we avow this death and resurrec- tion to be the ground of our trust.' " Again, baptism is also Faith's taking her proper place. It is, or should be, one of her firsts acts of obedience. Reason looks at baptism, and says, ' Per- haps, there is nothing in it ; it cannot do me any good." 'True,' says Faith, 'and therefore I will observe it; if it did me some good my selfishness would make me do it, but inasmuch as to my sense there is no good in it, since I am bidden by my Lord thus to fulfil all righteousness, it is my first public declaration that IQO SPURGEON OUR ALLV. abl c and seems to dcd by God, is law a thinG[ which looks to be unreason be unprofitable, being comman to me. If m}' Master had told me to pick up six stones and lay them in a row I would do it, without demanding of him * What good will it do ? Ciii bono ? is no fit question for soldiers of Jesus. The very simplicity and apparent uselessness of the ordinance should make the believer say, * Therefore I do it be- cause it becomes the better test to me of my obedience to my Master.' When you tell your servant to do something, and he comprehends it, if he turns round and says, ' Please sir, what for ?" you are quite clear, that he hardly understands the relation between master and servant. " Once more, baptism is a refreshment to faith. While we arc made up of body and soul, as we are we shall need some means by which the body shall sometimes be stirred up to co-work with the soul. In the Lord's Supper my faith is assisted by the out- ward and visible sign. In the bread and in the wine I see no superstitious mystery, I see nothing but bread and wine, but in that bread and wane, I do see, to my faith an assistant ; through the sign my faith sees the thing signified. So in baptism there is no mysterious efficacy in the baptistry or in tbe water. We attach no reverence to the one or to the other, but we do see in the water and in the baptism such an assistance as brings home to our faith most mani- festly our being buried with Christ, and our rising again in newness of life with Him. Explain baptism thus, dear friends, and there is no fear of Popery rising out of it. Explain it thus, and we cannot liAI'TISMAL REGENKRATION, CHURCH OF EN(i'l). I91 .til- ing not suppose that any soul will be led to trust to it ; but it takes its proper place amon^];' the ordinances of God's house. To lift it up in the other way, and say men arc saved by it, — ah, my friends, how much of mischief that one falsehood has done, and may do, eternity alone will disclose. " Would to God another George Fox would sprin^^ up in all his quaint simplicit)' and rude honesty to rebuke the idol-worship of this age ; to rail at their holy bricks and mortar, holy lecterns, holy altars, holy surplices, right reverend fathers, and I know not what. These things are not holy. God is holy ; His truth is hoi)- ; holiness belongs not to the carnal and the material, but to the spiritual. O that a trumpet-tongue would cr)- out against the superstition of the age. I cannot, as George Fox did, give u^) baptism and the Lord's Supper, but I would infinitely sooner do it, counting it the smaller mistake of the two, than perpetrate, and assist in perpetrating the uplifting of ]-5aptism and the Lord's Supper out of their proper place, O m\' beloved friends, the com- rades of m.y struggles and witnessings, cling to the salvation of faith, and abhor the salvation of the priests. If I am not mistaken, the da\' will come, when we shall have to fight for a simple spiritual religion, far more than wc do now. We have been cultivating friendship with those who are either un- scriptural in creed or else dishonest, who either believe baptismal regeneration, or profess that they do, and swear before God that the\' do, when the>' do not. The time is come when there shall be no more truce or parley between God's servants and 1 v:\:- I 1 II I! ' r ]'i' 192 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. time servers. The time is come when those who follow God, must follow God, and those who try and trim and dress themselves and find out a v.iy which is pleasing to the flesh and f;entle to carnal desires, must go their way A great \\innowing time is coming to God's saints, and we shall be clearer one of these days than we now are from nnion with those who are upholding Popery, under the pretence of teaching Protc-tantism. We shall be clear, I say, of those who teach salvation by baptismi, instead of salvation by the blood of our Blessed Master, Jesus Christ." T/ie Mystery of the Senuoii is very Great. Man is finite and narrow, God only is infinite and broad. Why should Mr. Spurgeon have ignored one of the greatest conflicts that ever tossed England on the wild waves of discussion? It was in 1840 the Tractarian plotters began to scatter their seed. It was in 1843 the Tractarian movement under Dr. Pusey led John Henry Newman to pass his teacher, and become a pervert to Rome. Consternation sat on many a face, as if the foundations of truth were being disturbed. Ritualism and High Churchism became fashionable. Men of position and rank followed the lead of these traitors to evangelical truth. *' In 1850, Rev. Cornelius Gorham,of the Church of England, took ground against the Romish dogma of Baptismal Regeneration ; because of it he was shut out of the Vicarage of Bramford Speke, by Dr. Phil- pott, Bishop of Exeter. He appealed to the Arches I BAPTISMAL REGEN1:KATI0N, CHURCH OF F.NC'l). I93 mam the It Dr. :her, sat usm rank llical Ihof of ihut 'hil- ics Court, Canterbury, the highest ecclesiastical court of Kngland, and it was there decided that the belief and teaching of Baptismal Regeneration are required of and is obligatory on ministers of the Estab- lished Church. From this Mr. Gorham appealed to the Judicial Committee of the Queen's Privy Council, under the Presidency of the Lord Chancellor. Here the decision was that while no jurisdiction was claimed as to points of faith, it was competent to determine points of law, and its conclusion was a reversal of the decision of the * Arches Court.' An excited controversy over this question agitated the Church throughout Great Britain. In March, 1850, Archdeacon Manning, his brother-in-law, the late Henry Wilberforce, William E. Gladstone, and others drew up resolutions condemna- tory of that decision. This, with Manning's failure to get the Bishopric, carried him over to Rome. His ideal of the Christian Church was the Roman Catholic Church, not as it was known in history, but as des- cribed by Newman and other writers, who drew upon their imaginations for facts, and upon their desires for a realization of their hopes. Between the Church established by Henry VIII. and the Church that had a name to live for centuries, they preferred the latter, and neglected to follow Baptist Noel, who went one step beyond, and passed Rome on his way to join the Church Christ established in Jerusalem, which, in form, and outline of organization, 'is the mother of us all. Gal. iv. 26. All this Spurgeon for some strange reason failed to notice, and so did great injustice to thousands of Low Churchmen who were in the Church of England, as r,-^ I 194 SPURGEON OUR ALLY, 1' I U 'I St ■(* Spurgeon was in the Baptist Church, having a name to live while he was dead to some of the plainest teachings of the Word of God concerning the ordinances. " One writer claims that his denunciation of the doctrine of * baptismal regeneration,' stimulated the movement which had the ' down grade ' as its legiti- mate outcome.' This is doubtful. What helped the • down grade ' was telling the truth so plainly concern- ing Immersion, and permitting people who had never been immersed to come to the Communion table, without obeying Christ's initial command. The right to set aside one command implies the right to set aside other commands equally binding. This I said to him in 1868, and witnessed the fulfilment in 1889, when men who were called Baptists permitted unbaptized people not only to come to the Com- munion Table, but to join the Church, so that I saw seven members holding the office of the Diaconate, five of whom had never been immersed. How strange that Spurgeon should see Immersion so plainly, and be so blind concerning this question of Com- munion, '-^'^^ms^ CHAPTER XIL BAPTISMAL REGENERATION IN THE CHURCH OF ROME. %m "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie : that "they all might be damned who believed not the truth, hut had pleasure in unrighteousness." — 2 Thess ii. \\, la. HIS is an awful utterance, and reveals the peril to which Romanists are exposed. Baptismal Regeneration, the tap-root of Romish superstition, shrouds, at this hour, much of the moral world in a rayless night. Millions are deceived by it. Baptismal Regeneration, as at work in the Eng- lish Church, is a horrible monstrosity. Is it worse there than in other Pedo-Baptist churches where this dogma holds its place ? In Pembroke, Ont., a Methodist minister is said to have baptized a dead child. Why ? Great numbers have come to me, begging me to come and baptize their dying children. Romish Baptism is a Cruel Delusion, Romish Baptism is cruel in the deception imposed on its deluded votaries. •95 f:^ ^ 196 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " What is Baptism ? " On page 68 of the Catechism used in the Province of Quebec, we find this language : " Baptism is a sacrament which cleanses from original sin, makes us Chiistians, v^hildren of God, and heirs to the Kingdom. " Q. — Does baptism remit the actual sins committed before it ? " A, — Yes, and all the punishment due them. " Q. — Is baptism necessary to salvation ? " A. — Yes ; without it we cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. *• Q. — Who are appointed by Christ ta give Bap- tism ? "A. — The Pastors of His Church, but, in case of necessity, any layman or woman can give it." Romish Baptism is not only a Curse to Humanity^ hut a Peril to the State, The peril is apparent. It is said and claimed by Romanists, that thousands of the children of Protes- tants are carried to the homes of priests, or to the so-called churches, where they are nominally baptized into the Roman Catholic Church ; and in case they are carried to an institution where Rome has power, they are shut into the Roman Catholic ward, and are forbidden the Gospel, or the means of grace ; and pro- viding they are on a sick bed, they are compelled to receive the ministration of a priest, however much they may object to his presence. BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CIIURfll OF ROME. IQ/ by :es- :he zed In the light of this truth, Spurgcon's magnificent argument against the Popish dogma of Baptismal Regeneration deserves to be studied. Romanism is the masterpiece of Satan, the embodiment of the combined forces of evil. To form a just conception of it, and of what it hopes to be, would require the training and the faith of the Jesuit, and the intel- lectual acumen of the Prince of the power of the air. Find the incarnation of Romanism, and you come in contact with a person in whom Satan acts. Through his eyes, Satan looks out upon the world ; with his feet, he walks ; by his hands, he feels ; and through his brain, he thinks and plans. All agencies under his control whether, Topes, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Monks, Nuns, or men and women ruled by a carnal heart, and "set on fire of Hell," are doing his bidding aud obeying his behests. All these love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. " For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither Cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved," — John iii. 20. This is one side. It is the Dark Side, There is another side ; for there is a Kingdom not of this world. Jesus is the centre of it. JESUS IS MIGHTIER THAN SATAN. He mastered him in the wilderness, and broke his power. That was our victory and our deliverance. Christ can and will deliver us from the power of the Devil, and so of Romanism, which Satan now inhabits as his fortress and stronghold. hT ' 1 1; I .! 1' : • ! li f 198 SPURGEON (^UK ALLY. Romanism claims, that as baptism saves, all are lost who are not baptized. Because of this error, she has been led to do deeds of such atrocity, as almost tv^ surpass belief. A Baptist sat with a priest in a railway car. This incident was told me by a pastor of one of the Baptist churches in Ontario. " What saves you ? " asked the minister. " Baptism," replied the priest. " You believe that baptism saves, and washes away your sins ? " " Yes." Without baptism, the Romanist believes the child is lost. It was this belief that made the Jesuit Fathers incur peril, and run terrible risks among the Indians in the early history of Canada, that they might baptize the children of the wild tribes within their reach. "Suppose," said the minister, "a mother is in dan- ger of dying in childbirth, and so by her death she threatens the life of the child ? " The priest replied as follows : '* The priest then asks the mother he choice, to die for the child, or to die, and kill the child ? If the mother offers to die for the child, then the Caesarian operation is performed, that the child may be bap- tized." This deed was performed in Canada, as in Colorado, and elsewhere. The priest arrested for this mal- practice in Colorado, boasted that he had slain twenty women, in order to baptize their unborn children. BAPTISMAL REGENKRATlUN, CHURCH OF ROME. I99 dan- :h she bap- )rado, mal- [kventy jn. Think of the indescribable anguish which a husband must endure, before he would consent to sec the body of his wife mutilated, that a Romish pretension might be indulged. To one who knows that " As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive ;" or, in other words, that Christ by His death atoned for Adam's transgression, so that whoever dies before he reaches the age of maturity, or can discern between good and evil, is saved — which permits the millions and millions of infants dying in China or Africa, ;iv> well as those dying about us to be saved, the d ity becomes manifest to "Cry aloud and spare n ^ and show the people their transgressions," and the Church of Rome, and ocners cursed with Romish Bapllnn, their sin. Without doubt, more or less confidence is reposed in infant baptism by those who employ it. Children baptized are supposed to be safer than those not baptized. Does that confidence reposed in baptism cause parents to neglect to unite in prayer for their children, so soon as they reach the age when they become accountable for their conduct ? If so, it is a hindrance and a curse. Baptists are taught to carry their children to a throne of grace, and plead with God in their behalf. Well do I remember the hot tear-drop that fell on my little hand, as 1 was kneeling beside my mother, while she poured out her heart in pra}'er to God for her child then but. six years of age, that he might give his heart to God, be saved in Christ, and preserved B i' ■ — w ! , r \ ■ i 1 \ j ij-ii«ai>i rx I I ipii - ii i ^'f. 200 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. from the sins that surroinded him, and to which he was exposed because of his sinful nature. RomisJi Baptism is a Peril to the State, because it loosens the bands of morality. Romanism condoned wrong doing, Murder is provided for. Guiry says : " A monk or a clergyman may kill a slanderer who is spreading falsehoods about him, if he has no other way of protecting his character." — which means, he may kill the men who tell the truth about his scandalous practices. *' A man charged with a crime may lawfully kill an accuser or a judge, who he has reason to believe will condemn him unjustly." Thieving is allowed. " No one is bound under pain of mortal sin to make restitution of the product of several small thefts, even if the aggregate be large." This covers the delinquencies of hired help, and per- mits Roman Catholic servants in our homes to steal to their heart's content, because of what is taught them in the Confessional, to which they are brought through baptism. " A young woman, who has been led astray, may make use of means to obtain abortion, as her honor is more precious than the life of the child." "If an ecclesiastic, caught in adultery by the hus- band of the woman, kills the man to defend his own life and honor, he is not only justified, but is not incapacitated from exercising his ecclesiastical func- tions." Thus, in the Roman Catholic Church, it is taught that a husband has no right to protect his bed BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ROME, 20I •- i] from the foul and contaminating touch of a priest, and the wife of his bosom from the vile embrace of the clerical scoundrel who professes celibacy, that he may practice polygamy. " Freedom of religion is opposed. Every citizen of an oppressed State is allowed to kill a man whom the powers that be, rate as a tyrant." Rome gloried in the assassination of William Prince of Orange, in the Netherlands ; and of Abraham Lincoln, the great emancipator, in the United States. Such are the doctrines foisted upon the attention of men baptized in their infancy, and held by the Church of Rome I// Italy the Peril is Seen, and the administration of charities, to the extent of $25,000,000 of revenue, is taken out of the hands of the priests, because as minions and slaves of the Pope they cannot be trusted, and is placed in the hands ^^f lay trustees, who recognize their allegiance to the Kingdom. Baptism does not Save. A woman came in great haste to me to baptize her baby. She was in such distress, I went vvith her, and on the way, enquired why she wanted her baby bap- tized ? " To save the child." " How old is she .? " " Six months." "Then your child is" saved by the atonement of Jesus Christ, and needs nothing more.'' fH i' ■f I n ..,: > i 4 i § ::: ill ii , 1 i il ' i 1 ; j t! 1 ' 202 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " Saved now ? " " Yes. * As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.' That promise covers your child." " Am I saved ? " " If you believe in Christ, and have been washed and made clean in the blood of the Lamb." " This I cannot say," replied the poor woman, " I trust in my baptism, but my baby has not been baptized." " Are you saved ? " •' No, but I hope to be, through sacrament, and purgatorial fire." " Then your baptism has done you no good ; had you not better try Christ ? He says : ' Verily, verily I say unto you. he that believeth on me hath ever- lasting life.' — John vi. 47." " Say it again." " ' Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation ; but is passed from death unto life.' // is believing and not baptism that saves ^ I>y this time we had reached the house. The sick child was there. The priest would not come without money, which the poor woman had not, and I opened to her the Scriptures, and lifted up Christ, She saw the truth, and when the child died, we prayed that she might exercise faith in Jesus Christ, and be as- sured that at death she might go to the child. The happiness of this woman cannot be described. The BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ROME, 20^ sick Ihout ;ned saw Ithat as- iThe The cruelty of a system of faith built on a lie that gives millions up to tortures indescribable, ought to be ex- posed. T/ie Dying Priest Take another picture : A priest, cultured, talented, and of marvellous power in the pulpit, was dying. Extreme unction had been administered. The cross was put into his hand. He mouthed the words of prayer, others did the same. At last he cried, as he neared the gates of death, " / am lostT Baptism was nily so were the sacraments. Hoi<) True the Words. " No man cometh unto the Father except by me." He had tried the Priests' way, through the works of righteousness, and they had failed him. He was in the deep waters of the river, and was sinking, and listened in vain for the words addressed to Peter : "It IS y, de not afraid^' He could not hear Christ say: "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, thac of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day." John vi. 39. " No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day." John vi. 44. " I am Lost f'' cried the Priest, Mary was invoked. It did no good. The saints were prayed to. It availed not. Holy water was '^ 204 SI'URGEOX OUR ALLY. in Sprinkled to drive out the tempter ; but there was death in the sou!. " Hold on to your faith," cried the Bishop ; " but the poor priest replied : " / /ia7>£ nothiug to hold on to.'' Pope and priests are all there. Unless they have trusted in Christ, they cannot say with Paul: "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." The Jesuits seeking to Save by Baptism. Parkman describes the method of the Jesuits. They are among the Indians dying from small-pox. Their lives are short, and very miserable. It mattered little whether they lived or died. The description of Hell was readily comprehended ; but Heaven was an unknown country. " I wish to go where my relations and ancestors have gone," said the Indian. *' Which will you choose," demanded the priest of a dying woman, *' Heaven or Hell ?" " Hell, if my children are there, as you say." " Why did you baptize that Iroquois ? " asked one of the dying neophytes, speaking of the prisoner recently tortured ; " He will get to Heaven before us, and when he sees us coming, he will drive us out." Despite all this, the priest would bring water in a cup, or in the palm of his hand, touch the forehead of the Red man with the mystic water, and snatch from an eternity of woe one wild Huron. But the convert, even after his baptism, evidenced that no change had been wrought by the application of the water. BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ROME. 205 J US, «> n a ead .tch the no the The Jesuits were in dead earnest. They roamed from town to town in restless quest of subjects for baptism. In the case of adults, they thought some little preparation necessary ; but their efforts to this end, even with the aid of St. Joseph, whom they con- stantly invoked, were not always successful ; and cheaply as they offered salvation, they often failed to find a purchaser. With infants, however, a single drop^of water sufficed for a transfer from a prospective Hell to an assured Paradise. The Indians who at first sought baptism as a cure, began to regard it as a cause of death ; and when the priest entered a lodge where a child lay sick, the scowling parents watched him with jealous distrust, lest unawares the deadly drop should be applied. The Jesuits were equal to the emergency. "On the 3rd of May, 1636, Father Pierre Pijort baptized, at Anonatea, a little child two months old, in manifest danger of death, without being seen by the parents, who would not give their consent. This was the device which he used. He pretended to make the child drink a little sugared water, and, at the same time, dipped a finger into it. As the father of the infant began to suspect something, and called out to him not to baptize it, he gave the spoon to a woman who was near, and said to her, ' Give it to him yourself.' She approached and found the child asleep, and, at the same time, Father Pijort, under pretence of seeing if he really wa.« asleep, touched his face with his wet finger, and baptized him. At the end of foity-eight hours, the child went to Heaven. Ill ii it 206 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. That equivocal morality, lashed by the withering satire of a Pascal— a morality built on the doctrine that all means are permissible for saving souls from perdition, and that sin is no sin whose obiect is the greater glory of God — found far less scope in the rude wilderness of the Hurons. than among the interests, ambitions and passions of civilized life. ' Nothing could divert the Jesuits from their cease- less quest of the dying subjects for baptism, and above all for dyinc,- children They penetrated every house in turn When through the thin walls of bark, they heard the wail of a sick infant, no menace, and no insult could repe' them from the threshold. They pushed boldly in, asked to buy some trifle, spoke of late news of Iroquois forage— of anything, in short, except the pestilence, and the sick child — conversed for a while, until suspicion was partially lulled to sleep, and then pretending to observe the sufferer for the first time, approached it, felt its pulse, and asked of its health. Now, while apparently fanning the heated brow, the dexterous visitor touched it with a corner of his handkerchief, which he had pr-^viously dipped in water, murmured the baptismal words with motionless lips, and snatched another soul from the fangs of the infernal wolf." Thus, with the patience of saints, and the courage of heroes, did the Jesuit Fathers seek trophies, not by faith in God, but through the works of man. It was of the earth. The process made good Romanists, but poor Christians. It soon became evident, even to the Jesuits, that it was easier to make a convert BAPTISMAL RLGLNLKATION, CHURCH OF ROME. 20/ lot It Its, len jrt than it was to keep him. Many of the Indians clung to the idea that baptism was a safeguard against pesti- lence and misfortune, and when the fallacy of this notion was made apparent, their zeal cooled. The Jesuits urged the Indians to give up murder, and cannibalism, and to abandon many of their super- stitious practices, but if they would not yield, they baptized all they could. Jean dc Brihciifs Martyrdom reveals the worthlessness of baptism as a power to save. He was a descendant of a noble family of Normandy, and one of the oldest, and most devoted zealots whose names stand on the missionary roll of the Order. His appalling fate reveals the cruelty of the Indian, and is thus described by Parkman : "On the afternoon of the i6th of March, Brebeuf was bound to a stake. He seemed more concerned for his captive converts than for himself, and addressed them in a loud voice, exhorting them to suffer patiently, and promising them Heaven as their re- ward. The Iroquois, incensed, searched him from head to foot, to silence him, whereupon, in the tone of a master, he threatened them with everlasting flames, for persecuting the worshippers of God. " As he continued to speak with voice and counten- ance unchanged, they cut away his lower lip, and thrust a red hot iron down his throat. He still held his form erect and defiant, with no sign or sound of pain ; and they tried another measure to overcome ll ^ i\ 1 1 ) I Ift i i' 208 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. him. They led out Lalemont, that Brebeuf might see him tortured. They had tied strips of bark, smeared with pitch, about his naked body. He called on his Superior : ' We are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.' Then he threw himself at Brebeuf 's feet ; upon which, the Iroquois seized him, made him fast to a stake, and set fire to the bark that enveloped him. As the flame rose, he threw up his arms, with a shriek of supplication to Heaven. Next, they hung around Brebeuf s neck a collar made of hatchets, heated red hot ; but the indomitable priest stood like a rock. A Huron in the crowd, who had been a convert of the Mission, but was now an Iroquois by adoption, called out with the malice of a renegade, to pour hot water on their heads, since they had poured so much cold water on the heads of others. The kettle was accordingly slung, and the water boiled, and poured on the heads of the two missionaries. ' We baptize you,* they cried, * that you may go to Heaven ; for nobody can be saved without a good baptism.' Brebeuf would not flinch ; and in a rage, they cut strips of flesh from his limbs, and devoured them" before his eyes. Other renegade Hurons called out to him : ' You told us that the more we suff'ered on earth, the happier we will be in Heaven. We wish to make you happy ; we torment you because we love you ; and you ought to thank us for it.' They scalped him : they laid open his breast, and came in a crowd to drink the blood of so valiant an enemy, thinking to imbibe with it some portion of his courage. A Chief then tore out BAPTISMAL REGENERATION, CHURCH OF ROME. 209 hisheart, and devoured it. Thus died Jean de Bre- bcuf, the founder of the Huron Mission, its truest hero, and its greatest martyr. His family sent a silver bust of their kinsman, in the base of which was a recess to contain the skull, and it is preserved by the Nuns in the Hotel Dieu, Quebec." It was for calling attention to these facts in Canada that some who have suppressed the truth made a violent attack upon the writer. Because of Rome's power, Baptismal Regeneration had the right of way. But to the praise of the Baptists of the Dominion, they stood almost to a man for the truth as it is revealed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. II: CHAPTER XIII. SPURGEON IN 1868, " I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shall go : I will guide thee with mine eye. — Psalm xxxii. 8. fF ever I felt the value of these words of David, it was on my first visit to England in 1868. A gentleman and a Baptist had been in Boston during the winter of 1867 and 68. When I concluded to go across the sea, he gave me the most cordial invitation to visit him in London. The Watchman of July 9th, 1868, said: "Rev. Justin D. Fulton, D.D,, the popular and be- loved pastor of the Union Temple Church, Boston, leaves for Europe the present week, accompanied by Rev. W. B. Wright, of Berkley St. Congregational Church. Few men have earned so good a degree as an eloquent preacher of Christ's Gospel as Dr. Fulton ; and this respite of a few weeks from the earnest and unbroken labor of many years is due him, and will prove of ulti- mate benefit to himself and the numerous people whom he so well serves in the Lord. The Christian Era, after detailing the above, added that " At the close of the meeting of the Baptist Ministers of Boston 310 -flW SPURGEON IN 1868. 21 I and vicinity, when the brethren came around him to give greeting and kind words of benediction, it was proposed to sing a farewell hymn of Christian love together, after which brother Fulton suggested prayer, and expressed the desire that his brethren would pray for him while he was absent. Several of the brethren led in prayer, committing our dear brother Fulton to the loving care of our Heavenly Father, as he shall be borne over the deep blue waters ; Rev. Leonard A. Grimes, the beloved pastor of the Colored Baptist Church, of Boston, alluded most fitly to his " Work of faith and labor of love ' in behalf of the Freedmen. There is no man among us whose heart is more trul)- interested in the great work of education of the Freed- men preachers, and brother Fulton's efforts and faith in behalf of the National Theological Institute, of which he is President, are worthy of all praise. We can assure all our brethren who shall give greeting on the other side of the water, that he is worthy of all confidence and love ; and preaching, as he does to the largest congregation in New England, he does not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, but in every place he defends the faith, once delivered to the saints. His heart is full of love for Jesus, and his hand full of service in his name. God bless thee, brother, and cause thee a safe return." These words seem to have been almost inspired, in the light of what afterwards took place in Europe. Rev. Thomas Armitage, D.D., pastor of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church of New York, and an intimate friend of Mr. Spurgeon, sent the following letter to him : — 'i « 212 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. Mktropolitan Tabernacle. My Dear Brother^ This will introduce to your Christian rej,Mrds (and, I hope, confidence,) my beloved Bro. Rev. Justin 1). Fulton, pastor of Tremont Temple, lioston, Mass. I have know n hun intmiately for the last twenty years. He is an edu* ted, pure-hearted and eloquent minister of Jesu? (.hrist, and preaches, year in and year out, to the l.uyest Protestant congregation \\\ the United .States. He is as true a friend oi the blacivsas breathes, and is president of the National Theological Institute for the education of the rising African minis'.!"/ in the south : so that he can give you the fullest information on that subject. Yours aflectionately, Thomas Ar.mitage. Rev. Jonah G. Warren, D.D., Corresponding Secre- tary of the Mi-ssionary Union .sent the fc^llowing letter to E. B. Underbill P2.sq., Corresponding Secre- tary of the Baptist Missionary Society of Great Britain. My Dear Sir and Brother, My much esteemed Friend and Brother, Rev. Justin D. Fulton, Pastor of the Union Temple Baptist Church of this city, is about to leave us for a season, with the purpose oi spending some time in Europe. Brother Fulton is among our most earnest and successful preachers, occupying among us a position similar to the one so nobly filled by Mr. Spurgeon in London. Any attention you may show him will be appreciated by your Brother in Christ. Jonah G. Warren, t I SPURGEON IN 1868. 21 The letter descriptive of my welcome from my English friend properly introduces what will follow. It was addressed to one of the Deacons of the Union Temple Church, and printed and circulated in the congregation : D. this 0/ our us a n in ited To the Friends in Tremont Temple.^ Boston, Mass. " Knowing as I do the ardor and warmth of your love as also that the Tremont Temple Church for your dear pastor, the th ught occurred to me that a few lines descriptive of his reception and progress on this side might be acceptable and interesting, and as a conse- quence might lead you together to bless the name of that Jesus, whose name seems so familiar to, and so often passes the lips of your minister. " On Saturday afternoon he called on me at my store. I had written to him at Oueenstown, offering my best services of time, money, home or anything else, but unfortunately my letter did not reach him, or I would have been at the station to meet him. " Anticipating that he would like to hear Mr. Spurgeon, I had obtained five tickets, and on Sabbath morning I drove my carriage to his hotel, and he, with dear Mr. Wright and two youths from your interest- ing country, and myself, went to the great Tabernacle. I ought to say that these youths, total strangers to your pastor, met him at the breakfast table, and, just like him, he said, ' Well boys, and where are you going to day ? ' They said they would like to hear Mr. S. ' Ah, then I guess you can go with us, for m 214 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. I'm sure my friend will take you.' It seemed the ordering of Providence, my having obtained extra tickets. " How Hke the tender, thoughtful pastor-like heart of Dr. Fulton to give a thought to these youths. They went, they were delighted, and may God grant that they may return to their homes in New England benefitted by what they saw and heard. ** During the stirring address of Mr. Spurgeon from Psalm xlii, i, * As the hart pantcth after the water brooks, etc.,' your pastor seemed to gather strength and renewal of life. The deacon who gave me the tickets told Mr. Spurgeon who was coming. The eye of the great English Christian turned towards the Boston preacher. Deacon Olney spoke to your pastor and said ' He is looking at you,' "'Who?' " Then his eyes met Mr. Spurgeon's, and, after the sermon, the deacon said : 'he wants to see you in his room.' Up we went and saw the greeting await- ing him. On entering the room your pastor handed him several letters of introduction. — Said Mr. Spur- geon, ' I am delighted to see you, and you need no introduction but yourself : and thus the two Evange- lists, the two enemies of all that is oppressive, unholy, unjust, either of whom would fight a world of tyrants, or slave-holders, or dram-dealers or injustice in b.:^y form, single-handed, stood uncovered so loving- ly, talking and interchanging thoughts, tears in their eyes, and hot, glowing Christian love gushing out towards each other. They seemed like two great SPURGEON IN 1868. 21 the xtra icart uths. ;Tant ;land from water h and ickcts of the Boston )r and after ou in iwait- uulcd Spar- ed no -ange- issive, )rld of ustice hving- thcir out creat lakes intermingling, just as though Superior had un- locked the bar of separation and was lost in the embrace of Huron. They only met for a few minutes, and the, foundation of a loving friendship was laid, the tide of which will ebb and flow in eternity. At that very meeting it was said, * Will you preach for me next Sabbath?' — and just I'kc him, your pastor, did not seem to think himself worthy and endeavoured to excuse himself. So it was arranged that he should meet Mr. Spurgeon on next day, Monday, at 5 p.m. After an introduction to Mrs. Spurgeon, (and of course he took Mr. Wright and the two youths right in just as if his own,) they also had introductions and the pleasure of seeing and speaking to Mr Spurgeon. After morning service I drove the friends back to their hotel, but Mr. Fulton went home with mc ; for to tell you the truth I had made a conditional engage- ment for him to preach in the Church at Upper HoUoway, where I attend. " My dear pastor, a kind of duplicate of yours, came spontaneously to tea, and soon the two were encircled in the arms of brotherly Christian affection and esteem, and walked off to their Father's house in company. Woulci that you had been with us, for we had a soul-refreshing time of it. " On our way to Mr. Spurgeon's on Monda>', we met the Hon. Geo. Thompson, well known to you, and most delighted were they to meet. Two beauti- ful friends of the black man. They met on Tuesday by appointment and spent .some six hours together visiting the House of Commons, Reform Club. etc. 2l6 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. f "On Monday we went to the Guildhall, Royal Exchange, Bank of England and Tower of London. I fancy you will often hear of these visits. Our dear friend stood on the spot where laid the murdered bodies of little Edward V, and his innocent brother. He stood in the prison room where the immortal Raleigh stayed for twelve years. He saw the axe and block of the middle ages, and walked under the gate- way of the bloody Arch, as it is termed, and gazed into the Traitor's Gate, etc., etc. But for all the sights he saw, he had but one answer. ' I had rather see a ragged school of some faithful servant of my Master, Jesus, than all these.' *' On Monday afternoon wc went to Mr. Spurgeon's, and we had a real, good time of it. After showing us all over his place, he very prettily gave Mr. Fulton two books as souvenirs. *' At 7 P.M. we went to the Prayer-meeting, and a most interesting Prayer-meeting it proved. Mr. S. had his own father on his left, and your dear pastor on his right. Oh ! if you could have heard him speak. He told of his own father and mother, and spoke so beau- tifully, so touchingly, that the tears rolled down Mr. Spurgeon's face and also his father's, and down many a one besides. As on Sunday, so on Monday, he won all hearts, and every one loved him. I see him now when in a climax of eloquence on Sunday evening, and again on Monday evening, he said, " I have seen the waters of the great Atlantic, I expect to see Mont Blanc, and many of the great Cathedrals of Europe, but I would rather miss them all than have lost the SPURGEON IN 1868. 21 and a Ar. S. or on He ibeau- Mr. |many won now ning, seen iMont irope, jt the happiness I now enjoy." His voice rang like some sweet instrument around the buildings, and every eye (many wet with tears) was fastened on him. On Sunday next he preaches in the Great Tabernacle, and I know some who will go from Holloway, say six or seven miles, to hear him again. " Leaving the Tabernacle we were returning home when, passing Surrey Chapel, Rev. Newman Hall's Church, we saw it lighted up. Said I, That's Newman Hall's Church,' and althoug?. he had just given an ener- getic speech at Mr. Spurgeon's,we were off the convey- ance and inside the Church, in two minutes. I went to Newman Hall, told him who was with me, and soon Mr. F. was on the platform there. The meeting was on Temperance. Mr. Hall introduced him at once, and he made such a speech that brought cheers when he ceased and would have made your heart beat and throb like a sledge hammer. This speech will no doubt be printed, and if so, I will send it to you. " Next day he was hunted high and low, and when found was engaged at once, or solicited rather, to be present at a grand general Temperance meeting at the Crystal Palace, September ist next. To-day and to-morrow he is visiting Rochester, Canterbury, &c., with Mr. Spurgeon." M. A. C. Oh Babbath, July 26 thy 1868^ I first saw hint. He was then thirty-four years of age, and at his prime. Gout had not lamed him. That morning I can No fog, no iV ii never forget. England was at her best. 1; 'i! : I i! li I ii 2l8 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. *■ V ' u I Mi rain or mist ; not too warm, but just one glad, golden day. My Dear Brother Wright had found his sister in great distress, her husband having died a stranger in a strange land on the very day we had sailed from New York. She had been waiting beside her dead, and when he found her in London she was on the border land of insanity. He wired me at Edinburgh, :ind I came to him at once, and helped him to keep watch and ward until they sailed for home. That was a great disappointment, for it took from me one familiar with the languages of Europe, and left me utterly alone. All our doubts and fears we gave to Jesus, and gave ourselves up to the enjoyment of a morning with Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle. " The description of our entering the plain, uncar- petcd structure, and the unlocking of the little boxes, at the end of the pews and the getting out of the hymn-books, a book for each one to sing from, as if it were to be a part of the service, the quiet getting to their places of the pewholders, and the welcome to every ticketholder, filled me with a kind of awe, such as I believe will come to the worshippers in the Great Assembly on high. Then the doors were opened, and in came the people in a solemn, surging, English cfowd, all at home and every individual with rights which they were prepared to m lintain. The feeling of solemn- ity deepened, and I went to God in thankfulness, and praised his name that I was at last in the largest Bap- tist Meeting House in the world, to hear the most famed preacher in the world, surrounded with every blessing it was possible to desire. While at prayer there was a hush. And De?.con Olney touched me and .«» SPURGEON IN 1868. 219 Dlden sister anger I from d,and Dorder '^nd I watch 1 great ir with alone. d gas'^e ■y with uncar- boxes, of the as if it ;ting to •me to , such Great d, and c''o\vd> which lolemn- [ss, and ;t Bap- most every iraver pray hic and said ' he is looking at you." I looked up and received a nod of recognition from my great-hearted brother. Dear Spurgeon could hardly been more happy when, on the last Sabbath of January he entered the New Jerusalem, and received the greeting of his Lord, than was I when my eyes met his, and I received the assurance that he wanted to see me in his room after the service. Before me was the m"st popular man in the world. Wliile in certain ways he had great confidence in himself, in other matters he had the docility of a child. I recalled his letter to the Church, accepting the call. It was in part as follows: — To The Baptist Church of Christ, worship- ping IN New Park Street Chapel, SOUTHWARK. Dearly Beloved tn Chnst /esus : I have received your unanimous invitation, as contained in u resolution passed by you, on the 19th inst, desirnig me to accept the pastorate among you. No lengthened reply is re- quired ; there 's but one answer to so loving and cordial an invita- tion. I ACCEPT IT, " Blessed be the name of the Most High ; if he has c.dljd mc to this office, he will support me in it, other- wise how should a child, a youth, have the presumption thus to attempt a work which filled the heart and hands of Jesus ? Your kindness to me has been very great, and my heart is knit unto you. I fear not your stedfastness. I fear my own. The Gospel, I believe, enables me to venture great things, and by faith I venture this. I ask your co-operation in every good work ; in visiting the sick, in bringing in enquirers, and in mu- tual edification. O that I may be no injury to you, but a last- |i fr Si 220 SrURGKOX OUR ALLY. ing 1)enefit ! I have no r.nrc to say, only this, that if 1 have ex- pressed myself in these few words in a manner unbecoming my youth and inexperience, \c)U will not impute it to arrogance, but foryivc my mistake And now, commendmg you to our covenant-keeping God, the triune Jehovah, I am yours to serve in the (lospel. C. H. Spurgeon. 75 P'air Road, April 28th, 1854. Fourteen )'ear.s had passed since that letter was written. The church had passed out of Park street Chai)el, Surrey Music Hall, Exeter Hall, into their present commodious quarters, and here I was one among the gathered thousands to listen to the word of life. The Boy Preacher had flowered into the Modern Whitfield, and had surpassed Whitfield and Wesle\', Robert Hall and others, in capacity to draw and in- fluence people. His sermons were being translated into every living language, and published so that man- kind could come into touch with him this morning. The first prayer was short and general in character, but very devout. No fooling here, we are met to wor- ship God. The first hymn was sung with a will. No chanting or piping organ, no choir to attract atten- tion, but one grand purpose to glorify our Christ. We sang out of " Our Own Hymn Book." Everything h?.s Mr. Spurgeon's imprint. If you don't like it you ill leave it; here is a concern big enough to run v'ithout your help. Fall into the current or be swept away. I fell in with my whole heart, as happy as a seraph. SPURGEOX IN 1868. -» O T riave ex- ning my rogance, ng God, IGEON. ttcr was k street ito their was one ;hc word Then came the reading of the Scriptures. Time enough. No hurry. How those EngHsh people did f^iiJiim^m^ ^'IH^ INTERIOR OF METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE. enjoy the word of God ! The second prayer fol- lowed. That was my prayer, because it was every- ■m ■' M . I 11 i':|t [ I : *■; ■ w I t M 222 SPURGEON IN 1868. body's cry. His prayer was greater to me than his sermon. In his sermon he talked with men. In his prayer he communed with God. When he described the coming of Christ to the soul, it seemed to me I saw for the first time The King in His beauty. The sup- pliant was forgiven. With his face streaming with tears, and with tones so full and rich that they swept through every heart, as a breath of perfumed air floats through the halls of a palace, this divine atmosphere possessed our hearts when he cried : " We love thee. Thou knowest it. We love not because thou art great, but because of the inestimable gift of thy only begotten Son. Lift us up O God. Take us out of the dust. Let us by faith come to the fountain and be washed. We come. We feel that thou hast washed us. We are clean. Yes, we are clean. Blessed be the Lord our God. Make us young again. Wake us up. Let us not sleep. We thank thee for our troubles, for all that makes us conscious of our aliena- tion from thee. Bless our Orphanage, our College, our Retreat," and so on he went, enumerating every claim, and presenting the requests so naturally that every heart joined in the upgoing petition. The close of the prayer lingers as a memory which does not die. " We close our prayer as to the words. We have been with thee. We know it. Thou hast heard us and blessed us. We feel it. We retire from the mercy-seat thanking thee for audience and prayin;^ for thy blessing on us all." Another hymn better than the first, because now all were in a worshiping mood, was sung. ;han his In his inscribed ne I saw 'he sup- ng with y swept air floats losphere Dve thee, thou art thy only s out of tain and lou hast Blessed 1. Wake for our r aliena- College, g every lly that he close oes not ''e have Iheard us rom the prayin-, luse now SPURGEON IN' 1868. 223 In the singing he was an inspiration. His happy look, his determined air, his wonderful voice rang out sweeter and grander than any organ-peal I ever listened to at home or abroad. His step was light and free. His gestures were graceful and telling. His text was found in Psalm 42 : I " As the hart panteth after the water brooks so pantcth my soul after thee, O God." I was suited to the highest and best form of dramatic art. I can see hnn now, as without a pulpit or a note he stood before 6,000 people, every eye on him, picturing that hart on the mountain's brow, thirsty, cars back, tongue out, hunted and almost famishing from thirst, seeing the brook running through the valley in the distance, and then without a care making for it by leaping from crag to crag until he reaches the stream there to slake his burning thirst. The entire audience drank with the hart, and were refreshed. After this in love he portrayed the Christian's thirst. How dry we became. Then he uncovered the fountain in Christ. It seemed to mc that I had never seen my Christ before. There he was in his beauty. That morning all saw him and were refreshed. It was good to be there. Everything denoted prosperity. His College was getting on its feet, his Orphanages and Retreats for the aged, his Missions and Missionaries were becoming features of his work. By them he was being judged. Twenty-five hundred copies of his sermon were each week bound in paper to be lent to the sick and infirm, deprived of the privilege of hearing ^u i ^M i m 224 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. him on the Sabbath, and after they had been used by them they were sent into regions beyond. After the sermon on the Sabbath, I was invited to his magnificent reception-room on the floor abov^ the pulpit. Up we went two flights. 1 was asked to remain in the vestibule for a moment, until my name was handed in. Quickly came the invitation to come in. There he sat, after preaching one of the finest sermons to which I ever listened, as calm and considerate as if he were the servant rather than the governor of a work, attracting to itself attention from all parts of the world. His welcome I can never forget. On presenting my letters of introduction he said, * You are very welcome, I know you well.' One letter was from the Rev. Thomas Armitac^c, D.D. He took it, and held it, saying, ' Dear Thomas, is he in good health?' Then I said, * He told me to a. :: you, if you were going anywhera to preach, to allow me to go with you, and to ask you to permit me to come to your house.' ' Dear Thomas, that is just like him,' said the great preacher with a laugh. ' Well, I am not preaching much now. What are your engage- ments ? ' ' I have none,' was my quick reply. Everything in London and England is secondary to the privilege of being with you, and of coming in touch with your work.' 'Can you come here to- morrow evening at five sharp ? ' * I can.' ' Well, come then, and we will see what can be done.' I started to go down stairs, and had got half-way down the first flight, when some called out, ' He wants to see you ! ' I went back, and he said, * Would you like to go to Rochester, and see the shipping and the *" ill SPUKGEON I\ 1868. 225 by reply, lary to ling in [re to- Well, he; I down [nts to |d you \d the oldest castle in England ? ' ' If I can go with you, a desert or a palace is alike to me.' * That is good. Come to-morrow at five.' The next night I was there, precisely at five. That pleased him. When I entered the room, he pushed aside the last of his work, and as I said, ' You look tired,' he replied, * So I am ; I have been here since seven o'clock this morning, reading proofs, and correcting my sermon of yester- day morning.* That was what it cost to be Charles Haddon Spurgeon, not for one day but for every day for forty years, with no time to visit America or Australia, or even to have a day's pleasure such as comes to less busy men. His Working Room deserves a description. It was large and sunny. Before him was the finest portrait of Oliver Cromwell I saw in Europe. Near by was a fine portrait of Dr. Gill, the honored pastor, and other pictures, and a fine marble bust of himself, that was a speaking like- ness. A lounge was there on which to rest, and the chairs were all inviting, but not luxurious. It was not a den, with books and papers scattered about. It was a working and a reception-room where the busi- ness wrought out in the Tabernacle was planned and talked over. On my entering I felt that I was a welcome guest. He showed me the Tabernacle which was his pride. Its acoustic properties were praised. He looked upon it as God's gift to the poor of London. Then we visited the library of the Church and College which had in it everything that would shed light on 11! 226 SPURGEON OUR ALLV. i: fir Jul Baptist history in England. There was his Secretary who had much of his literary work in hand. Out from the Church with its bookstore and storeroom of books for his ministers, out of which had grown the great benevolence of Mrs. Spurgeon, which has given I20,0CXD volumes to indigent ministers of all denomina- tions in ten years, we passed to the Retreat for aged women connected with the Tabernacle, and to the Orphanages, where I saw what God had done through this unselfish man, who lived not for himself, but for God's glory and the good of his fellow-men. His Kindness of Heart was apparent. Here was a man giving up time to a perfect stranger from whom he could expect no recompense, simply because of the goodness of his heart. What he did fo;- me he has done for hundreds more from all parts of the world. The same evening I went to His Prayer Meeting. No sooner did I enter than his eye caught mine, and I was invited to the platform, and was permitted to enjoy the greatest privilege of my life, and trace to its source the marvellous power of the man.. The prayer- meeting was a colossal fact. It surpassed anything I ever saw before. Its size was surprising. Without anything of an extraordinary nature, the ground floor was full at the opening. And still they came, until the first gallery was full, and the crowd began to darken the second galley. Then the meeting began promptly on time. The singing was not extra. ■:'l I retary Out om of ^n the given )mina- r aged to the ).rough but for ne to a set no of his indreds le, and :ted to le to its irayer- [ything ithout round came, began leeting extra. SPURGEON IN 1868. 227 No instrument. A good leader, and all sang old tunes in an old-fashioned way. Nothing yet to ex- plain the marvellous crowd. The Scripture was read, and the comment on it was good, but nothing sur- prising. The secret was not in the reading of the Scripture. The prayers were in no way extraordinary. On the platform sat the father, mother, wife, and brother of the great preacher. Deacon Olney read the requests for prayer, and told us all something about the extent of the work in London, and through- out the world, and then he prayed ; the meeting was still dead. Then Spurgeon arose and talked, and said : ' I want to introduce to you the noblest and best of living men, my honoured father.' Up arose the honoured man, but nothing came of it. Then came Deacon Olney and said to the pastor, ' You had better take the meeting.' I looked at his face and I think I will remember how it looked in heaven. The red lines ran up and down his cheeks. He was in silent prayer. Whether he said anything preceding his prayer, I do not remember, but if he did, it was only to get ready for the prayer. Then in a humble manner he said, ' Let us all go to the throne of grace,' No British regiment ever followed Havelock into a terrific charge with more determination, or with a greater sense of the crisis to be met, than did that praying host on that occasion. In a moment the enemy of souls ^vas charged. He said : " Oh God ! here is the Devil doing his best to break up this prayer-meeting. I hear him saying ' Spurgeon's prayer-meeting is a failure. The Church is dead,' he says. * Faith,' he claims, ' is dying out.' ■^w 128 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i\< I hear Mm, Lord, claiming that the people are satis- fied with the collections, and great congregations and that they are letting go of the right hand of the Lord Jesus, in whom is all the might and power, now and forever more. " It is a lie, O God. There is not a bit of truth in what the Devnl claims. We trust in thee, Jesus.' Then he praised his Christ. He warmed to the theme. Then the Amens began to roll forth. " Come, Jesus, lift us out of ourselves and into thee." " Amen ! " was our united shout ; it was done. As I have seen the tide come into the harbor, on whose muddy bottom lay great ships, and lift them until the mud disappeared, and it looked like the sea, on which navies might ride, so on this night the tide of redeeming love came through the gates of praise, and rolled in mastering waves until we were out on the ocean of God's love sailing. There and then I saw Spurgeon, and there I found the hidings of his power. God was in him a wonder and a praise. The secret of his success was found, first, in the fact that he was a born orator. Second, because of his wonderful fidelity. He was gifted by nature He was diligent in business, and fervent in spirit, serving the Lord with might and main, from the first to the last. Such men are born, not made. Joseph Cook says that the soul of Spurgeon was his Biblical faith. He believed that men need saving, and that they can be saved only in the Biblical way. True ; and we will bless God that it was true. But this is only SPURGEOX IX 1868. 229 satis- itions^ of the r, now ■uth in Jesus.' theme. d into e. •bor, on ft them the sea, the tide f ptaise, out on i then i s of his se. in the cause of nature n spirit, the first Cook :al faith, lat they lue ; s is and only the beginning of the wonderful truth. With all his transcendent genius which surpassed anything witnessed during the entire range of English history ; he never once, for a single moment, or on a single occasion, swerved from the path marked out for the humble and devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a true worshipper of his Saviour. It is not enough to say that he was Biblical. Thousands have rivalled him in that, but they never knew his power Nor is it an explanation, that he preached Christ. Others have been as true in that respect as was Spurgeon, and yet they lived and died unknown, un- honoured and unsung. An artist's power is not in the canvas, nor in the paints, nor in the ability to cover the canvas with colors appropriate to the design, but in the nameless ability which men call genius. He preached Christ in simplicity and in earnestness, it is true ; but, there vv^as a quaintness in expression, a gleam of wit, with a wild and rollicking good humor that startled and charmed the people. This make up of the man, his aptness in hitting the bull's-eye on all public occasions, his born leadership, his undaunted courage, his tact, and more than all, his loyalty to his Master, which made the people feel that it was safe to follow whithersoever he might lead, furnished a combination of elements, that surpassed anything witnessed in our time. Think of it. In all these years he never once won applause by sneering at a Bible truth, or by making light of the great facts of redemption. Upon him God lavished wonderful gifts, and must have had great comfort in the outcome of his life. H«^I!- m AM: ■Mh j , B 1 : 1 || ■1 1 1 UP -=ai' 230 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. Other men have been marvellously endowed. They have possessed gifts of eloquence that have made them the wonders of the hour. When the hou** came that they could, had other things been equal, have been able to wield a prodigious influence, they ceased to be true. They sneered at the Bible. In their pride they outgrew revelation, and exalted themselves above all that is called God and is worshipped ; they cast tub after tub to the whale of infidelity, and kept themselves before the people, more, because of fear of what they might do against religion, than for what they would do for it. Not so with Spurgeon. All through his career the crowds that thronged the Tabernacle knew that the preacher, that was to stand before them, was to draw waters from the well, of which if a man drink- eth he shall never thirst again. How Wonderful this Life, They I them e that sn able to be le they lOve all ist tub nselvcs at they ould do ; career ;w that m, was 1 drink- CHAPTER XIV, THE HONORED PREACHER. "In thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength r.nto all." — I CiiKON. xxix. 12. ^^tNNE afternoon, Mr. Spurgeon permitted me to ^^ go with him through Paternoster Row, and many parts of London. It is not enough to sa}7 thai everywhere was he known. It is nearer the truth to declare that everywhere he was not only known, but almost worshipped. " Cabby," he would cry, and up one would come, not in a boisterous way, but with great politeness, and. Cabmen, after getting to the place where Mr. Spur- geon wanted to go, would almost imiformly say, " I am glad to see you out ; are you better, Mr. Spurgeon ? " With a pleasai)'- reply, he would thank him. Often " Cabby " would want to make the ride a gratuity. " Thank you, it is all right ; take your money," and he would hand him the exact amount. On the street, it was refreshing to behold the gratification every- where ev' 'enced at seeing him. Among the book- stores an*' .<^"^alls. every one seemed to have had m order for oorrve book. Many were bought, some were taken, others were sent to the Church. ^3' P [if 232 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. On the Wednesday, when we started, after break- fast, and a visit to the Orphanage, we took the train for Rochester, where the English shipping is seen to good advantage ; where stands the oldest Castle in England, and near, which was the elegant home of Charles Dickens. It was e/ident he was known as well outside of London, as in the city. It is American to pay your way, but I could not do it that day. No matter if I were at the window, and had my money out, if he raised his fing ''^t a cent could I spend. For two days I was hi? g i. t is much as if I had been in hr own house. When in Canterbury, we were sauntering through the immense pile, which he pronounced to be the finest Cathedral in England, a Verger called me aside, and asked if that gentleman was not Mr. Spurgeon ? ".Yes." " Look in there." Worship was going on ; twelve English priests were conducting the service, with one woman and three children making up the congregation. Said he : *' I can go out into Canterbury, and announce that Mr. Spurgeon will preach in the open air at five o'clock, and have five thousand people present. That is the difference between a dead formalism, and a Gospel preacher." So said the man at Canterbury. We stopped at the Hotel, and he asked if I would not like to call on the pastor of the Baptist Church' I said I would, and away we went. Reaching the house, Mr. Spurgeon rang the bell. To the door came the wife of the pastor. Standing there for a f : '■ THE HONORED PREACHER. ^3} moment, as if overcome with astonishment, she raised her hands and voice alike, and cried : *' Do my eyes deceive me ? Is it possible that the Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon stands before our humble dwelling ? Husband ! Husband ! Charles Haddon Spurgeon is at our door." In the mean time, Mr. Spurgeon had been doing his best to introduce me. In vain. No sooner had she finished one cry, than she began another, exclaim- ing, at the top of her voice : " Honored of the Lord, welcome to our home." Down came the minister, and his greeting was hardly less cordial. Mr. Spurgeon again, and again, tried to introduce me, It was of no use. I walked in, and sat down, and had no more attention paid me, than if I had not been present. The same experience was h id in the morning, at breakfast. In America, we know nothing of this feeling. But in England, it was everywhere manifest ; the great were as beautiful as those of humbler position. Mr. Gladstone's visit to the Metropolitan Taber- nacle, on January 8th, 1882, was an interesting event, The Premier, as he then was, was accompanied by his eldest son, Mr. W. H. Gladstone, who has since passed away. They spent a little time with Mr. Spurgeon in the vestry, before the service. The visitors, who followed the pastor and his deacons to the platform, occupied the pew known as " Mrs. Spurgeon's," immediately behind the pulpit-platform. The text from which Mr. Spurgeon preached that evening, was Mark v. 30. The discourse is described as '* a simple but profoundly impressive " one, " lit up m 1 i 234 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ''I 11 111 '•t ?! ■- s- ) ii iii ; p ill 1 1; Ml i g't Ml ■m H m 1 > B] ■^ * in one portion, at least, by a characteristic touch of humor." After the sermon, the Premier and his son returned to the vestry, where the deacons and elders in rotation, shook hands with Mr. Gladstone, who offered a kindly word to each, and expressed to Mr. Spurgeon his gratification that the pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle was supported by such a large body of workers. In his early days, Mr. Spurgeon received enough patronage from notabilities to have turned his head, had he been at all v;i:n. One Sunday at Surrey Gardens, the youthful preacher had among his hear- ers. Lord John Russt '.», Si: James Graham, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and a number of other members of Parliament. On retiring. Lord John Russell and Lord Stanley of Alderley, had a long conversation with Mr. Spurgeon, both expressing " their most un- qualified admiration " of Mr. Spurgeon's talents. Even Lord Palmerston secured a ticket to go and hear Spurgeon, but the gout prevented him from fulfilling his intention. Lord Chief Justice Campbcil was heard, after one of the services, to remark to Sir Richard Mayne, Commissioner of Police, who was on the platform, " He is doing great good, sir, great good." It was whispered at the time that Her Majesty paid a visit incognita to one of Mr. Spur- geon's service^. For good or ill, his influence exceeded anything I ever beheld or knew. In the College, he was called the Governor. His word was law, His wish was a command. 1 1{ *»,y lUed as a THE HONORED PREACHER. 235 Said Rev. James Grant, once a student, and now a pastor of a Baptist Church in Toronto, Ont. : " It is most difficult to write of him whom God has glorified. The sorrow of Hfe is sacred. I loved him as I have loved no other man. I had good reason to love him. I owe to him, under God, all I am, all I have done, or shall do in the days that still remain. He touched me into life. He awakened and moulded me. I can recall as easily as if it had happened yes- terday, my first interview with him. I was not eighteen years of age when we first met. His fame had penetrated into the lovely Highland valley where I was born, and brought up, and meeting with some of his sermons, and revelling in them, I conceived the ambition of seeking admission to his college. The audacity of my wish startled me, but it clung to me all the same. At last, getting the consent of my father and mother, I set out for London, and a few hours after my arrival in the great city, I started for the Tabernacle. Happily, he could be seen. When ushered into his presence, I made known my request. How gentle, how patient, how kind in every way he was with the raw Scottish youth who stood before him , and who could only in broken sentences stam- mer out the wish of his heart. But even in my great fear and trembling, I remember distinctly the thought coming to me : * This great man does not envelope himself in any air of superiority. He looks and talks to me like a big elder brother.' His words to me were so good and kind, that I gradually felt at ease, but when it came to the matter in hand, admission 236 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. IH ! into his college — he looked grave. He spoke of my youth, half banteringly at first, then seriously, as an obstacle in my way. I urged my case. He advised me to go back to my native heather, and remain until my beard grew (literally). I grew bold enough to say, that my beard could grow as easily in London as in Scotland, and in other ways pressed my case importunately, until at last, with a luminous twinkle, which I can see as clearly as when it occurred, he said : ' I don't know what to make of you Scotch lads ; you come to me and say, * My name is Norval, on the Grampian hills my father feeds his flock,' and think that t/iaf is the password into these halls. But I like your pluck ; report yourself here to-morrow, and begin work.' " That was the happiest day of my life. The kind- ness manifested to me then has grown with all the following years, has been exemplified by numberless acts of rare and practical thoughtfulness and love, until Mr. Spurgeon became so much a part of my life, that I feel as though something had been wrenched away, which can never be replaced. In all the changing circumstances of all the years, he was generous towards me almost to a fault. A few years ago, I made a brief visit to England. Soon after my arrival, I wrote him saying, that I was over on a hurried trip and would like to touch his hand, if only for a moment. By the next mail, there came a letter of royal welcome, and asking me to spend a half-day with him at his house. At that time, he was unusu- ally pressed with public engajrements, and T valued THE HONORED PREACHER. 237 his invitation all the more. What a day wa'- that, at his charming retreat near the Crystal Palace ! He was well, happily, and brimming over with life. We talked of old students, of their work, of the men who had fallen in the ranks, of preachers at home, of preachers on this side of the Atlantic, of books, and many other things I shall ever treasure in my heart ; and then we strolled through his beautiful grounds. He was a farmer in a small way. He kept some cows — beautiful Jerseys — and two horses, necessary to him in his work ; * Brownie ' and * Brandy,' he called them. But such horses ! ' Thou shalt not covet.* Yes, but I did 'covet,' and so, I fear, would many of my readers had they seen them. Mr. Spur- geon told me that the horses were Jews, and kept the Jewish Sabbath, and were never taken out of the stable on Saturday. Of course he had to drive them on Sunday, and one day of rest he gave them, Mr. Spurgeon was kind to his horses in other ways. Their stable was the cosiest place of the kind I ever saw. Every living thing about his grounds he was on intimate terms with, and regarded affectionately. In the afternoon, an old fellow-student joined us, making my ' cup to run over.' But the hours sped by too fast altogether, Soon tea was announced, where we had the memorable privilege of spending an hour around the table with his sorely afflicted, but gracious, and gifted wife. After worship I left, but not before he bestowed upon me, as a personal gift, to * remember him by, across the sea,' books of great value. That day is bathed in sunshine. ®tl W' S'"' ■*'£ 238 SPURGEON OUR ALLV. " It is as ' our college president,' that I think of him most gratefully and lovingly. The college was the first, and in many respects, the best beloved of all his works. He was not only president, but occasionally tutor, for Friday afternoon he invariably spent in the lecture-hall with the students. What afternoons these were ! Their memory is written in brass. Stores from every realm he laid at our feet ; A full-celled honeycomb of every good was he on these occasions. How wise, how witty, how incisive, how startling, how original his talks would be. How daring, too, in his mental flights, until, eagle-like, he perched upon the higher crags of thought, and then moved us to follow him. Although steadfastly fixed in his old theology, he sought to excite in his stu- dents love of mental adventure, and would occasion- ally stagger us with seeming paradox or heterodoxy. His ambition was to make his men think, to build their own argument, and form their own conclusions. To cultivate the habit of ready speaking, he would, now and then, bring in a hatful of slips of paper, with subjects written upon them, and then strike at a name randomly, and ask the brother to come up, take out one of the slips of paper, and start off. Some of the students would do fairly well, on * the spur of the moment,' others would flounder about, in a perfect roar of jeers from their brother-students, and then, after an ineffectual spasm or two, collapse. How he enjoyed it all, and yet, how kindly he would talk afterwards, to some one who had been put to con- fusion. ■MfHM THE HOXORLD PREACHER. 239 Mr. Spurgeon could not e:idure a lazy student. Living under constant pressure himself, he would beg us to work up to the last particle of our power. He often told us that he did not believe that men died from overwork, and considerately would say that if any of us did die from such a cause, and a doctor's certificate were furnished to that effect, he would gladly bury us at the expense of the college. Oc- casionally some brother got into college who thought that 'prevention was better than cure,' and who went along, kind of easy ; after a while that good brother disappearedy and so we knew what had become of him. "There were times when the * Governor,' as we loved to call him, would meet us with an anxious face. Something was troubling him. After a while he would say, * Gentlemen, the brook is failing, there is little in the treasury ; let us speak to our Heavenly Father about it.' In those prayers what a pouring forth of soul. How he plead and plead, until he seemed to have plead his bosom empty. A gleam of joy, born of trust, would after a while illumine his face, and he would then resume college work. He had wrestled with the angel and had prevailed. I have seen it stated that Mr. Spurgeon was unduly familiar in prayer, and at times irreverent. Nothing could be farther from the truth. He was not afra'd of God, — as some seem to be to my mind — and he was al- ways most reverent in all his approaches to the Throne of Grace ; bat he knew that he was a caild coming to his Father. He believed in God and in the power of prayer. i: 'M 240 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. It was his custom after class to have tea with the students. It would not be true to say that he un- bent around the table, for, to some of us at any rate, he was always unbent ; but I well remember how, on these occasions, he mingled with us very freely, talked, joked, touched the fountains and broke them up, grew humorous by turns, until tears of another kind would flow, reasoned, told wonderful anecdotes, and then, in a moment, seizing his felt hat, would vanish in a tempest of applause. The yearly Conference of the college was looked forward to by the pastors settled in the ministry, as we can imagine a visit to Jerusalem, to keep the feast of the Tabernacles, was by the Jews. Some of us, who have not been able to be present for years, cher- ish, as we would the memory of an angel's visit, the holy joys of the times when we were present. There never were such meetings as those before, and, alas ! there never can be again. Brethren with bronzed faces, and furrowed brows, from the heat and stress of conflict in far-ofl* fields, would gather there, and with juvenile abandon throw themselves into the exhilar- ating spirit of the convocation. Personal friendships were renewed, old times talked over, prospects dis- cussed, and plans for the future formed. The ' Gov- ernor ' was always at his best. He was the merriest of the throng. How well he remembered each face, and how patiently he would listen to everything that could be told about each pastor's field of labour. Many a brother has gone back from these gatherings to his work as blithe and happy as a lark, not only i I'! THE HONORED PREACHER. 241 lere ized \vi of th ^hips dis- rOV- •iest Iface, that )our. rings I only because of some personal kindness from Mr. Spur- geon's hand or lip, but because of a promise of fifty or a hundred pounds, to help him in some of his ~ "*"erprises. And then when the annual message ..as being delivered by Mr. Spurgeon to the Confer- ence, what a feast ! The wisdom, grasp, force, pene- tration, inspiration of it cannot be described. We were in the heavenly places. During the sessions of the Conference, the atmosphere was invariably de- votional. After some brother had read a paper, and Mr. Spurgeon was summing it up, love, grace, and wit, and pathos, and wisdom would blend. At some of his wittiest sayings, the brethren would, now cUid af "^in, lose control of themselves, and he, too, throw- 1* limself into the spirit of the moment, would allow nuiiself to bubble over, and excel even himself in jokes, grave, and gay, and gracious. Five hundred faces would be wet with tears, and convulsed with laughter, at the same moment. He would soon, how- ever, recall us to the business of the hour. No man could play upon the human heart with such a wizard touch as he could. Some of the brethren who, living in other lands, could not attend the Conference, were in the habit of sending a letter to Mr. Spurgeon. He invariably mentioned the fact to the Conference, gave the name of the brethren, and prayed for the absent ones. I mention it with all modesty, but it will be a lasting joy to me to know that the iccter I sent him at the time of the last Conference, and in which I indulged anew in the luxury of pouring out my unstinted love at his feet, was reserved by him 2^2 SrUPGKON OUR AI.T.V :4l ]\ i if i until the closing day, and, as the London papers said : *' ' It was a sight to see how the tears ran down his face as he read a letter from James Grant, of Toronto.' " His big heart was intensely human, and could be readily touched by words of love. " Some years ago, finding that I had lost the mail that should carry my letter to the conference, I cabled him using the words : " ' Blest be the tie that binds." A few hours later there flashed : " 'There is a spot where spirits blend.* The Conference always closed with the communion of the Lord's Supper, after which, with hand gripping hand, an unbroken chain of five hundred pairs of hands, we sang' There is a fountain filled with blood,' and then we parted to meet next year. The thought of meeting next year, and touching that right con- quering hand of our President was inspiration for twelve long months. Before the meeting of the next Conference, however, many a brother, whose coat was voted by the ' Governor' as not fresh from the tailors, would have the wherewithal, and shine in garments new. I do not know that much, if anything, has been written of the juvenility of Mr. Spurgeon. But he never grew any older. The passing years never touched his heart. There were no wrinkles. When we saw him last, he was quite as full of youthful pranks and mental elastici'.y, as when we knew him first. It was that poor gouty leg that prevented him THE iroXORKI) PRKACUKR. 24: apers vn his •onto.' Lild be ,e mail cabled munion gripping pairs of 1 blood,' bought ht. con- ion for he next coat was e tailors, arments Bias been But he ; never When youthful hew him ited him from leaping over a five-barred gate, nothing else. He wanted to do it. Every year he would have the students out to his home to spend a day with him, and into the games of the day lie would enter with all the zest of the youngest of us. In his love of out- door sports he was a typical Englishman. In the earlier years Mr. Spurgeon himself presided at church meetings, and wished the students * to read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest' Occasionally he gave the students an insight into his experiences. It was not all smooth-sailing when he began his Tabernacle work. There were squally gusts more than once. At one time a member of the church, who had repeatedly made himself obstructive, was worse thau usual, with the added offensiveness of being rude to the pastor. The Deacons naturally resented this, and sought to put the brother down, but he was not one of that sort. Finding that the brother would insist upon being heard, all the members got up and went out, leaving Mr. Spurgeon in the chair, and the brother stancing alone, away down in his scat ; when the poor soul grasped the situation, and also Mr. Spurgeon's pa- tience with him, he turned round and said : — ' Mr. Spurgeon, you are the only gentleman in the room,* a statement that was true in more senses than one. But that man from that day became one of Mr. Spurgeon's staunchest friends and supporters, and the use Mr. Spurgeon made of it was not to be discouraged by opposition, and that patience and tact often con- tl*K;;tt ''fKKKd 'i I 244 srURGEON OUR ALLY. « M verted even bitter opponents into friends and sup- porters. Mr. Spurgeon was the heart of all the organizations of the Tabernacle Church — the leader who led on to noble works and to victory." A pertinent illustration of this truth is seen in the statement recently made by Dr. Pierson in the Taber- nacle, when he apologized for talking so much ajout money, saying, ' that Mr. Spurgeon, their departed pastor, was a marvellous reservoir of benevolence, and had gained the confidence and love of Christians, the wide world over. The consequeiice was that dona- tions and legacies poured in upon him from time to time, which he distributed in the name of God to the various agencies for carrying on God's work. Now this great reservoir of receiving and distributing had been withdrawn, and if they had not a thousand reservoirs in its place, the work of God would inevita- bly suffer. He therefore wished to impress upon them the necessity of keeping up, and increasing the mea- sure of their benevolence ; and he asked that, before going out of that place that morning, they would re- member the Pastor's college, and make their offerings towards its support even more generous than these had ever been before. He urged the same spirit of liberality onbehalf of the other agencies in connection with the Tabernacle.' It was not alone as the gatherer of means for the multiplied agencies o^ work in the Tabernacle that he will be missed. The spring that fed the stream was largely his faith in God, and the con- fidence reposed in him by men. All felt safe when he was at the helm. i'. ! t| THE HONORED PREACHER. 245 The honored preacher has passed to his reward. His work is coming intv- view, and the loss sustained by the withdrawal of that Hving, vital force that has made itself felt for more than thirty years at the cen- tre of London, is outlined by the disasters threatening institutions identified with the upbuilding of the cause of Christ in that and other lands. For two days we were together. I saw him in a light that made the honored preacher an increasing wonder to me. He was witty and wise ; he talked about England and his work, and knew but little of the Great Republic beyond the sea. The fight with intemperance which was going on, and the struggle regarding the Lord's Supper that was looming up, engaged our thought and we talked in the freest possible manner concern- ing them. FROM PULPIT TRn'>UTES : *' I knew Mr. Spurgeon well and long, and never knew a more buoyant spirit in my life. He was a born wit. If he had been the editor of a humorous paper, he could have filled the columns well nigh every week from his own fertile brain. No man could tell a racy, sparkling, always pure story, so well as he. For forty years he crowded the Tabernacle, Sunday after Sunday. Princes and Peers, Judges and Statesmen, all sorts and conditions of men had been congregated there, enough to turn a man's head ; and yet there never was an humbler man in the world, a man who bore his honors so meekly, doing all he could fr» the glory of God." — Rev. E. Gauge, M > r » I n 246 SrURGEON OUR ALLY. " Celebrated throughout the world, Mr. Spurgeon was as simple as a child. Firm, and sometimes stern in opposing error, he was ever personally kind to those whom he thought mistaken. So, free from all envy and jealousy, he rejoiced greatly in the talents and usefulness of those whom some might deem his rivals, but whom he regarded as fellow-servants and allies. Mr. Spurgeon said, on one occasion, * I hate oratory,' not thinking that his was the chief oratory. He meant by this, florid talk. ' Fine language,' he said, ' seems to me wicked, when souls are perishing.' He was comparatively young to die at fifty-eight, but judged by the number of sermons preached, and the millions of sermons sr: ttered over the world, his life was pre-eminently long — a life nobly lived, and blissfully ended." — Rez>. Newman Hall, " When Mr. Spurgeon began to take London by storm, the press was against him. Pressmen, who, very likely, seldom went to any place of worship at all, thought, no doubt, that their absence from any place of worship was reverent ; but they said that the preaching of Mr. Spurgeon was irreverent, and they said that the new preacher, who was nothing but a bag of laughing-gas, would soon be forgotten by everybody. The strange thing was, that these writers for the press are now forgotten, and the yoiing preacher is famous forever." — Rev. S. Pearson " It would be difficult to think of a man more con- secrated to his great work, than Mr. Spurgeon was. With broad human sympathies, which found expres- n« i -- Mi i ia w > w a M i i »ii> amm ii iiaii , - i Sij ife - ,.iiB ii a !;;'*•; H THE HONORED PREACHER. '■47 re con- n was, jxprcs- sion in numerous important institutions, he arrived at great religious results. He was thoroughly honest and zealous. At any and every cost, he defended what he thought truth, not caring to distinguish between truths that were cardinal and vital, and truths that were subordinate. This, however, his brethren understood, and never ceased to love him, and to esteem him very highly for his work's sake. In the combination of manifold gifts of intellect, and heart, of manhood, and saintliness, in the passion of practical aims, in the utter absence of cant or insin- cerity, and in the nobleness of his character, his life, and his consecration, he was unique. — Dk AUoji. " Mr. Spurgeon was a man of God. That was the secret of his life. It inspirited his energies, and filled him with consuming power, and, like Tennyson's hero, * his strength was as the strength of ten, because his heart was pure.' He had three chief qualifications for his work. He was emphatically religious, and in this respect, he resembled Whitfield. He had mar- vellous spiritual insight. In this he compared with Wesley. No man of the eighteenth century pos- sessed such spiritual insight as Wesley, no man of the nineteenth, as Spurgeon. Thirdly, he had spiritual power, in which respect he compared with Martin Luther, whom he also resembled in his deep humility. And now he has gone." — Rev. Allen Rees. "It was doubtful whether, within this last half- century, more than three men had appeared in the civilized world, who, in the realm of statesman- A' s : w m «t .. ■ I ^^; If t t \ 1 11 248 SPUr.GEON OUR ALLY. ship, would have an immortal name, having left their mark so broad and deep, that no successive age could wipe it out. And so, in the religious world as well as in the world of science and art, there were not very many men of the front rank. No man who was to be a great leader of his fellows must be ' a reed shaken with the wind.' He must be a man who had a mind of his own, who seized the truth and held it fast, and declared it plainly." — Dr. StcpJienson. " The Church Militant has lost two other giants. Manning and Spurgeon : how far apart they seemed to be ! Their gain is our loss, but not the Church's ; all that was permanent by nature in their work must surely live on. They had to mourn that day the death of the most conspicuous preacher of their age, the passing away of one, who, through the lifetime of most of them, had been so well known, and so well honored. God took away his workman, but carried on his work." — Rev. Urijah Thomas. " Mr. Spurgeon's true place was among the long succession of Reformers. Being himself a preacher of the everlasting Gospel, it was not surprising that his reforming energy should show itself first of all in the spirit and methods of preaching. He appealed to no other class as such, but sought to reach the universal heart. Other preachers appealed to taste, fancy, imagination, and reason. He got rid of the pulpit, and the change from the pulpit to the plat- form was an illustration of the freedom which he sent into the ministry of these later times. The revolu- THE HONORED PREACHER. 249 long Lcher that ill in :aled the taste, the [plat- sent solu- tion in preaching involved a radical change in the spirit and tone, in the temper and aims, and in the methods and life of the churches. Nonconformity has been a great gainer in vitality and numbers." — Dr. Clifford. " Amidst the general sorrow that had overtaken the country at Mr. Spurgeon's death, he thought all would feel that there were few men who had been removed, whose death had brought a more general sense of bereavement. In head, in heart, in energy, in spirit, he presented a combination most marvellous and striking. His intellectual qualities, for instance, were of the supremest kind. He semed to live many lives. * * * There were few men who were such men of business. He had the resource, ingenuity^ and judgment that gave him infinite self-reliance." — Dr. Glover. Not only in England, were Memorial Services held, but in Montreal, and Toronto, Canada ; in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and in other great cities of the United States. SpuRGEOi\ Memorial Service. IN TORONTO, CANADA. The Jarvis Street Church was thronged by a sympathetic and reverent company, gathered to do honor to the memory of Charles Haddon Spurgeon. The meeting was held under the direction of the Baptist Ministerial Association, but was ^n^erdenom- inational in character. Representative Christians 250 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. . I ; { from all parts of the city were present, every evan- gelical denomination being represented by earnest men and women, who feel a sense of personal bereave- ment in the death of the great preacher and phil- anthropist. The services were simple, as was fitting. Hymns familiar to the Christian Church in all lands were sung. Appropriate selections of Scripture were read by the Rev. S. S. Bates, of College Street Baptist Church. The prayer of the Rev. Dr. Potts, Superin- tendent of Methodist Educational Work, was a solemn outpouring of the heart before God in the presence of a great grief. The Rev, B. D. Thomas, D.D., Pastor of the Church, who presided, made a brief introductory address. He said that never before had the death of a plain minister of Christ so profoundly moved the world. Spurgeon had achieved imperishable renown by doing his Master's will. He had found earthly glory by not seeking it. It was fitting that these memorial services should be held in a Baptist Church, for Spurgeon was an uncompromising Baptist ; and it was equally fitting that representatives of the various evangelical denominations should have a part in the service, for he belonged to Christendom. The Rev. J. F. German, Moderator of the Metho- dist Ministerial Association, on being introduced, read a series of resolutions passed by that Association, expressing their appreciation of the life and labors of the dead preacher. Mr. Germain said he could add K^' THE HONORED rREACHKR. 251 ]? '^'1 but little to the sentiments which he had read. Methodists had a deep attachment to Spurgeon, for they remembered that it was in a Methodist chapel that the light dawned upon his soul. Many men hr.d done their great work, and had died unappreciated. With Spurgeon it had been otherwise. From the first his worth was recognized, and added years had added to his fame. The whole Christian world had mourned him. Rev. John Neil, Pastor of thv, Westminster Pres- byterian Church, felt that Presbyterians could claim a large part in Spurgeon, because of his adherence to doctrines for which they had been distinguished. His influence upon Presbyterians had been great, and doubtless, there were many preachers in that denom- ination to day who were glad to acknowledge it. Mr. Neil quoted from the Homilctic Review the fol- lowing : " Henry Ward Beecher was the greatest pulpit orator of the century, and might have been the greatest preacher. Spurgeon is the greatest preacher, and might have been the greatest pulpit orator." The Rev. James Grant, Pastor of the Parliament Street Baptist Church, was the next speaker. He was a student in Spurgeon's College, and had enjoyed the friendship of the great man up to the time of his death. The tidings which had come to him a week ago Monday gave him a shock from which he had not recovered. The congregation would pardon him if he spoke with emotion, for he had loved Spurgeon. Never had he looked upon such a man, never did he expect to see such another. 1* ' n '* 'f ill fc;. t ;i 252 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. The Hon. Samuel H. Blake was the last speaker. He had found it hard to follow the grief of some of the previous speakers. He had not been think- ing of the tomb to which the remains of Spur- geon had been carried, but of the New Jerusalem whither his liberated spirit had gone. This was an occasion of joy. A great triumph was now celebrated. Spurgeon had passed on to his reward. He was in Jerusalem the Golden. It was a wonderful career which had just closed. For thirty years this man had stood without a peer as a preacher of the Gospel of Christ. His sermons had been bought eagerly, and read in all parts of the English-speaking world. The sermons of no man had given such comfort to so vast a company of people. Mr. Blake had met him on different occasions, and had been greatly im- pressed with his strong personality, and with his wide knowledge of affairs, and the ease with which he remembered men. One thing struck him more forci- bly than his preaching, and that was his prayer. He seemed to enter into the very pr'^sence, into the immediate audience-chamber of the Almighty. He spoke as to a familiar friend. In his preaching there was great simplicity. His heart spoke to the hearts of his hearers. His humility was a striking feat'ire of his character. He was full of kindness and love. His faith was wonderful. He had told of an ex- perience in which such an exquisite vision of the sufficiency of God's grace came to him, that he laughed in his wonder and delight. This vision never left him. He believed God, This gave him great power. THE HONORED PREACHER. 253 ed left ler. HIS SIMPLE METHODS. (Rev. A. J. Gordon, D.D., in The Traveller.) Quite the most significant fact in the success of Mr. Spurgeon's ministry was, that it was won with abso- lutely none of the secular helps and accessories on which dristian congregations so much depend in these days. There was no artistic adornment in his great Taber- nacle ; there was no organ to play the congregation in, or to m.arch them out ; there was no choir to fur- nish musical delectation to the great crowds, and no studied arts of oratory to gain the ear of the masses. Plain preaching of the Gospel, in a plain building, with plain congregational singing, with plain dealing with the consciences of the people, and plain direc- tions as to the way of life — this was the whole of it. And yet, here was the greatest congregation, and the deepest spiritual power behind it, that this generation has witnessed. As strongly as our age tends to formalism, so strongly did Mr. Spurgeon tend to informalism, in his whole conduct of public worship. From Philadelphia. IN HONOR OF MR. SPURGEON. The sovereign of the pulpit is dead. A great hush must come upon the universe of God, when such a voice is stilled. A sweet, persuasive voice — a voice to which men have listened the world around, as lovers of music sit enchanted when harp-strings are struck by master hands. A heart is stilled that beat with vast riches of benefactions for the race. A towering personality of strength and blessing has ' i 254 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. been put under the sod. And yet — not so. He has left his impress on generations now living. He has projected his marvellous influence for righteousness into coming centuries. The Pastors' Conference cabled to Mrs. Spurgeon : "The Philadelphia Conference of Baptist Ministers mourns with you, and with the bereaved church, and with Christendom." The Conference on Monday morning devoted its entire session to a memorial service, which was held in the Tabernacle Church. Dr. Rees had his choir and organist present, and the entire service was full of the pathos of the hour, and the spirit of worship. The house was thronged : the Presbyterian ministers adjourned their Conference, and attended the services in a body. Dr. H. L, Wayland spoke tenderly and inspiringly of the sources of Mr, Spurgeon's power. It is in the heart that men are truly great. It was only because Spur- geon had a heart of infinite tenderness that he could be the preacher of the century. President Weston was appreciative, thoughtful, discriminating, just, in the large place which he accorded Charles H. Spurgeon as a man and a prea- cher. He denied himself — not self-denial as we so often mistake. God did not so richly endow him for the forty years of his life, but for the cycles of eternity. Dr. George Dana Board man then asked the great congregation to stand while he read his tribute. "An affectionate husband and father ; a steadfast friend ; a genial neighbor ; a sturdy patriot ; a national bene- factor ; a consistent Christian ; a devoted minister ; THE HONORED PREACHER. 255 «i loyal ambassador ; a biblical unfoldcr ; an unwaver- ing believer; a conservative theologian; a watchful sentinel ; a courageous prophet ; an acute observer ; a self-reliant thinker ; a lucid expresser ; a quaint aphorist ; an honest orator ; a wholesome author ; a wise counsellor; a sagacious projector; a practical philanthropist; a tireless upbuilder; a master organ- izer ; a born metropolitan ; a conscientious steward ; a patient sufferer ; in brief, Christ's conspicuously- consecrated servant : Charles Haddon Spurgeon has overcome, and is sitting down with his Master on his throne. ** I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Write, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors for their works follow with them." The services were closed by a comprehensively beautiful prayer from the heart of Dr. T. Edwin Brown. Because there was no man so well fitted to speak experimentally of Mr. Spurgeon as Dr. Thomas Armitage, he was invited from New York to tell us things we could learn nowhere else. To many a secret chamber of the inner life of the dead prea- cher, his old friend holds the key. This tr'^asure house he unlocked for a delighted audience for one Perhaps no man on American soil knew him so well as Dr. Armitage. He spoke out of a full heai L, a long and successful ministry of his own. Dr. Armitage held out the encouragement to the ministry that Mr. Spurgeon had to fight for his gen- eralship. W nen his deacons opposed him, he ap- 1^: f I ■■ir 7- 2S,6 SPURGECN OUR ALLY. |!u 11 pointed a board of elders — he said he had'nt time to fight. When the deacons annoyed hiir>. he said to the elders, "Mere, take care of these men;" and when the elder's made things uncomfortable, he said to the deacons, " Look after these elders, life is too short." When he erected his great Tabernacle, he was opposed in the enterprise. He asked the Church to appoint a building committee of thirty ; he called them together and said ; " I hear that some of you are weak-kneed, if so, go through that dror, and stay through ; " ten got up and went out. At another meeting, he repeated the performance, and ten more went. " NoA," he said, ** if any of the remaining ten would like to go, go now ; " three more went. He too\ each of the remaining seven by the hand, and r-kc'd them if they were true, if they would go into this thing body, soul, time, and money. " Yes," was the reply from each. Then he said, ** Let us pray." Oh, such a prayer ! He said : " I thank thee, O God, for the three-and-twenty who have gone." The Tabernacle went up. When he hated, he hated with all his soul, thrust his sword through the thing he hated, but did not withdraw it, until he had taken his trowel and built up around it. He was born thinking, lived thinking, worked thinking. God made but one Spurgeon — he was as much commis- sioned of heaven as Elijah or Paul. Like Abraham Lincoln, and other brave charac- ters, there was a most touching pensiveness in his nature, which at times bordered on melancholy, and always craved loving sympathy. ns- (ac- Ihis ind THE HONORED PREACHER. o/ Spurgcon's mind was of that clear and penetrating order, which saw a I^ible truth full in the face, and he possessed tlie faculty of niakiug that truth clear to others. His reading was enormous as to quantity, and his memory of whatever he saw or heard, was the most retentive possible. He could read a page of a book, then close it, and repeat the word.^: read as nearly verbativi as any other human being ; and he was blessed with as much stout conmion sense as ordinarily falls to the lot of a dozen ministers in directly enforcing what he knew. With a vigorous physical constitution, a very fine and forceful voice, a soul in a perpetual flame in efforts to save mcji, and a faith in the efficiency of the Gospel which nothing could undermine or weaken, he was a Paul and an ApoUos in one. His one ideal was that, as an ambas- sador of Christ, he, in Christ's stead, besought me:i to be reconciled to God, so that he would not destroy Christ's flock by light-brained speculations, nor make his Master blush by representing Him falsely. There was a tinge of severity, in his early ministry, toward the Established Church, the Arminians, and the Anti- nomians, so that to a certain extent he made his Cal- vinism a hobby. But in the latter years of his life all this passed away, and in the years of suffering which brought him to the borders of et«Tnity, a soft, sweet lovableness settled upon him which made him doubly beloved as a disciple, while he remained val- iant for the truth to the very last. His work was finished when he said : '\ r I! ( J' ! ■;i' I ^ E ) H « ii i' ■ 1 hi i i ■1 258 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " My time is ended, although I had much more to say. If I have never again the pleasure of speaking for my Lord upon the earth, I should like to deliver as my last confession of faith this testimony, that nothing but faith can save in this nineteenth century." Farewell, thou " shining one," we shall meet soon. England gave thee birth, France comforted thee in death ; thou art brother to the world, and the heav- ens have received thee forever. HIS VOICE. (Prof W. C. Wilkinson in The Independent.) In the physical man, Mr. Spurgeon's voice was his chief good fortune in endowment. But that good fortune would not have compensated for the lack of every othei. In tl^e mere matter of making people hear Mr. Spurgeon accomplished with his voice feats probably never surpassed, I doubt if ever equalled. I was told, and I believe, that in the Agricultural Hall in London, a place described as being like unenclosed space for vastness, he made himself distinctly audible to 20,000 people. His voice, when he was speaking so as to be heard by such a number, would be no less agreeable to those persons nearest him than to those furthest removed, and hardly less distinct to those farther removed than to those nearest. It was an instrument of speech that either needed no manage- ment, or was so perfectly managed that it seemed to need none. It was the perfection of nature ; or else the perfection of both nature and art. THE HONORED PREACHER. 259 HIS DAILY SPIRITUAL MOOD. (Rev. Wayland Hoyt, D.D., in The Christian Union.) To Mr. Spurgcon, more than to any man I have ever met, God seemed (I do not know how to say it otherwise) palpable. One could not help feeling that what the Scripture says of Abraham could have been, without the least straining, said of Mr. Spurgeon — " The friend of God." Every least thing he saw — the bird, the leaves scattering along the- way, the glint of the sunlight between the shadows of the arching trees, the flower nestling amid the tree-roots, the canopy of the sky above, the white encampment of the clouds ; — everything he had, his home, his friends, the blessings of his daily life, the chance for the telling of his Lord's Gospel, wer^ to him as real and direct gifts of God as any gift any human friend might have put within his hand. BY REV. J. N MURDOCK, D.D., LL.D. My first meeting with Mr. Spurgeon was in the summer of 1871. I remember the July Sunday morning in which I set out to find the Metropolitan Tabernacle, which had been opened for Mr. Spurgeon's use ten years before. Promptly, at the appointed hour, Mr. Spurgeon came upon the platform. The vast concourse before me ; the massive form and quiet bearing of the preacher; the unique service of song, in which thou- sands of voices mingled in unison, without the parts to which we are accustomed in this country ; the prayer so simple, direct and earnest ; the reading of -^^ 111'' ^^1 I 260 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. the Scriptures, with the running comment with which it was illuminated and emphasized, and then the sermon, textual in form, as all his sermons arc, natural, but ingenious in its divisions, symmetrical in the ad- justment of part to part, serious in tone, and pointed but tender in its application, fluent, but neither rapid nor declamatory in its delivery ; and then came the fmal outpouring of song as the voice of many waters, and the parting blessing, when the great multitude slowly receded from sight. The scene has never been repeated, nor the impression which it stamped on brain and heart, except on those rare occasions when I have returned to the Tabernacle, and been thrilled by words of the same " golden-mouthed " preacher. Mr. Spurgeon always professed a lively interest in everything relating to the growth and prosperity of what he denominated in the first prayer I heard him utter, " our kindred nation beyond the sea." There always seemed special emphasis in his petitions for Americans who visited the Tabernacle. At one time, speaking of our recent war, and the consequent re- moval of slavery, he said : " I was for a great while puzzled to know what the Lord would do with you," — meaning the American people — "but as soon as He began to scourge you with a bloody scourge, I was sure He would not de- stroy you." He was encouraged by the extension of our chur- ches, and the rapid increase of our numbers ; but he sometimes entertained a fear that we might become satisfied with such things, instead of using them to il THE HONORED PREACHER. 261 increase the knowledge of Christ in the earth, by a world-wide evangelization. He wanted to her^^r all about the progress and stability of the Karen Chris- tians in Burmah. He once evinced his interest in these in a somewhat emphatic, though good-natured way. One of his points of difference with American Baptists was in reference to the ordination of ministers by pray- er and the laying on of hands, a ceremony in which he did not believe, and to which he had never sub- mitted. The missionaries from England taken over by us from the founders of the Livingstone Inland Mis- sion, though many of them were accredited preachers, had never been formally set apart to the work of the ministry: One of the matters with which I was charged by the Executive Committee, when sent out to visit the Swedish and German Missions, in 1886, was to make arrangements for the ordination of three excellent brethren, then in England, who had ex- pressed a desire to be thus formally set apart to this work, One of these brethren was a member of Mr. Spurgeon's church, and thinking that it might be a pleasure to him and his people to hold the service at one of their week-day meetings, I proposed it to him. His reply was, "You may have the whole evening to pray for the brethren, and to tell us all about the wonderful work of God among the Karens, but there will be no laying on of hands, unless you first lay violent hands on me." His early self-poise and balance of character were equalled only by his precocious power of thought and utterance. An ordinary man, in his circum- ! ;■ ^ Il \ : ^ ^ II 262 P( I SPURGEON OUR ALLY. stances, would have been wrecked by the breath of popular adulation. In spite of the fearful snare which the adversary thus set for his feet, he never for a moment incurred the charge of self-conceit, or of personal vanity. Though he was positive in his utterances, and inflexible in his policy, he was not in the proper sense egotistical. His self-assertion was only the normal expression of the consciousness of the high destiny that was in him. He was a predes- tinated man ; and what need had he of the imposition of human hands? The doctrine of deliverance through vicarious sacrifice which he preached had been divinely attested in the deep and decisive ex- perience of his soul. How could he who had been vitalized by its power, be tolerant of those who would reduce it to a fable or a dream ? He belie v^ed, there- fore he spoke. !■ — dlhin^VV- * III I CHAPTER XV. SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. " I see men as trees walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him lo(jk. up : and he was restored and saw every man clearly."— Mark vjii. 24, 25. JN a letter from Rev. James A. Spurgeon, dated ■*■ Metropolitan Tabernacle, Nevvington, England, March 13th, 1892, are these assuring words : — " I can assure you that my dear brother was, and remained up to his death, an abstainer from strong beverages of an intoxicating character. Medicinally, I have no doubt he may have had given him .some form of a stimulant, and then he would, under such circum- stances, take any drug so prescribed : but, otherwi.sc, he never took anything of the form or kind, in any shape. Whoever says he did, speaks wrongly," Bro. John T. Dunn, one of the workers at the Taber- nacle, writes as follows, and enclo.ses some of Mr- Spurgeon's addresses on the subject, which will be read with pleasure and profit by the people in all lands, who love God and mankind : — 263 I \: 5:1 1 1 t m i 264 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, March i6th, 1892. Dear Dr. Fulton : 1 enclose some reports of addresses of our late pastor C. H. Spurgeon. This is only a small portion compared with what he has said in regard to the Temperance question. He was always very strong on the subject, and 1 may say in confirmation of this that we discontinued the use of fermented wine at the Lord's table for about six years. 1 am yours, John T. Dunn. Let thanksgiving go up to Almighty God for these authoritative declarations. When I visited him in 1 868, though he had been an abstainer, he had gone back to the use of beer and wine, and had continued in the habit for a time, until he saw the evil threaten- ing objects of his love, and millions more ; when, for the sake of ' God and humanity ' he took a prominent part in the ' Blue Ribbon Movement,* and father and sons became enrolled in the Temperance Army, and all of them did yeoman service in this important reform No one knows or sees all the truth. Spurgeon was no exception to the rule. Gifted with imperial power, endowed with supreme genius, quick to discern the trend of events, it is not strange that he came to see the path of duty, and walked it resolutely to the end. When his life-work began, drinking was the rule. A deacon at Waterbeach boasted that he taught him to smoke. Many have boasted that they joined with the great preacher in the use of the lighter stimulants. 1 m SrURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. 265 At associations and ministerial conferences liquors were provided, and in many cases paid for out of the funds raised for missions. A few years ago the Lon- don Association banished liquors from the Association gatherings. The influence of Mr. Spurgeon in favor of temperance was wonderful. Can one realize what it would have been had he been overcome by the drink habit ? A friend who came into veiy close touch with him, was asked while sitting beside him : — ' You know me ? You know all there is of me ; can I sustain myself or not?" " Give up strong drink, and you can become the first preacher in the world. Continue the drink habit and you will go down in five years." The impression widely prevails in the United States that Mr. Spurgeon used strong drink, and that because of it he suffered indescribable pain from gout, which was the cause of his death. Stories, like the following have had a wide publicity. "Some nine months he was consistent with his pledge : but again and again he found he was literally failing, and one day, so nigh was he to the verge of the grave, that a friend who sustained the closest relation- ship with him said : 'Young man, there was one man who went to heaven in a chariot of fire ; but that is no reason why you should go to heaven through water " and he went and brought him a glass of wine which he drank and was enabled to finish his day's work." This occurred before I saw him, and brought inde- scribable anguish to thousands of total abstainers who loved the great preacher. 1 !" '' p.'. 1 ' If nr /"T 51} ' t ii I' ' I fill . 1 ' tl HI i: 266 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. Again, this statement appeared : " Archbishop Manning has signed the pledge, but Mr. Spurgeon has declared that he should no more drink wine and ale professedly as a medicine ; but should take them as a beverage." The effect of this statement brought sorrow to millions. We were two days together, and visited Rochester and Canterbury. Then we talked freely about the habit of smoking and drinking, and I gave him my experience, which 1 have good reason to believe touched his heart. I told him that up to 1862 I used tobacco and beer to a greater or lesser extent. That I found the inordinate use of tobacco made beer a necessity. The indulgence injured my health, and compelled me to take long vacations, that grew longer and longer year by year. This did not cause me to give up the use of tobacco and beer, nor will it cause you to do so. *' What made you give them up," asked Mr. Spur- geon ? " This ! One day, walking down town I passed a young lad smoking. A companion said to him as I was passing : — ' You ought not to use tobacco.' Looking at me, he said in justification, " He smokes." The arrow went home. I had been a long while under conviction. That ended it. I resolved that I would not be quoted as on the side of an evil example. That day I stopped. SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE 267 How did you get 071 ? That week I tore up tvventy-Hve sheets of paper to start a sermon. On Sabbath morning 1 was so be- clouded, and my tongue was so thick that the congre- gation noticed it. Then 1 said in prayer. Lord, I have in my vest-pocket a Httie bit of tobacco which I can put on the tip of my tongue, and be all right m a minute. If you want me to stop the use of this nar- cotic, that holds me as in a vice, you must give me help. Then I closed my eyes, and passed out of dark- ness into light, and I have never been in the shadow since. *■ Have you lost the appetite ?" No, it is as strong as ever ; and I often dream I have gone back to the use of tobacco, and wake up grieving over my fall, only to rejoice that it was only a dream. '* How do you get help when overcome with fatigue ?" " I sleep. But I have not the time," said Mr. Spur- geon, with great feeling. " Taki it, my brother, you cannot drive the machine, whether you speak of the body or mind, without feel- ing it and suffering from it. Besides you lose more time in vacations than you would if you rested." Then he told of the strain put on him. After a moment's reflection he said : " He believed he was weakened by both beer and tobacco, but as tobacco sof *:hed him, he thought he had better cling to that." I said I thought the tobacco more injurious and a more filthy habit than even beer-drinking. It poisons the blood, destroys the coating of the stomach, injures M I- i 1 i'l 1 ■It! If m ..'i: 268 SrURGEON OUR ALLY. yi ; the digestion, and makes it almost impossible to retain food. It brings on an unnatural flesh, that loads down the frame, and makes the guest a nuisance at home, in the study or the parlor, and an undesirable visitor, especially in any home where tobacco is dis- liked. Much more was said. We shall refer to the tobacco question again. Of course he was familiar with all the statistics, and talked about the figures I had collected for my address at the Crystal Palace Temperance Fete. I made bold to tell him how many expressed a desire that he would appear on their platform, and give his influence in support of temperance. Then he inquired about the facts I had in hand. I read him these figures. Great Britain is charged vvith the annual consumption of $150,000,000 of home and foreign spirits, and wit-h drinking 750,000,000 gallons of beer, at a cost of $218,000,000, while for foreign and domestic spirits $441,000,000; was spent, which was more than sixty- five dollars for each adult in the land. In Ireland the popular drink is whiskey. In 1868, 76,000 persons were arrested for drunkenness. " But you have a tremendous drink bill in the United States," siid Mr. Spurgeon. . "Yes; in 1868, $1,483,491,865 were consumed in liquor and tobacco. In Great Britain $40,090,000 were spent on tobacco, and $32,000,000 in the United States. The intoxicating drink is but an item. The buildings and all the needful appliances for conducting the traffic ; the time of the traffickers and the consumers ; the loss and destruction of property, injury done to industry, trade and commerce : all comes in, as we have "T- SrURCKON AND TKMPERANCE. 269 seen, to swell the amount beyond all decent bounds. Great Britain pays more in ten years for drink than would cancel the National Debt, which is estimated at about one billion of dollars Now to anta^^^onizc thf^, they need C. II. Spurgeon as they need no other man. I was in a great temperance meeting with Rev. A. P. Chowan, a staunch temperance champion. I was introduced as a friend of Mr. Spurgeon. At once several said : — " Oh! that he could be induced to join us in this fight.' My reply was, " There is just One that can influence him." " Who is that one ?'' was asked. " Only He, whose he is, and whom he serves. Our hope is in prayer." The Christian people of the United States can form no just conception of the extent to which this drink habit was carried. At the Baptist Associations liquors were provided, as well as food, and without any more compunctions of conscience. To a great hotel I went with a well-known minister. We had been talking about temperance. He spoke of beer being a substi- tute for food. Facts and figures produced no sort of impression upon his mind. He gave the order for the dinner in the presence of at least fifty people, all of whom knew him : " Give this man, who is a regular Niagara Falls of temperance, a good cut of beef and vegetables to match with a good cup of coffee, but bring with mine a good big mug of English ale." ■i 1 i i »ik I' 1 ■HrJ I 1 1 ■I 270 SPURGEON OUX ALLY. That minister claimed to be too pious to read a novel, and expressed contempt for David Copperfield, and Little Nell, because they were introduced to us throu^h.the vehicle of a fiction ; and yet with millions going down to a drunkard's hell because of strong drink, he dared to stand in a public house and call for " A good big mug of English ale." " He Sdw men as trees walking." I entered the home of a distinguished clergyman in one of England's large cities, where a company of famed ministers were invited to meet me at dinner. As I entered the parlor, he stepped to a sideboard and struck a bell. Up came a servant. " Bring seme brandy." In it came. " Have some brandy," calling me by name. " Thank you, I do not drink brandy." He rang again, and said to the servant : " Bring some wine." Turning to me he said : " Have some wine." I replied "I do not drink wine." Without asking me if I liked ale, he simply, in an excited way, struck the bell more violently than before, and ordered the servant to bring some ale. " Have some ale, brewed at Iknton, which Mr. Gladstone declares to be the most delicious drink that has been known since nectar went out of fashion," My reply was •' I do not drink ale or beer, or any intoxicant." SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. 271 Things were beginning to be very uncomfortable. I was in the presence of a great pulpit celebrity, and a man that had been kind enough to invite several most distinguished clergymen to dine with me. Me was exceedingly red in the face, and I thought I saw indi- cations that the dinner would be a failure. Without another word he struck the bell harder than ever. The servant came in with a bound. With a face denoting suppressed rage, he said : " Bring some lemonade ; I guess he can dri-. k that" " Is it in a bottle ?" 1 asked. " If it is I will not drink it. All England seems to be going to hell be- cause of intemperance, and I will not drink anything out of a bottle in England." That broke the spell, and saying to the servant, •' Don't put any liquors on the table to-day , this gentleman is my guest," he sat down. Then began a talk on temperance, in which I told him among other things that the drink habit would not be tolerated in America. No matter how talented the man, he could not get on one week in the United States, if he drank as ministers drank in England. " I am going to America, -hal! I have to give up drink there ?" " You will, if you waH 'o come into close touch with our religious life." " Are you not an exception to the rule ? Here is a letter from a friend whose guest you have been, and he says that you are the only American clergyman he has had with him who was a total abstainer. I meant to try my hand to .see if you wc e a genuine one." I .' !■ ^ 1 ., , ., - .-...y.>.jy)maaim^)..t ,. 272 SPUKGEON OUR ALLY, Laughing, I askcv^ if he could give me a letter of commendation : and in tlie pleasantest manner he replied in the affirmative, then put on his hat and showed me tho town We entered many prominent business oflices, and in every one wine was offered us. He made it easy to decline. P>ut at the table I said, I looked on with alarm because the pulpit was dumb concerning a habit that was bringin;^ untold misery upon the nation. There the ministry sided with the despotism. This story was related at the table by a minister as if he had done a good thing. "I was going to preach a Dedication Sermon in such a town in Scotland ; Prohibition was occupying a large place in the public thought. The brother who was to entertain me was a leader in the movement, No sooner did I arrive than I asked for a glass of ale. The brother said : " We are abstainers here, and do not keep it." " Please get a half do/en bottles of ale, or I will leave your house, and go where I can get it." "What did he do?" •* Do ! He got the ale," was the reply, with all the a.ssurance possible. Turning to me he asked : " What would a temperance man do in America under the same circumstances ?" " I know men who wouldh ave said : "Go on to the devil, the broad road is before you." Few saw it in England as we have long .seen it in America. Imagine Mr. Spurgcon giving his support lo the temperance side. ij SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. 2/3 will the rica bu." It in )ort The temptations environing him none could under- stand, if they had not mingled with the Christian public of England. It was my belief that we should find him with us. My faith was rewarded. This people carried the matter to the Throne of Grace. From that time there was one that daily brought the subject be- fore the hearer of prayer, and when at last the pastor of the Tabernacle became a total abstainer, and the President of the Temperance Society, there was joy beyond the power of speech to describe. Mr. Spur- geon became an abstainer, not because of the gout which he inherited from his grandfather, who, per haps in his turn inherited it from Job Spurgcon, who, in the time of the "merry monarch," Charles II, lay on straw for thirteen weeks in Chelmsford Jail for hip ^"-'th, and thus contracted rheumatism. This gout, vvitii infiaenza and congestion of the kidneys, on a frame exhausted by the labors of ten men. shortened his days. The editor of the Alliance Neivs says : " F"rom the time when his two sons were publicly enrolled as lads in the Band of Hope, Mr. Spurgcon has been a friend of temperance work ; and though, for a time, according to a correspondent who knows the facts, he was once opposed to the use of unfermcntcd wine at the Lord's Supper, but he made the change some years ago. The use of the Tabernacle for the annual meetings of the Baptist Total Abstinence Association has been granted for a number of years successively ; and Mr. Spur- geon's personal abstinence was a source of encourage- ment to all temperance workers," > 1' 274 SPURCiEON OUK ALLY. •' Rev. H. L. Wayland, D.D., in the National Baptist of March f 7th, 1893, said : " Eleven years ago at the Annual Conference of the former stuc'cnts of the Pastor's College, one of the students by appointment read a paper on Temper- ance in its relation to religion. In speaking upon it Mr. Spur^^con said : '* I have been an abstainer for several years." One of his former students said to the writer : " Years ago, I put with my own hands the Blue Ribbon on Mr. Spurgeon." No one can over-estimate the value of the state- ments made by his honored brother, or of the addresses to which we now give place : « SpUROKON'S I'ROVERBS. "Idle men tempt the ilcvil to tempt them. He who plays when he should work, has an evil spirit to be his playmate. He who neither works nor plays is a workshop for Satan. If the devil catch a man idle he will set him to work, find him tools, and before long pay him wages. " Is not this where the drunkenness comes from that fills our towns and villages with misery ? Idle- ness is the key of beggary and the root of all evil. I^^ellows have two stomachs for eating aud drinking, when they have no stomach for work. Their mouth swallows up in idle hours that money which should put clothes on the children's backs, and bread on the cottage table. SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. v\ He )irit to ays is w idle Defore from Idle- evil |ikinj^, louth Ihould )n the " We have God's word for it, that the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty, and to show the connection between them, it is said in the same verse, drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. I know that drunken, loose habits grow out of la/.y hours. " I cannot make out why so many vvorkingmen spend their evenings at the public-house, when their own fireside would be so much better, and cheaper too. There they sit, hour after hour, boozing and talking nonsense, and forgetting the dear, good souls at home who are half-starved and weary with waiting for them. Their money goes into the saloon-till when it ought to make their wives and children com- fortable. *' As for the beer they get, it is so much fool's milk to drown their wits in Such fellows ought to be horsewhipped, and those who encourage them, and live on their spendings, deserve to feel the butt-end of the whip. These beer-shops are the curse of the country. I wish the man who made the law to open them, had to support all the families they have brought to ruin. " Beer-shops are the enemies of the home, and the sooner their licenses are taken away, the better Poor men do not need such places, nor rich men cither. They are all worse, and no better. Anythi'if^ that hurts the home is a cur.se, and ought to be hunted down." )t I i 276 SJ'UKOKUN OL'K ALLY. The Drink God. ' Some worship a Deity quite as horrible as Moloch, whose name in olden time was Bacchus, the god of the wine -cup and the beer-barrel. They pay their eager devotions at his shrine. They were drunk last night. They may possibly keep sober to-day, but they will not let many days more pass, before they will again stagger before their abominable idol. " Many worshippers of Bacchus do not drmk so as to be found drunk and incapable upon the street. Oh, no ; they go up-stairs to their beds in their own houses, but still they must know that they are verging upon intoxication. Woe unto such who, while they prerend tobe worshipi)ers of Jehovah, are worshippers of th-^ beastly god of drunkenness. " I have had cause to fear that with some there has been secret drinking, and this hardened the heart. Remember that secret drinking is as evil as public drinking. If a man who has drunk too much gets quietly to bed, and thinks he is not a sinner, because nobody has seen him, docs that make any difference, do you think, in the sight of God ? I do not think so. When a man drinks so that he numbs his con- science, even though he might not call himself a drunkard, yet there is the same sin in the sight of God. " How provoking this adulterated religion must be to God ! It is even provoking to God's ministers to be pestered with men whose hypocrisies weaken the force of their testimony. These people are suio to worship God, and when outsiders come into the I SrURGEOX AND TEMPERAN'CE. 2/7 assembly, they spy out these hypocrites, and straifjht- way charge the holy Jesus with all their faults. Thus the holy God is dishonored by these hypocrites. True religion suffers from their falsehood. One may fancy the Lord Jesus saying : " Come now, if you must needs serve the devil, do it ; but do not loiter around My gates and boast of being My servants." "I put this very plainl)'. Ma}* God, the Holy Spirit, apply the words where they need to be applied, that those who are fearing the Lord, and serving other gods, may repent, and turn in very deed and truth to the Most High." nee, link t of be to the to ithc It Must Rk Fought. " The liquor .served out {nv public consumption at our gin-palaces, beer-houses, and drinking-bars, if all be true, would defile the foulest kennel ; and if the whole stock were poured into Barking Creek it would be well. Ordinary hard drinking does quite mischief enough, without the added horror of the fact, that men and women swallow .seas of disgusting mixtures, in which cocculus indicus, fox-glove, green copperas, hartshorn-shavings, hen-bane, jalap, nut-galls, nux vomica, opium, vitriol, potash, quassia, yew-tops, and alum are the choicer ingredients. No wonder the topers grow mad drunx ; the marvel is they do not die outright. It ought to need no persuasion to lead men totally to abstain from such abominations as the beers and porters, the wines and spirits of most o( our licensed poison-shops. I ! 11 ■If 278 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " This demon of drink must be fought, for it swal- lows men by thousands, makes their homes wretched, their children paupers, and their souls the prey of the devil. There should be combined and vigorous action among all temperate men, for such a control of licenses, that the dens of drunkenness shall be made far less numerous, to say the least, and if we went in for .still severer restriction, so much the better. We are unmistakably overdone with gin-palaces and beer- houses ; they are thrust upon us at every street-corner ; they are multiplied beyond all pretense of demand. Not the public good, but the publican's good, appears to be the aim of the licensers. Quiet neighborhoods cannot spring up, because the beer-houses rise simul- taneously ; or if such a thing should for a few months be seen under heaven as a sober region, universally respectable, and guiltless of intoxication, the Bacchan- alian missionary soon opens his temple and converts the population to the common error of drinking ways. It is true the demand for drink creates the supply, but it is as surely true, that the all surrounding omnipre.sence of the .stimulant suggests and propa- gates the craving. ** At any rate, no two opinions can exist upon one point — namely, that the accursed habit of intoxica- tion lies at the root of the main part of our poverty, misery, and crime." 5ipm'geon and Tewperance, [A nine day's Blue Ribbon Mission, in connection with the Metropolitan Tabernacle Total Abstinence Society, was commenced in the Tabernacle Lecture SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. 279 Hall, Rev. C. H. Spurgcon, President of the Society in the chair. Mr. Spurgeon, after reading and ex- pounding a portion of the third chapter of the Gospel of St. John, offered prayer, and subsecjuently said :] — " I feel exceedingly great pleasure in seeing so many of you here this evening. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, you are not to be carried away by any idea, that salvation is to come by wearing blue ribbons and drinking water. It would be a very easy thing to save people, if that were the way. Oh, no ; salvation is by th-^ death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and change of heart is necessary ! ' Not that which goeth into the mouth defilcth a man.' It is not meats and drinks, or divers external washings ; it is the re- newal of the Holy Ghost, and the changing of the heart, that can make a man right before God. You know that. Still, at the same time, you and I who are thus blest, feel that we would do anything to bless our feliowmen. We desire, first of all, the greatest work to be done for them ; but anything else that is good, and right, and pure, .and honest, and healthy, we desire to pro- mote also. I am sure that we would all as Christian people go in for cleanliness. If I were to give a lecture to-night about the propriety of good drainage and cleanly dwellings, you would not say that I was opposing the Gospel, would you ? You would not tell me that I was dishonoring the cross of Christ ? No, you are not such fools as that. Then, if I began to talk to people about being temperate, about escap- ing from the dreadful curse of drunkenness, dare you say I am tampering with the Gospel ? Will you tell \ I 28o SPURGKON OUR ALLY. mc that tliis is an inferior theme ? What a super- celestial being you must be ! You know I hardly believe in you ; because when a man is so supremely spiritual that his mind is entirely occupied with heavenly thin<^s, why, I expect him, of course, to forget to eat his breakfast ; I expect to see him by degrees, forget to put his clothes on in the morning ; I expect to see him gradually melt away into a spiri- tual being, without body or bone. His substance will spiritualize into a shadow, and when he has gone nobody will miss him. He was so very ethereal that he has gone to his own place, and no doubt they will welcome him there. He was not particularly useful here below. Dear brethren and sisters, you want to do all that you can while you are living in this world. Well, you do not doubt that drunkenness is a great curse to men. Do you know of any way in which they can be saved from drunkenness — any way in which they can be rescued from strong drink — except by total abstinence? If you do, I do not; but if you do know of a better and more effectual method, I pray you try it. Did you say that you did not take too much ? ' That is another question ; for a very little may in some sense be too much. Those who excuse them- selves, rather accuse themselves. I never thought that you did take too much ; but now that you say that you do not — well, it looks serious. May I be allowed to say that I suppose that what you do take, you profess to take for your health ! I think you are mistaken. I do not believe that it is SPURGKON AND TEMPERANCE. 281 for your health. I do not believe that it does any mortal man the least good. Of course, that is merely my belief But somebody says : ' Oh, well, it gives strength to a fellow ! ' Does it ? There is no strength in it, and it can- not give what it does not possess. The strongest people in tlie world do without it ; and those creatures that are stronger than any of our race do without it. For instance, horses and elephants and lions, and all sorts of strong things, do very well without it. Even steam-engines of a hundred horse-power do without it. I have never heard of its being necessarx to apply any kind of spirit to them, in order to get them to work. I am sure, dear friends, that alcohol does you no good ; and the little strength that it appears to give you, is a kind of bill that is drawn on the next two or three hours, to be heavily paid for afterwards. You get excited by the spirit, and so you jump over the hedge ; but when you reach the other side, you lie there exhausted by the reaction. It docs not do you any real or permanent good, but it may do you real harm. But suppose that it did do you good. Are >'ou living simply to get good to your own body. I think that you as a Christian man, will not make that a very prominent object in life. That should be ver\ far back in the list. If, by doing what does hurt to others, you get good yourself, you are not therefore excused. Standing on the highest planeof Christianit)-, our first concern must be our doing good to others. I ii< ly IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 7 / o // ,v C-Px .*' 4?- &?< >co f^r :/ 1.0 I.I 1.25 • :iii!.3i iiiM 11^ 1= 12.0 llitt U ill 1.6 ^ c^ e ^3 ^ ^1 V o 7 M Photographic Sciences CoriDoration t^ A^ M V \ \ <^ A f» «• -^. 6^ 2.^ "VEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, r<.Y. 14580 ( 716) 872-4503 zp< 282 SPUKGEON OUR ALLY. do not think you will be much hurt by giving up the glass. At any rate, try it. A very small graveyard will be big enough to bury all the good people who die through giving up the drop of beer. No God's acrB will be required — a tiny plot will more than suffice. I think that I may offer to officiate for nothing at all their funerals ; not that I ever did get anything out of burying anybody. I should be inclined even to give something to enjoy the high honor of burying such very good people. We do not often bury individuals who are warranted to have died through not taking poison. This alcohol does no good at all. It is of the utmost dregs of superstition to suppose that there can be any strength in it. There is none whatever. Not only science, but common-sense must teach us that. It is arrant nonsense that wine, beer and spirits strengthen anybody. Then what does alcohol go for.? It goes to in- flame the blood. It goe.<^ to create angry passions. It goes to arouse licentiousness, to awaken wrath, to degrade manhood, to ruin souls, and to fill this world with beggary and sin. " Do you not think, dear friends, that though it may be quite proper for you to take a glass of wine or a glass of beer, and there is no sin in the thing at all, your example may be injurious to somebody to whom it would be a sin to take it ? Perhaps some persons cannot take a glass without taking two, three, four, five, or six glas.ses. You can stop, you know ; but if your example leads them to start, and they cannot stop, is it right to .set them going ? Though SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. ?83 you have a clear head, and can stand in a dangerous place, I would not recommend you to go there, if some- body else would thus be placed in danger. If I were walking by the cliffs of Dover, and I happened to have a very fine cool head, like that young lady who walks on the top of a rope at the Crystal Palace, yet if I had my sons with me, and I knew that they had ordinary kinds of heads, I should not like to go and stand just on a jutting bit of crag, so as to induce them to try the same position. No ; I should feel, ' Though I can stand here, you cannot ; and if I stand here, herhaps you will attempt it, and fall, and I shall be guilty of your blood.' Brethren, let us treat men as we would treat our sons, and let us be weak to their weakness, and deny ourselves for their sakes. Is not that good and proper reasoning ? It seems to me that it is, If it is not good reasoning, it is safe. I have never asked God to forgive me for my sin in going without strong drink. I have never seen any commandment in Scripture showing that I am bound to take it. I feel free to do as I like about abstaining, but especially free, when for the good of others, I prefer to abstain altogether " I wish, dear Christian people, you would give up your little drops, if for nothing else, for the sake of leading people to save their money. This is a time of great poverty ; many people cannot get anything to do, and they are starving. Yes, then of course the public-houses are not doing any trade ? Is it not sad that in those quarters where the people are the poor- est they spend the most on drink ? What can this mean ? People are starved, but there is no need for 1 i! li 1 1 1 \ '*"• >v, m I f- ! 284 SPURGEON OUR ALLV. II ■ " i anybody to starve. The waste alone in money spent on alcoholic drinks would go far to keep us all re- spectably. It is wonderful how little a person can live on, if he will but keep himself in proper check, and consume only that which is absolutely reedful I could live on threepence a day, and have frequently made a full meal for one penny. For the last seven or eight months I have eaten no meat of any sort or kind whatever, but I have lived on purely vegetable food, and I am a hundred per cent a better man for it. I am a stronger person altogether. I do not, however, come here to preach vegetarianism to you, because I have not tried it long enough ; but the fact that I am alive myself, and that I enjoy life, and that I am in respectable health and strength, and a great deal stronger than I ever remember having been before, and a great deal lighter, and more vigorous, and more full of mental energy than I was, convinces me that, if one man can live so, other people can live so ; and 1 do not see why our poor people should not try it. A man asked me very piteously to help a poor person who did not get a bit of meat more than once a week. " Well," I said, " I know a poor man who does not get a bit of meat once a month !" However, we will allow meat to be a very proper thing for the most of people, though not for me. Those who are carnivorous animals require it. I do not hap- pen to be a carnivorous animal, and I do not require it. Meat is proper enough ; but this alcohol does no good at all. SPURGEON AND TEMPERANCE. 285 Well may we be a nation of beggars, if we are a nation of drinkers. No good comes of drink. I can go into a workman's house, and I will not speak to anybody about him ; but I can tell you in three minutes whether he is a teetotaler or not. Look at the furniture and arrangements of the man's house, and judge for yourself The abstainer's room is like a little palace There is everything in it for convenience and comfort. How did he get it ? Oh, he has good wages ! No, it so happens that the persons I am thinking of, have not particularly good wages ; that is not the root of the matter. I go into another house, and poverty reigns there. There is a candle stuck in a ginger-beer bottle. The whole thing is dilapidated, and the children are down at the heel, and the wife looks wretched ; and they all look half-starved. This man has bad wages. No, he has not. This man has half as much again as the tenant of the first house. Why has he not the furniture, then ? Why has he not the blankets for the bed ? Why has he not the shoes and stockings for the children ? He has swallowed them all. He has swallowed bed- steads and chests of drawers. He drank an eight-day clock at one sitting. He drank the table ; he drank his wife's shoes ; and he drank his own Sunday bree- ches. If I were talking like this to the negroes some- where in the centre of Africa, they would say that it could not be true. But it is understood here, because it is so common. You know that every word of it is true ; and it is being done thousands of times over in this city every week ; and the misery and the cry of I ! '1 ! ; ■' i V 286 SPUROEON OUR ALLY. it go Up before God into Heaven, and they say to every one of us, " Set your foot down, and set an ex- ample against this crying, this destroying evil, every one of you, as much as is in your power." If you have been in the habit of giving way to strong drink, I should recommend you to sign the pledge, and put on the blue ribbon ; but I recommend you, beyond that, to make the Lord Jesus Christ your trust and your confidence, and you will have a some- thing at your back, when you sign the pledge, that will help you to keep it. You will then become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Friends, if you find that even the least drinking, or the least of anything, hinders you from giving your heart to Christ, give it up ; for does not Jesus say : " If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee ? " We had better give up everything than lose our souls. We bad better deny ourselves any kind of lawful pleasure, than permit lawful pleasure to lead us into unlawful excess. When a man took the vow of a Nazarite that he would drink no more of the wine- cup, he was exhorted never to walk through a vine- yard. He might not go near the forbidden thing. It would not have hurt him to walk through a vineyard, nor yet to eat the grapes ; but he had better keep away from the grapes, if he does not want to drink of the wine. This was wisdom for a Nazarite, and it is not folly for us. As for you and me, let us keep as clear as ever we can of the devil. To keep out of his company, keep as far as you can from everything with which he tempts and deludes our fellows. Flee SPURGKON AND TKMPERANCi: 287 the wine-cup, wherein the evil spirit lurketh ; and may God bless us and save us, for Christ's sake ! Amen." Is it wise to ignore the fact that the great preacher became the champion of Temperance for all the world because of his love for God and his fellow- man ? Is it possible to over-estimate the value of such an ally as was brought to the cause of Temperance through the conversion to total abstinence of Charles H addon Spurgeon ? To appreciate it properly, contemplate what would have been the disaster to morality and Christianity had he gone down, a wreck and a ruin, because of strong drink. On his fiftieth birthday, he said : " It may be that we are only in midvoyage. May that voy ige end in landing our freight in port, and not as some life-passages have terminated, namely, in in an utter wreck of every hope." The voyage is ended. The harbor is gained, and the gallant ship, bruised and battered though it may have been with storms, has gone with full sail into the haven of eternal rest, while the Christian people of all lands fill the air with hallelujahs, because the battle was fought out to a triumphant finish, and the heroic soldier hears his *' Well done," in the presence of the Redeemed. ii i\ i n I 1 '§ n •' : ■ 1 *i i I'llN }.\ H CHAPTER XVI, CHARLES H. SPURGEON, ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION FAR ASTRAY. " Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way, and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Hear, O earth : behold I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." — Jkr. vi. 18, 19. " Keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you.." — 1 Cor. xi. 2. i . ■| . : i ' t f-;i 1 \0 rate Charles H. Spurgeon as a great Baptist is to make a great mistake. He was a great Immersionist, and had he been as scriptural concern- ing Communion, as in regard to Baptism, the condi- tion of Baptist Churches in England had been greatly- improved. While he was our ally in preaching Christ, and a Believer's Baptism, on the question of Communion, he must stand forth as an illustration of the dire effects of attempting to improve, for any reason, upon the Divine order of the Ordinances. False in one, false in many. Untrue in one Ordinance, untrue in other requirements is the terrible truth. 1 ON THE COMMUNION (QUESTION, FAR ASTRAV. 289 In a letter received from the Rev. James A. Spur- geon, the honored Pastor of the Metropohtan Taber- nacle, says : " I quite agree with my brother, that if I were in America, I would not open the question of Commu- nion, but stand in line with our Strict Brethren there, and I never send out a man who will not maintain that position, as I feel more harm than good can come of any changes, or discussion upon it." The trouble lies, that inviting to the table of the Lord those who have not been baptized on profession of faith, which alone is real baptism. It is unscriptural illogical, and unhistorical. Coming to America does not change their relations to Baptist Churches. The fact that they walked disorderly in London clouds their future in the United States. Mr. Spurgeon could hardly realize, that his receiv- ing unbaptized people to the Lord's Table would have shut him out from fellowship with Baptists, had he come to the United States. All understand that when Mr. Spurgeon began his ministry the trend was to Open Communion, largely because of the influence of the Rev. Robert Hall, D.D., of Cambridge, where Spurgeon found his early religious home. The Strict Communionists were in many instances Antinomian, and were opposed to missions and Sabbath Schools. Robert Hall contended for the right to reject the ordinance of baptism, as an exercise of Christian liberty. Can the liberty to disobey Christ be justly called Christian ? When sincerity rather than obedi- ence becomes the test of discipleship, the foundation of Baptist principles disappears. The fruit of Open If 290 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. II 1^ ' ' Communion was mixed membership, and in many of the so-called Baptist Churches the ordinance of Bap- tism is seldom administered. Pcdobaptists are received to membership on equal terms with the baptized ; they are chosen to office, a:id even, ui some cases, to the pastorate. The Metropolitan Tabernacle provided against this latter peril in their deed. They opposed a mixed membership by insisting on all members being im- mersed. Where they differed from the Close Communion- ists, was in their allowing unimmersed persons to come to the Communion Table ; but these were told after a suitable trial, that they must go elsewhere unless they were willing to profess their faith by Im- mersion, and unite with the Church. Mr. Spurgcon said 'he had more patience with the Strict Com- munion Churches, than with those who had run the free Communion to the extent of receiving to their membership persons who had not been immersed.' Spurgeon was our ally in preaching the Gospel, as far as he saw the truth, but on the Communion question he was far astray. Is not the result of his teaching an object lesson for all the world ? About this nothing is being said, and we are cautioned to say nothing concerning it. Is not this the time to speak, and help those now in doubt and perplexity ? The following, in the wake of D. L. Moody — who ignores God's most positive commands concerning the ordinances — cries out against telling the truth ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION, FAR ASTRAY, 291 about the mistake of Spurgeon in regard to the Lord's Supper, forgetful that the real danger appears when we suppress the truth, not when we tell it. Another has said ' that critics had better be care- ful how they meddle with the bones of the dead lion of the Tabernacle.' This came, because I proposed to show that Spurgeon was our ally in fighting Rome, but made the mistake of his life when he tried to be a go-between on the Communion question, and did not let The New Testament have the right of way in the Metropolitan Tabernacle. A wiser than the guardian of the * dead lion of the Tabernacle ' said : " For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope : for a living dog is better than a dead lion." Ec. ix, 4. It is not at this late date we have spoken about the wreck and ruin wrought by Open Communion. It was in 1868 when the cloud that darkened so much of our denominational sky appeared, threaten- ing an eclipse if not something worse, to our hopes and church life. Then there was almost a preter- natural strength in the Baptist host. At this time in America we were marching on to mighty conquests ; a pastor of Newport, R.L, departed from denominational usage by rejecting the Scrip- tnral law with respect to the order of the or dinances, and still claimed the right to a place in the Baptist Church, and quoted the English Church as an illustra- tion of what might be done. IP! li I I '1; ill 292 SrURClKON OUR ALLY. lull 1 i ■i > The temptation has come to others. Looked at from one standpoint there is much to commend the departure. You can be called Liberal, {Liberal ivitk wJiat is not your oivn.) Thousands will agree with you in regard to Immersion being the original mode of baptism, who are utterly opposed to Close Com- munion, forgetting that it is in a Close Baptism, where all the trouble lies ; for if all would obey the first command, there would be no trouble regarding the second. I was once for three months in a Congregational Church as a supply. Hundreds were coming to Christ, and desired baptism at my hands. Friends offered to put a baptistry into the Church, and let me immerse all that I chose, and while they would be baptized into the Congregational Church, I could commune with only the immersed. Why could I not do it ? Only for this reason, — the Word of God commands me to ' withdraw myself from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the instructions which ye received from us.' II Thess. • • • ^ HI, 5. The same truth held me from communing with Spurgeon in the Tabernacle, and caused the brethren in Paris to refuse to permit ' a good, Independent sister to remain at their Communion.' Mr. Spurgeon regarded himself as occupying middle ground between the two extremes of strict and free Communion. He had no right to occupy an equivocal position. God wanted him on His side wholly. This statement will give pain to many. !i^ ON THE COMMUNION (^)UI':STION, FAR ASTRAY, 293 ring trict It was in i860, or thereabouts, I heard Wendell Philips speak in Cooper Union in regard to an im- perilled country, and among other things he said : " There is VVm. H. Sew^ard, the idol of America, who has just returned from wandering amid the broken columns of European Republics. He lands upon our shores. The Presidential horse is tall ; Wm. H. Seward is short. He must needs find a horse- block that he may mount to the Presidential saddle. In looking around he sees the cross of John Brown, and climbs upon it that he may reach the desired position." Before he had half-finished the se;;'.ence his voice was drowned with hisses. The o'l'eat orator rr\used a moment, and, with hi inimitab.^ sm'le, I >oked over the . udience, and in a sad tone of voir, cried : " Don't hiss me for tha*:. I loved liim better than you all. He has the brains of the Republican party, and you are only pasteboard pictures of him ! " This I can say, I loved the great Spurgeon as well as any others. It was when we sat together in his room I begged him to reconsider his position on the Com- munion question, for the sake of the millions whose ear he had as had no other living man. There and then I told him of the crucial moment that had ar- rived in our denominational life. I felt then and said, on my return to my pulpit in Tremont Temple, in 1868: 1* ion. ent " Infinite wisdom is a Divine attribute. It is finite to err, to go astray, to hew out cisterns that hold no water, to believe that pro^^ress is secured by loosing i'*itf" mi fWi I i i'tf 1 ^' ' n p * m -^ i:f' i f ■' \ > ' Si >■ ' ' f '■ ■ : 1-3 '■■'■' H ill*' m. -94 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. from God and letting go of the Divine hand, and turning aside from the old paths marked out by In- spiration, and pointed out by prophet, priest, and Saviour Solomon knew better. He believed in God as the eternal Author of the good and true, whose ways are not man's ways, and whose thoughts are not man's thoughts ; and so he wrote : " The thing that hath been it is that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the sun." It is impossible to pass beyond the confines of the divine plan, or to devise methods which shall be an improvement upon those which come to us from God. To those who love Christ the " Bible is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction, which has God for its Author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter." Hence, the Bible furnishes the true centre of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions should be tried. Let us rejoice in this fact, and stand in the ways which truth provides, and standing there, look about, and ask for the " old paths," for those trodden by Christ's feet, and enquire, " Where is the good way ?" and having found it, walk therein, and then we shall find rest for our souls. The peril which threatened Israel confronts us. We are prone to wander as the sparks to fly upward. Voyagers on shipboard notice with what regularity, and with what persistency the commander demands an observation, that the true course of the ship may be determined, and that the distances travelled may be measured. If cloud and fog prevail, and if the sun be hidden, uneasiness takes possession of passengers love ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION, FAR ASTRAY, 295 and crew, because of the uncertainty which fills the mind of the officer on whom the burden rests. The words of the prophet invite the Church to seek an observation, and to this end he commands, " Stand ye in the ways, and seek and ask for the old paths." This work is essential to the health of the Church now. Hence, our obligation to those who, like the prophet, have, in the fear of God, endeavoured to recall attention to the old paths, and have defended the old ways, cannot be overestimated. Those who accept the word of God as a supreme authority in matters of faith and practice, are right in " contending for the divinely appointed order of baptism before the Lord's Supper, and in regarding as an inversion of the Scripture requirement the inviting to the Lord's Table of those who have not been baptized, as being contrary to the prevailing customs of Christendom, as an infringement of the divine law, and a violation of Christian propriety." All honoi to the men who dare give utterance to these sentiments, They recall us to the precedents of the past, to the teachings of Christ, and to the exam- ple of the Apostles, the true source of denominational strength. Let us hope that the spirit invoked may strengthen and bless the Church." By some the report has been circulated that the Bapti.sts of America were beginning to tire of the restrictions of the Gospel, and were seeking affiliation with those who are a law to themselves. The almost universal support given to the position that " baptism is the pre-requisite to Communion," and that inviting those who have not been baptized is an infringement of t I 1 296 SPUKGEON OUR ALLY. :!;;* i f > the divine law, disproves the utterance and enables us to assert with boldness that, while we desire a union in Christ wi't/i > » v !.:. i ■ : V i! i: H-i r 316 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. privileges of a church relation, and io the Lord's Supper^ in which the members of the church, by the use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ, preceded always by self-examina- tion." Our warrant for this is a divine command, and an Apostolic practice. That Open Communion is not of Christ appears from the examples and teachings of Christ. Even John's baptism was a separating ordinance. It was a pre-requisite to Christ's fel- lowship and welcome. Christ is our example. He was immersed by John in the Jordan, that he might fulfil all righteousness. By so doing he entered within the pale of that com- munion of thought and fellowship awaiting the establishment of the New Dispensation, and became an example to all. Therefore, the disciples were commanded to follow Christ. His baptism not only declared a separation from the world, but it prefigured his death and resurrection, facts ever in his mind, and to be forever in the mind of the Church. •' Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." — Rom. vi. 4. Jesus commanded his disciples to " go forth into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." Open Com- munionists by their conduct declare that baptism may be dispensed with. If a believer can do as he chooses about being baptized, why may not the unconverted find a warrant to trifle with the first portion of the com- f i I ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION, FAR ASTRAY, 317 mand? As Richard Baxter well said : " This para- mount law of the great institutor, the commission, is not like some occasional historical mention of baptism, but is the very command of Christ, and purposely expresseth their several works, in their several places and order. Their first work is by teaching to make disciples which Mark calls believers. The second work is to baptize them. The third work is to teach them all other things which are afterwards to be learned in this school of Christ. To contemn this order is to renounce all modes of order. That this order is divinely prescribed may be proven by a refer- ence to Matthew xxviii. 19, 20 : •' Go ye therefore," said Jesus, " and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you ; and lo ! I am with you alway, even to the end of the world " This is the statute of the Christian Church. The Apostles understood it, and so it is written in Acts ii. 41, 42. " Then they that gladly received his word were bap- tized ; and they continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers." In proof that we have Apostolic example in sup- port of the doctrine that baptism is a pre-requisite to Communion, we refer to the apostles. They first preached the Gospel ; secondly, the people believed it ; and, thirdly, they that believed were baptized ; and, fourthly, they that received the Word were baptized, and " continued steadfastly in I I 1 [ill 318 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers^ Those who deny this order are compelled to claim that the apostles were unbaptized. Jesus set them the example of being baptized. They followed Jesus. Now, because the date of their baptism is not given, is it to be supposed that they were not baptized ? Having denied the baptism of the apostles, Open Communionists declare that in giving them the broken bread and the poured-out wine he furnished an example for the practice of Open Communion. Christ placed the table within the sacred enclosure of the baptized membership, and \h\iiS forever established the Divine order of baptism as the pre-requisite to Communion. This Divine order is established in the same way, and by the same authority, which furnishes us the ground work of our faith in an organized church, and in the observance of the Christian Sabbath. Let those who call for the declaration of its being divinely appointed, remember that Apostolic precedent and example are, in many things in the church, our law. If anything is established, the order is established that faith precedes baptism, that baptism is a pre- requisite to the Lord's Table. Open Communion is not of Christ, because it refuses to carry out the com- mission. It produces weakness in the body. Open Communion in the Baptist churches of England worked the same disastrous results which attended the Open Communionism of the Orthodox churches in America. The truth was sacrificed to error, and error won the day. That Unitarian church F ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION, FAR ASTRAY. 319 of Ich ox to kh ( in Plymouth where the Mayflower landed, and \n Boston where Elliot preached, prove that the lack of positivity in faith is a curse, though it disguises the tact. In England, Baptists have but little power. In deed, as an English writer says, " To be a Baptist in England involves a sacrifice of social standing." Do we seek the cause, we find it in the fact, that they have but little self-respect. They profess in one breath that Immersion alone is Baptism, and in the next declare that it is of no importance whether the believer is baptized at all. With one hand they build^ with the other they destroy. Instead of taking front as the Baptists in America have done, the denomina- tion occupies an inferior position. A few illustrious names give prominence to their several churches, but there is no strength in the creed, nor power in the faith that is held by them. Open Communionism opposes the spirit of Christ. It begets a feeling of opposition to those who obey Christ. An Open Communionist is a gun spiked by the opposition. As a citadel held by the enemy, their power is against, rather than for the truth. The most intolerant men you meet with in England, towards Baptists, are Open Communionists. The Open Communion Baptists in America are fitly de- scribed as men *' of the sorrowful countenance." They are not true to Christ whom they profess to preach, nor to the denomination with which they profess to affiliate. They are quarrelers at home, and disputants abroad. They profess a charity for strangers and 320 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. t W (, are filled with contention in their own households. They are not keepers at home. Open Communion is to be opposed, because it destroys denominational unity, without conferring any blessing in return. Nowhere has church indepen- dence been more strictly or sacredly maintained than among the Baptists of the United States ; and no- where are there to be found more closely associated with that independence the principles and the prac- tices of denominational co-operation. Our large missionary organizations, the colleges, and seminaries we have built and supported, the papers which voice denominational, as well as religious thought, are pro- lific sources of public sentiment. Our increasing power as a denomination, and the commanding posi- tion we have attained as a religious body, are notice- able features of denominational life, and proofs of the wisdom of holding to, and of asserting, and of main- taining a positive and an aggressive faith founded on a " Thus saith the Lord." The invitation to seek the old paths, the paths marked out by Christ, and walk therein, comes to us with peculiar emphasis, and gives a promise of rest and peace, essential to denominational progress and strength. This promise is for us. Experience con- firms its truth, and commands us to proclaim it to the ends of the earth. Pcsit) vity of faith is not a misfortune. Rome builds vp her colossal power because of it. If Rome can do this without Christ, what ought we to do with Christ ? There is rest in having a " Thus saith the Lord," and in standing upon the foundations laid by Christ and the apostles. K^ ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION, FAR ASTRAY. 32 1 In the pathless wild, or on the trackless sea, it is worth everything to see that the guide who leads, or the pilot who steers, has confidence in himself. Napoleon at Lodi was worth thirty thousand men on the battle-field, but after the burning of Moscow he was not equal to a common soldier. So with Spur- geon. lu the Baptismal Regeneration controversy, voicing the Word of God, he was a colossal power ; but, when he had set aside the plain teachings of the Word of God regarding the Lord's Supper, and set an example of trifling with the teachings of the word of Scripture, because the church, he judged, would not be ready to follow him, he lost his grip on truth, and when the Down Grade controversy came on, he was shorn of his strength, and failed to carry the people with him. Many English churches practice Strict Communion. The Rev. B. O. Davis, of Rochdale, England, declared before the Southern Baptist Convention in May, 1891, that the Close Communionists constitute a majority of Baptists in Great Britain. In Wales there are 91,479 Baptists, almost to a man Close Communionists. In Scotland, 33,637, nearly all Close Communionists. We have in England at least 60,000 Close Commun- ionists. In the United Kingdom we have a total of 185,116 Close Communionists. There are 134,630 Open Communionists. Within a few years steps have been taken, to bring the Strict Baptists into a closer connection with their American brethren, and these efforts promise good results on both sides of the Ocean. 1i' 322 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. At the present time, most of the English Baptists are united by the Baptist Union of Great Britain, a Home Missionary and Social Organization. From th?s Mr. Spurgeon withdrew in 1888, because of what he held to be a Down Grade tendency in the theology of many in its membership. " He was not followed," said Mr. Vedder, (p. 146 in his '* History of the Baptists,") " by any considerable number of ministers or churches, and the strength of the Union remains practically unimpaired." The strict churches sustain a Tract and Book Society in London, and a Theological School in Manchester. Other Theological schools are located at Bristol, Rawdon, London (in connection with the Metropolitan Tabernacle) Regent's Park, Pontypool, Haverford-West. The churches also sustain societies for Bible translation, Foreign Missions, the support of aged ministers and the like. In these enterprises the Baptists of Wales unite with those of Scotland and England to a considerable extent. But there is weakness in Great Britain because of those divisions of which the Baptists of the United States are in happy ignorance. Open Communionism is the cause of division and of terrible hostility. Those knights of a doubtful cause claim the right to enjoy the sympathy of those they betray, as well as of those they liope to conciliate ; and failing in the first instance they become sour, uncomfortable, and unhappy. The hardest things said in England against Baptists who teach the divine order of Baptism as a pre-requisite to Communion, come from Open Communion Baptists. t ON THE COMMUNION QUESTION. FAR ASTRAY, 323 There, as everywhere, fidelity to principle has the promise of triumph. In the midst of this sinful and gamsaymg world, there is a moral of which God is the author and man the subject. Men and denomina- ^ons may make the attempt to ignore it, but in vain. Right IS right because God is God. Truth has power because God is truth. " Banner of the blessed tree, Round its glory, gather ye ; Warriors of the crown and cross, What is earthly gain and loss ? ' Royal is the sword we wield, Royal is our battle field, Royal is our victory. Royal shall our triumph be." ^1 J "1 [ CHAPTER XVII. THE VICTORY OVER OPEN COMMUNiON IN AMERICA. i # I '' li ii w " And ye shall know the truth, and the trwth shall makeyou free."— John viii. 32. JN more ways than one, the " Union Jack " and the ^ *• Stars and Stripes," represent two Governments, and one great cause. Reh'gious Liberty means one and the same thing in both countries. When the war for the Union was raging, the effort was made to have Great Britain side with slavery. In vain. No sooner was the Emancipation Proclamation passed, and Abraham Lin- coln had stepped to his true place, than the heart-throb of English lovers of liberty came into touch with the lovers of liberty in America, and we were one. So on this question of loyalty to the Word of God, we must be a unit. Spurgeon might have been our leader in the conflict of the loyal and true, for the unfurled banner of an open Bible. The Baptists of the United States were compelled to go on without him. It was nothing that he said : " If I were in America, I would join you." We did not need him in America as we needed him in Eng- 324 I ll :lled taid : did :ng- VICTORY OVER OPEN COMMUNION IN AMERICA. 325 land. It was there Open Communion found her allies, who tried to undermine the foundations of our faith, and leave us defenceless and shorn of our strength. It was my belief then and there that the Chris- tians of England were an hour-shot ahead of the ministers. Here is a fact. When I preached for Mr. Spurgeon, the deacons caaie and asked me to go to their Communion table. I declined. They asked me why ? I told them frankly, because they admitted to the table of the Lord the unbaptized, and if I should commune with them, I would be betraying the Baptist cause at home, as well as proving disobe- dient to the command of the Apostle, which reads : *' Now we command you, brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the instruction ye have received from us." — 2 Thess. iii. 6. As never before, Paul's words sounded down to me, "Therefore brethren stand fast, and hold the instructions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle." No sooner had I said it, than the deacons withdrew and left me alone. Then came these words ; they seemed to sound down to me for my comfort and support : " Now our Lord Jesus Christ, himself, and God, even our Father who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." — 2 Thess, 2, 15-17. ■■'. 1 i' !i i h HI I: : 326 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. There I was alone, it seemed to me a long while, but God had strengthened me. The deacons returned and brought me a large edition of their " Own Hymn Book," with the names of Thomas and William Olney, deacons of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in it, and saying, " we believed you would do as you have done, before we asked you, and give you this book, as a testimonial of our regard for a Baptist who lives up to his convictions of what is duty," One of them invited me to go to dinner, and presented me with an elegantly bound copy of "The H '^•"' of the Dedication of the Tabernacle." This pre /t me, that there are staying qualities in that Church ior Baptist principles. T/ie Secret Circular. No sooner did I return to the United States, than there were intimations, increasing in quantity, that the Baptist Denomination was soon to be rent in twain, and that the brightest and most popular ministers of the Denomination were going over to Open Communion. My experiences in England were of immense value to me. The Secret Circular met us at the Anniversaries in Chicago. It was entitled " A plea for Liberty in the matter of the Lord's Supper." It was printed, not published. The attempt was to get one hundred and fifty signatures, when it was to be published, as well as printed. Dr. Bright got hold of it and spread it out on the broad page of The Examiner. The gettcis up of the VICTORY OVER OPEN COMMUNION IN AMERICA, 327 document were very largely those who had betrayed one denomination by becoming Baptists, and were now ready to try their hands at a second betrayal for the purpose of breaking down the faith they pro- fesssed to believe in. They were greatly petted, and nearly all occupied positions of influence. They thought exceedingly well of themselves, TJic Examiner did not cower before them, nor toy with them, but told the truth about the movement and allowed others the same privilege. The Gist of the Circular was found to lie in these words, as well as to lie in several other particulars. " The undersigned Baptist ministers deem it to be their duty to submit to the consideration of their brethren their conviction that differences of opinion concerning the relation of baptism to the Lord's Supper ought to be allowed in the Baptist churches. In making this statement we wish it to be under- stood that we affirm for ourselves the antecedent relation of Baptism to the Lord's Supper as belonging to the perfected condition of the visible church ; and our unprepared ness to adopt any of the theories set forth by those who base a plea for Communion on a denial of such relation." The historical clause was prepared by one formerly a member of a Dutch Reformed Church, and now a Congregationalist. It reads as follows : '* We believe that our history proves that the main- tenance of the sole authority of the Scriptures, the •n : \ M* :'i .■'^ H in he wrong path! What mischief — irreparable in time or j — might 1: wrought ! Why, sir, angels might weep, ana ell woi Id hold carnival ! Pardon the suggestion I make of sucii a p )ssibility. You are not infallible, nor do you desire to be thought so. ■nlly blessed 5 rejo'ced in :complished nea ' house - utterances g upon your ir memories g their lives You ha/e ; and ihanK ittery ; they iversally ad- rathe r as a icw to press you speak, you say it. |ld, but they iTabernacle it : and we e yourself r brethren gs of doct- upon any le v.rong might 1 oi Id hold ssibility. It so. SPURGEON AND T015ACC0. 349 Many hearts have been deeply grieved by your apology for smoking — made in God's House, and forming part of the Sab- bath Worship therein. We feel that a great calamity has over- taken us We stagger under the blow of a giant We shudder when we think of the consequences. T/te greatest power for evil upon earth is the false teaching of a good and great man. The greater and the better the man, the more terrible the evil influence. Sir, have you contemplated the result of your de- fence of smoking ? Have you thought of the result upon the young men who light their cigars, on S .nday evening within the precincts of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, and walk away from God's House puffing a good (sometimes a very bad) cigar, or a short dirty pipe ? Is it well that these young men should be confirmed in their self-indulgence (disgustingly ofiensive to hundredsof their fellow-worshippers) by your powerful voice ! They have no ' intense pain ' to be relieved — No ' weary brain ' to be soothed, and their nightly slumbers need no arti- ficial help Some of them do waste many hours in smoking - they do stint the gifts they ought to bestow on the poor— nay they are often embarrassed to pay their lawful debts — they c'o render their minds less vigorous — and now, in answer to the remonstrances of their friends, they will be ready to say, ^ Spurgeon preaches in favor of Smoking ; let us have a good cigar to the glory of God.' " Have you thought of men of riper years — poor men — who cannot buy tobacco except by depriving their wives and children of the food, or clothing, or education they ought to have ? These men are now armed in triple mail. They are proof against all the assaults of the anti-tobacco ' Pharisees.' ' Spur- geon's Sermon on Smoking ' (so they call it) is at once a hel- met, a sword, and a shield to them. Sir, it is no figure of speech, — it is no rant of a lunatic — it is sober, solemn, awful,. J2 '^O SPURGEON OUR ALLY. i p 1 truth, that pious mothers are ' shedding bitter tears when they contemplate the influence of yout words upon their sons, just acquirmg the filthy habit, ivives are weeping over the en- couragement you have given to their husbands to contmue an expense they cannot afiford ; and children will be deprived of home comforts by those who will plead yout example and ad- vice for their unmanly conduct Sir, I fear your words b^ve given a powerful push downwards to multitudes who are already in the road which leads to tempora' and eternal ruin. ! observe, with some satisfaction, that the tone of your letter to the Editor of the Daily Telegraph is very different from the tone of your Tabernacle address. The earlier utterance was iha^ of defiant championship — the latter, ant.^ more delibeiate one. is softened down to an apology and an excuse. If, in reply to * Brother Pentecost ' you had said just w hat you after- wards wrote^ namely, that youi ' good cigai ' was to be smoked — not as a gratifying indulgence— not for the enjoyment ii would afford— but on account of the ' infirmities of the flesh,' very little objection would have been taken, even by those who are most earnestly opposed to the use of tobacco m any form. Then, you would have afforded no pretext to the young men of your congregation and others to follow your example in smoking, without your motive, and without your excuse. If you had told your people that you only smoked because thereby intense pain was relieved, a weary brain soothed, and refreshing sleep obtained, we should have remembered your abundant labors, your exceptional position, the enormous strain put upon you bodily and mentally, and we should have held our peace. True, we might have thought of one august sufferer, who, in more intense pain, and greater mental weariness, refused and puc away from him the oftered o])iate by which relief could SPURGEOX AND TOBACCO. 351 s when they :ir sons, just »ver the en- continue an deprived of pie and ad- words b^ve 3 are already in. )f your letter int from the terance was e deliberate cuse. If, HI at you after- ) be smoked rijoyment il f the flesh,' y those who 1 any form, nung men of n smokiny. f you had by intense hing sleep |ant labors, upon you >ur peace, r, who, in fused and lef could have been obtained ; but we should have been silent. We -hould hftve looked upon your cigar 'n the same light as we look on Timothy's wine ; and, in our charity, we should have remembered that ' the tlesh is weak.' But your Taber- nacle utterance was defiant. Its teaching was : smoking is right and proper for all men ; and those who s.iy otherwise are adding to God's commandm.°nrs. And, in your letter to the Editor of the Telegraphy though your tone is subdued, and your language that of apology, you are still intolerant and unjust. First, you say that we, anti-Vjbacco advocates, charge you with living in habitual sin. We do not. We say, smokmg is a dirty habit — a bad habit — injurious to the body and nnnd - leading to worse and more ruinous habits ; but we do not say that every man who smokes is li^'ing in habitual sin. We see the habit growing — we mark its ovil effects upon our young men — we discover that it holds tens of thousands in cruel bon- dage — and we try to persuade our young people never to contract the habit, and our older friends to break it off. We declare war to the knife against tobacco, and the drinking customs which go hand in hand with tobacco, but we do not presume to sit in judgment u[)on ) ou or any other man. You must be guided by your own judgment and conscience. To your own Master, you stand or fall. We should like to make a convert of you. We know what a powerful ally you would be. But even while you are arrayed against us, and smiting us with vigorous blows, we believe that you are honest and sincere in your antagonism, and wo feel sure, that if you believed smoking to be an evil thing, you would, at once, and at any coin, abandon it. "You are less charitable in your treatment of us. You call us Pharisees— you insinuate that we are self-righteous— you charge us with adding to the Commandments of God the pre- ! '■' Lii I f 1 !■ l:i m }■' ■! i!! ! 'IIHI: 'tr'ii 352 SPURGFON OUR ALLY. cepls of men — and you intimate that we desire to invade your liberty. Do you really believe all this ? Are the conductors of the Band of Hope at your Metropolitan Tabernacle .1 Com- pany of Pharisees, training up the young * Pharisee Spirit." If you think so, pray give orders to simt it up at once. I do not know whether a pledge aga'nst tobacco is taken with the pledge against intoxicating drinks in the Taber- nacle Band of Hope. Probably so. But if not, it matters little to my argument. The crusade against tobacco is con- ducted on precisely the same principles as the crusade against strong drink, and the arguments by wluch we advocate the one are almost identical with those by which we advocate the other, 'Pharisees,' are we? Well, we are in good company. We follow that arch-Pharisee who said, ' If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, and ' It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything (is it possible that the word ' anything ' can include ' a good cigar'.'') whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.' We .i'no7f tobacco is a stumbling block, and an ofifence, and a cause of \/eakncss to multitudes of our breth- ren — brethren in the Chiirch of Christ — brethren in the bonds of a Conuiion humanity — and so we practice what ' Pharisee Paul teaches, and sacrifice personal indulgence, lest it should be a snare to others. We think we have also a Higher Author- ity and a Greater Example of Him who 'pleased not Himself." May I, without intentional impertinence, illus.rate this ? Two men stand side by side on the platform of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, the one a '* Pharisre," the other Mr. Spurgeon. One describes his pilgrimage along tie steep, rough path of self- denial, and telis us how " he tock his cigar box before the Lord, and cried for help.'' The other prefers the easier, smoother. ■:,i ■ '' ■ i 1 • S i 1 Mk,, 1 1 ■ IM. ( ' 1 ivade your conductors :le .1 Coin- see Spirit." ) at once. :o is taken :he Taber- it matters :co is con- ide against ate the one te the other, pany. We my brother mdeth, and or anything le ' a good nded, or is ock, and an our breth- the bonds ' Pharisee it it should ier Author- t Himself." this ? Two etropoUtan •geon. One Lth of self- |ethe l.ord, smoother, SPURGEON AND TOBACCO. 353 smokier path of self-indulgence, holds fast to the cigar-box. and declares his intention to smoke a good cigar before going to bed. Which of these looks most like Christ ? Which would it be to the advantage Of the young men, who heard both, to follow ? But I wish in this letter to raise a question of far greater im- portance than that of smoking. In defending your " good cigar," you laid down a principle. You indicated a rule of Christian life and conduct Now, Sir (forgive me if I seem uncharitable and harsh) I hold that that principle is false, mischievous, and utterly repugnant to the teaching of Christ and his Apostles. This is a far more important question than that of your right to " smoke a good cigar." If your words about the commandments mean anything, they mean that all that is required of us is obedience to the letter of those commandments. You expressly repud-ite any other law, when you decline to be bound by an eleventh or a twelfth commandment. Did it occur to you that this was a two-edged argument ? If all that is required of us be obedience to the letter of the Decalogue — then ///^nf/ obedience to each command is imperative. You told us (I do not say " Pharisaically") that you do obey all these — though you find it hard work. What ? The fourth ? In every detail ? If so, you are a much maligned man. Pray understand that I am not expounding the law of the two Tables ; I am merely following your exposition of Christian Duty. Clearly, the rule of life you laid down in your defense of smoking is this : — that a Christian man is at liberty to exercise self-indulgence in all matters against which there is no direct and express command in Scripture. I have not so learned Christ. I read the Master's command, " Deny therefore, take up thy cross and follow me," and my chief object in addressing you is to point out the essential vi-^iousness of the principle you 354 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. !M' ii!:'v ■ t laid down. I will do this, not by argument, but by use. Let us hear your utterance, and then listen attentively to the echoes of that utterance which may be imagined to come from persons whose inclination leads them, not to smoking, but to other in- dulgences which Christians condemn, but which are not prohi- bited by express command. The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon says [I quote the Christian WorhVs report.] *' If anybody can show me in the Bible the command, ' Thou shalt not smoke,'' I am ready to keep it : but I haven't found it yet. I find the ten com- mandments, and it is as much as I can do to keep them, and I've no desire to make them into eleven or twelve " "Echo No. i.— "If anybody can show me '..i the Bible the command, 'Thou shalt not frequent the play-house,' ' I am ready to keep it ; but I haven't found it yet. I find ten com mandments, and it is as much as I can do to keep them ; and I ve no desire to make them into eleven or twelve "Echo No 2. — " If anybody can show me in the Bible the command, 'Thou shalt not frequent the race course, and share in the betting, 1 am ready to keep it ; but I haven't found it yet, I find ten commandments and it is as much as I candoto keep them, and I've no desire to make them into eleven or twelve. * Echo Ao 3. — " If anybody can show me in the Bible the command, ' Thou shalt not gamble with cards or dice,' I am ready to keep it ;but I haven't found it yet. I find the ten com- mandments, and itJsas much as I can do to keep them, and I've no desire to make them into eleven or twelve. '■ Echo No. 4—" (Once very popular in the Southern States ol America) — ' If anybody can show me, in the Bible the com- mand, Thou shalt not hold slaves, I am ready to keep it, but I haven't found it yet I find ten commandments and it is V \ use. Let us he echoes of "rom persons ; to other in- ,re not prohi- purgeon says )dy can show smoke," I am 1 the ten com- ep them, and the Bible the )use,' ' I am ind ten com p them ; and the Bible the se. and share ven't found it as I can doto nto eleven or the Bible the >r dice,' I am 1 the ten com- hem, and Ive luthern States iblethc com- y to keep it, lents and it is SPURGEON AND TOBACCO. 355 as much as I can do to keep them ; and I've no desire to make them into eleven or twelve. Illustrations mig^ht be multiplifd, but these may suffice, ifet one word, Can any Christian picture to himself the Blessed Master with a good cigar in His mouth ! Should we not be shocked to sec such a representation — even thnu,t;h pamted with all the exquisite skill of the best of the old Masters ? 1 ihmk 30. Practical Christianity consists in a constant endeavour lO be in all things like Christ. I am, Sir, Yours faithfulUy, 7 Camberwell Road, W. M. HUTCHINGS. October, 1874. A Lesson for Suiokers. Plain speaking was formerely considered a duty by the Quakers. It is a pity they do not practise it Dftener on smokers, taking the following as a speci- men . Recently, a Quaker was travelling in a railway carriage. After a time, observing certain movements on the part of a fellow-passenger, he accosted him as follows : ' Sir, thee seems well-dressed, and I dare say thee considers thyself well-bred, and would not demean thyself, to do any ungentlemanlikc action, would'st thee ? The person addressed promptly replied with con- siderable spirit, * Certainly not. if I knew it.' 7ipr^- in r ': I ^ t n ( I ' Ini ii I I i 156 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. The Quaker continued : ' And suppose thee invited me to thy house, thee would not think of offering me thy glass to drink out of, after thee had drunk out of it thyself, would'st thee ? ' The interrogated replied, — ' Abominable ! No ! Such an offer would be most insulting.' The Quaker continued : ' Still less would thee think of offering me thy knife and fork to eat with after putting them into thy mouth, would'st thee ? ' The interrogated answered, — ' To do that would be an outrage on all decency, and would show that such a wretch was out of the pale of civilized society.' 'Then,' said the Quaker, ' with those impressions on thee, why should'st thee wish me to take into my mouth and nostrils the smoke from that ciLfar which thou art preparing to smoke out of thine own mouth ?' T/ie Christian Worlds Dec. \th, iSy^, says, " We hardly think that Mr. Spurgeon has added anything to his reputation as a preacher of the Gospel by his (attempted) vindication of his habit of smoking. It is true that there is in the Word of God no such com- mand as *' Thou shalt not smoke," but that book also tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost, and should therefore be kept pure ; and if it can be shown (as we think itcan be) that theconstant use of to- bacco is injurious to health, or in other words, contrary to the law written upon our bodies by the hand of God, then we are as much bound to abstain from " smoking, chewing and snuffing, " as if either of these practices were forbidden by the Ten Commandments." SPURGEON AND TOP.ACCO. 357 J invited ring me k out of ! No ! lee think ith after ivould be :hat such ity: pressions ; into my ^ar which inouth ?' ys, •• We nything I by his It is ch corn- look also ' Ghost, can be se of to- ontrary of God, ■noking, ractices hg " It is a good thing, doubtless, to contend (^as Mr. Spurgeon did) for one's freedom (and Gospel liberty * not to be condemned for sin,' &c.) but it should be remembered that no man is free who is a slave to any injurious habit." I would never think of applying narcotics, such as opium, and tobacco, in neuralgic afflictions at all, for with a very simple method of treating the spinal system, there is no difficulty of taking pain away and giving sleep, that is unless the patient persists in smoking and so, undoes, with tobacco, all that is done to cure the nerves. \Vc admit to the utmost that Mr. Spurgeon, partly with great mental effort, but far more by the use of tobacco, keeps bringing pain and sleeplessness upon himself, and taking them off alternately, but he is sadly mistaken if he imagines that God has any glory in the case. As to the sin of the matter, it is perhaps better to leave that between him and his only Judge. I would certainly decline to decide on the point, but as to the virtue, I should be in even greater difficulty. As to the wisdom of habitually doing one's nerves so as to cause pain and restlessness, so as to have the pleasure of soothing them and curing them by turns, there need not be much difficulty at all. As to setting the example to the world's \outh of habitual smoking, very little need be said in order to make such a man as Mr. Spurgeon clear of it forever. — Good Templar's Wntihwoni, Oct. 8th, 1874. 358 SPURGKON OUR ALLY. '■{(; m ii Mr. Spurgeon's smokinc; continues to he the subject of animadversion in the Baptist papers of America. The Boston IVatchntan and Rejector thinks it was unfortunate in Mr. Spurgeon to meet Mr. Pentecost's remarks in the slashing way he did, if he simply meant to defend the Medicinal use of tobacco. " Mr. Spurgeon," continues our contcmporory, " has just made his name, if not the song of the drunkard, yet of the next akin. He is too good a man, and too great a man, to throw off foolish and hurtful utter- ances." Rev. R. R. Russell, of Vineland, U.S., has printed a letter of .several columns, in which he takes Mr. Spurgeon to task, and, in doing so, uses even stronger language than above. He beseeches Mr. S[)urgeon to throw away the ' filthy weed,' and subscribe himself, ' with much fraternal regard, abridged and clouded somewhat with smoke.' The people of Canada took a hand in the discussion. When the Presbyterian Assembly convened in Halifax. N.S., they set apart a reading room, where the minis- ters that love the weed, indulged their appetite, A prominent layman chanced to come in. A cigar was offered him. * No occasion,' was his polite reply. Some of the ministers chaffed him, and enquired : ' Have you any scripture that you can quote against the habit ?' ' No,' was the reply, ' I have scripture rather in favor of it' ' Let him that is filthy be filthy still,' was the passage given. mm- he subject America, iks it was 'cntecost's lie simply :co. )rory, " has drunkard, Lii, and too tful utter- as printed takes Mr. ni stronger purgeon to be himself, id clouded discussion, in Halifax the minis- ipetite. A cigar was )lite reply. |4uired : lote against rather in li; was the SPURGEON AND TOBACCO. * That is rather hard on us.' ' Well,' he said, what good architect would so con- struct a house that all the smoke would come out of the front door ? Is God a worse architect than man ? If the Creator intended man to smoke, would He not have provided him with a chimney on the back part of his head? Or if he intended him to snuff would he not have turned his nose the other side up ? ' " Brethren, is there not cause for alarm when wc learn that our asylums are being filled with lads quite young, because their intellects have been impaired by the use of cigarettes, and that they quote the min- istry as examples for the pernicious practice ?" T/ie Results of the Discussion will never be fully known. It is apparent that great as Mr. Spurgeon is when he stood with God and for the right, he was weak as the weakest when he at- tempted to give support to a hurtful practice. What tobacco did for Mr. Spurgeon will never be known. It is to be regretted that he did not see his way, to giving up his cigar, as he gave up all intoxicants. It is our privilege to restrain the lower nature, that the higher may have the fullest developm::nt. We will thank God for all we had in him in this direction. No one could come into communion with him without feeling that the very God of peace did sanctify him, and that spirit, soul and body were marvellously preserved and blessed and cleansed, and made fit to be received by him who bears with our infirmities and in spite of them works out his purposes in accordance with the counsel of his own will \ 3 1 !f^ 'ii ' Tf *<^ if ' ' ■ 4^' M ; : '■ ! I 360 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. liii It is to be hoped that Mr. Pentecost still adheres to his resolve He, who at one time was so useful in the path Christ marked out for him, has had a sad experience in attempting to be wiser than the plain teachinfjs of the Word of God. Thoujrh he was wel- comed by the pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle to his communion table he found when in India that the English Church had some rules of faith and order, to which they adhered even, he -did not, and so when he tried to join them- in communion as if because he had trampled on those principles that ruled the Bap- tist Church he could trample on others ; they told him he could not come to their communion table because he had not joined their communion. Did not the English Church, afrer all, place a good example before Mr Spurgeon by baptism and church membership in its true place, as a pre-requisite to the Lord's Supper. Had Mr Spurgeon withdrawn him- self from that brother that walked disorderly he would have avoided the disagreeable experience, and helped his brethren across the sea. Pentecost is a follower of Mr. Moody Moody ism is a growth rather than a policy. It is the name of a movement rather than an organization. It is an attempt to evangelize the mil- lions without instructing them in regard to church obligations, and the necessity of observing the ordin- ances Christ instituted. At this point Moodyism allies itself with Romanism, and claims the right to take away from the words of the Prophesy of this book without regard to the utterance '' God shall tak^ away his part from the tree of life and out of the hoiy city, which are written in this book." m-: SPURGEON AND TOBACCO. 361 adheres useful in lad a sad the plain was wel- abernacle ndia that ind order, \ so when iccause he [ the Bap- y told him le because ice a good ind church |isite to the rawn him- y he would nd helped follower her than a cr than an e the mil- to church the ordin- Moodyism le right to this book |tak^ away holy city, To prosecute this work as an Evangelist, Young Men's Christian Association Buildings have been con- structed, with reading rooms and social parlors, and in some instances billiard rooms, where games are in- dulged in, and almost anything calculated to attract, is permitted, to be followed by consecrated efforts to woo and win. Moodyism, with its unsectarian " Young Men's Christian Associations, Christian iMideavor Societies," thousands of lay Evangelists and its missionaries, in all parts of the world, becomes without appointment and without control either an extraordinary help or a tremendous peril to the church life of the world. As at present organized it is almost as much outside the church life of Christianity as is Romanism. Is it in an alliance with Romanism in fact if not in theory ? Moody adopts Gospel methods, as does not Roman- ism ; depends on the Holy Spirit for converting power, while Romanism trusts to Baptismal regeneration, sacraments, priestly ab.solution, and purgatorial fire for salvation. But Moodyism, working with the rich, the cultured, and the influential, and the Salvation Army with the very poor, alike ignoring the ordinan- ces Christ instituted, deserve reproof for not obeying Christ. The believing in Christ they should do, and not leave the other undone. Does Moodyism ficrnisJi a Safe Guide ? Mr. Moody believes in immersion as New Testa- ment Baptism, and, it is said, was immersed in the Jordan, and yet by influence and example sanctions infant baptism, the tap-root of Baptismal regeneration. ntr^ : I J' 1 ■ ;■ if'' I 1 ;! I ' ii :.| 1 ' 362 SPURGEON OUR AI.l.V. on which Romanists rest for salvation. Thousands and millions imitate him. Is it safe to do so ? Pentecost in India is an Evangcli.st for IMoodyism. Shall the Church Assert Herself? ShallChristiansforget that the necessities of the times call loudly to Christians to bestir themselves and take the place and hold it, which does not belong to Young Men's Christian Associations, or any other unsectarian movement. A barrel without hoops is as valuable as are Christians unharnessed or untrained in Church life. Shall the Churches step to the front and take what belongs to them ? Shall they let the light shine which Christ has entrusted to their keeping, remembering " that the Lord's hand is not shortened, that he cannot .save, nor his ear heavy that be cannot hea ?" We are not to pray that Moodyism may do less, but that the Churches as Christ organized them may do more than ever before, and measure up to the untold responsibili- ties which are committed to their keeping. Moodyism, without asserting it and perhaps without designing it, is as antagonistic to the system of faith that makes belief and Baptism the source of its power and the feature of its life, as is Romanism. Can the Great Evangelist afford to Patronize Romanism ? Recently it has come out that Mr. Moody gave money to build a Roman Catholic house of worship in Northfield. Some knew this years ago, and there were those who went and saw the Evangelist in his home, and endeavored to persuade him to turn his IMBCl Thousands O SI • ? ir Moody ism. 'f? s of the times ves and take Dng to Young :r unsectarian ,s valuable as n Church life. id take what t shine which remembering hat he cannot [:a ?" We are but that the lo more than responsibili- Moodyism, designing it, that makes Dwer and the atronize loody gave of worship , and there elist in his to turn his SrURGEON AND TOBACCO. l<^l^ attention to the need ol telling the unvarnished truth concerning Romanism. In vain. No distinctive anti-Romanist has been welcome to Northfield It is because Moodyism avciagcs the public Christ- ian sentiment of the hour that truth-telling is not in order There is need of Mr. Moody's enthusiasm and generalship in this work for Romanists. Let him realize their ruin without Christ, and it would stir him. It is not the evangehst alone that is needed, but all that he can influence, and all that influences him. Let prayer arise that the Holy Spirit will cause him and others to reahze the value of the souls ot Romanists, and give them no rest until the outpour- ing shall come upon undone Roman Catholics, caus- ing them to cry out Men and brethren, vvhat must we do to be saved ? Gcd can do this in answer to prayer, and can cause the gieat Evangelist to lead in the work of rescuing the lost from the night of their thraldom and bring them to the light of an eternal day. \\ m ■^1 li!; m ■a: ■II 'A ^3 i ■Hi-'' CHAPTER XIX, ^> 1 Hh LAST an., herd ■■_,i,.„ ,,^.. ^^ *" '?'' '° "'^^''^ ''t- ;" Panc,,ric, The, wi^ J'' r'^ ^ "'"<^"- truth co„cenn-ng a man th.l . ''''>' "■'" carri- -'■ "oresy so "tlpl^d 11'" "'!."''>' "-'--^h thev ' '-o did not go as far Is so.ne f '' "' ""' ''^'^<^rs. f-' "' have had hi.n, et „ He "^ ""'"'' ''»^e been fact that he „.ent aloJl " uf "'! '""""'^ fr™" "•« the faint-hearted desi;fd w;; ,Tgo' "'"^ '"'"-"' of ^^•'! an Iniincrsioiiisf- u r ">«ie of bap,is,n to tht front TT.^^' P"""""--e ^■^'''"f-n.indastheoXti'o'rs''""*^ 364 ^ "' "^^ -"scripture. c f*)if^ lo'.i liust seen <; said b}- the pur^con. s he was and cnown to all In than have other man. ito relate it. a sameness will carr\- fhich they ur fathers, have been t from the nil! ions of primitive into the Ipture. TRUL TO THE LAST. 365 Almost his last declaration concerninij^ the Lord's Supper reveals the place the ordinance held in his heart. The Editor of the Ritualistic Magazine thought to make capital out of this letter written to the churchy and read at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in December, 1891. Beloved Friends^ ' I am with you in spirit at 'I ." great gathering around the Communion Tiible, which has often been to me a heaven below. Our Lord is there among us. He comes nearer to us than we can come to each otlier. He becomes our food, and so enters into our being's self, nearer than e\en one member of the body is to another body or to another member. ' I in them,' is our L.,id's way of putting it. I pray that each one of you may enjoy this living, loving, lasting union with your risen Lord at the table of the King. Yours ever heartily, C. H. Spurgeon. The Editor was quick to think he could bring the great Spurgeon into his little net. Mo sooner did the Ritualist exclaim " One has seldom, .seen the Real Pre- sence described in words more terse and simple. And how wc"l .his illustrates some v.ords in our Christmas greeting to our readers in the deepening of the spiritual life by which we know the greatness of the things we have in common, and the smallness of the 'X)ints on which we differ.' To this paragraph Mr. Spurgcon's attention was called, and he was asked what he tliought of it. Mis reply was not long dela}'ed. He wrote from Mentone, saying : Ilf' u i ■ ,- 366 SPURGEON OUR ALLY Dear Sir, — I think that every one knows that I have no faith in Transub- jtantiation or Consubstantiation. I was not even thinking of a gross material presence of Christ Jesus, our Lord : I was, speaking of a spiritual presence, wiiich is inulerstood alone by spiritual men. This is the most real presence in all the world but it is not confounded by my brethren to whom I wrote with the superstitious fables of the Church of Rome. If tl^.e Church Magazine means what is taught in Articles 2 and 29 of the Church of England Prayer-book, I should have little or no difference with it ; but I am sure that both the editors of the magazine and yourself know that if they teach a carnal and physical presence, and the change of the substance of tho liread and wine, I am as far from them as the east is from the west. Yours very truh-, C. H. Spurgeo.v The vicar, commenting on these letters, expresses his regret that the extract printed the previous month as a token of unity should have been made to serve another purpose, and says, " Of coin"se, we were not appeahng to Mr. Spurgeon as an authority in a matter of Church doctrine ; we quoted his words to show how men of various minds tend to appnxich one anolhcr both in tliought and language, i^ only they have an hottest and good heart. But let our readers remember that the Sacraments were not given us for controver- sial purposes, but that we should duly use the same." Mr. Spurgeon in his last sermon in the Metropolitan Tabernacle uttered these nu m >rable words, "Mytime is ended, although I had much more to sa)-. I can only pray the Lord to give you to believe in Him, lith in Transub- ,'en thinking ol r Lord : I was, rstood alone by in all the world im I wrote with ,'ht in Articles 2 ;, I should have both the editors y teach a carnal substance of tho east is from the 1. SPURGEO' :ers, expresses •cvious montli made to serve I, we were tiot Xv in a matter IS to show how one another Ithcy have an lers remember for controver- ;e the same." Metropolitan •ds. more to say. 1 llieve in Him, t.l»^L'iim^>;i-j3-j.-;:>^--.miig;!g iii®???B TRUE TO THE LAST. 36; Ifl should never again have the pleasure of speaking for my Lord upon the face of the earth, I should like to deliver as my last confession of faith this testimony ; That nothing but faith can save in this nineteenth century ; nothing but faith can save England ; noth- ing but iaith can save the present unbelieving Church ; nothing but firm faith in the grand old doctrine of grace and in the ever-living and unchanging God can bring back to the Church again a full tide of prosperity^ and make her to be the deliverer of the nations for Christ ; nothing but faith in the Lord Jesus can save you or me. " The Lord give you, my brothers, to believe to the utmost degree, for His name's sake. Amen." His Old Year Retrospect. The following letter from Mr. Spurgeon to his con- gregation was written with the intention that it should be read at the Metropolitan Tabernacle on Sunday last, but unfortunately it was delayed in the post, and did not arrive until Monday : — " Mentone, December :J4, 1891. — My Dear Friends, — For the last time in the 3^ear 1 891 I write you, and with this brief note I send hearty gratitude for your loving kindness to me during the year which is ending, and fervent wishes for a special blessing on the year so soon to begin. I have nearly finished thirty-eight years of my mini.stry among you, and have completed thirty-seven volumes of pub- lished sermons preached in your midst. Yet we are not wearied of each other. I shall hail the day when I may again speak with you. Surrounded by 10,000 mercies, my time of weakness is rendered restful and !i!^i !|l:?| 1 ^ "J! 368 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. happy ; but still to be able in health and vigour to pursue the blissful path of useful service vvo'ild bo my heaven below. To be denied activities which have be- come part of my nature seems so strange ; but as I cannot alter it, and as I am sure that infinite wisdom rules it, I bow before the Divine will — m\- Father's will. There is a cloud of blessing resting on you now* Turn the cloud into a shower hy the heavenly electri- city of believing prayer. May the Watch Night be a night to be remembered, and on the first hour of the year may the Lord say, ' From this day will I bless you.' Yours with faithful love, C. H. Spurgeon." To the Church he said ; *' Mr. Spurgeon, writing in the Sword and Trowel for January, after giving the doctors' verdict that there is a decided improvement, says : — " I am so grateful to be alive, and to have the assured prospect of recover)', that I know not how to express my thankfulness to God for answering the prayers of His people ; and I may wel' submit to His sacred will. I cannot boast of being able to wait patiently ; but I will be quiet as long as I must be. Hitherto, a very little extra thinking, writing, of conversation, has shown me that I am a poor creature at the best. My peace of mind, and cheerfulness of spirit, make me feel as good as well ; but as to strength, I cannot deceive myself with the notion that I can render any public service ; for even prayer, with half-a-dozen, overpowers me. Still, my own voice is 4i- itiSS TRUE TO Tin: LAST. 369 vigour to «;ld be my 1\ have be- ; but as I tc wisdom V Father's you now* Illy clectri- Nlt need of is strenytli to bear up und;;r great stram of labor, thought, and opposition. I try to uphold the banner of the truUi and the battle wages fiercest around tlie standard-b'jarjr. Oh for more grace I Brethren pray for us. If all yonr thousands of readers would give me a loving thought, 1 should inherit a great blessing. Yours very heartily, C. 11. Si'URGEON. In accordance with Mr. Sp.u'geon's suggestion, Mon- day, Feb. 1st, 1 89 1, was .set a[)art by the Tabernacle Church as a day of prayer on account of the prevailing epidemic. The first meeting was at 7.30 a.m., followed by other meetings at 3 in the afternoon, and 7 in the evening. The following is an extract from a letter by Mr. Spurgcon on the subject , — " // would be well for all the ckurchfs to hold special w tetinc^s for prayer concernini^ the deadly scoun^e of influenza. The sug . gestion has, no doubt, been made by others ; but I ventur to press it upon Christians of all denominations that they may, in ! I j/' SrURClEON OUR ALLY. "'I m :,' 1 1 1 turn, urge all ilieir pastors to summon such meetings. Our na- tion is fast learning to forget God. In too many instances ministers of religion have propagated doubt, and the resuh is a general hardening of the popular feeling, and a greatly increased neglect of public worship. It is written, " When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteous- ness." Let us, who liolieve in inspired Scripture, unite our prayers that it may be even so. With a Court and a Nation in deepest mourning, it is a time to cry mightily unto the Lord. C. H. Spurgeon. Before the clay arrived he was with God face to face. The tidings, flashed from Mentone at midnight of his decease (in his finy-cighth year), turned the whole proceedings of the day into a fresh channel. From the early morning prayer-inceting to the last gathering at night, a quiet, restful spirit was manifested. " It is the Lord ; He doeth all thmgs well." Deacon J. T. Dunn, at the mcorning .service, said I do not know how we can sing this morning. The Lord has been pleased, as no doubt most of you know, to take away our head. In meeting, however, for prayer on this occasion I may recall, in the first place, that we have need to plead with God for a blessing upon the beloved wife of our dear pastor, and upon all the friends who have been round about him so long. We also have need to plead for the blessings of Christ upon this church, and though we are called to mourn, yet we may not mourn as those who are in despair. It is true we have lost our pastor, but we have not lost our Lord, and He will remain wi^^'i us, the same yesterday, to- day, and forever. I think, too, that we might pray that tings. Our na- many instances :l the result is a reatly increased Thy judgments learn righteous- pturc, unite our and a Nation in nto the Lord. [. Spurgeon. (d face to face, lidnight of his icd the whole nel. P>om the it gathering at ted. " It is the •vice, said I do The Lord has know, to take for prayer on I place, that we 5sing upon the all the friends We also have |rist upon this ;n, yet we may It is true we lost our Lord, I yesterday, to- light pray that TRUE TO TIIK LAST. 3/1 God may mercifully turn the hard hearts of the people, So that by the death of his servant many thousands may be brought to the feet of Jesus. Their privileges are now gone so far as his faithful testimony is con- cerned, but may we not ask that God will so bless the bereavement to us as individuals that we too may be up and doing, not knowing how soon we m ay be called to render our account. We are now bowed in grief, for we have lost a loving friend, of whose value no person who is not a member of this church can form a proper estimate. But he has gone before, and we weep be- cause we are on the earth-side. He rejoices, and would we might join with him in his joy. We have sympa- thized with him in his sorrow and in his pain, and there are scores of members of this church who would gladl)' liave taken his place had that been possible. Let our sympathies, then, follow him, and may we have grace to become as valiant for Jesus as he, and fill up the vessels of our service full to the brim. At the noon niccting a solemn and sorrowful still- ness prevadcd the bereaved assembly as they were re- minded that their beloved pastor had passed at the clo.se of the Lord's Day into t.ie eternal Day of the Lord. They desired strength to bow before God — not in a stoical spirit of submission, as those who bowed to inevitable fate, but as those who would say, " The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Dr. Talmage in the Christian Herald iru\y said : — " He stood for Evangeh'sm of the most pronounced kind. Among all the religious weakening of our time I ■ I ■ I jT. •„!l |!l : '. f ■ : 1 372 SPURr.KOX OUR ALLY. on the subjects of Inspiration, and tiic Divinilv of Christ, anrl the necessit)' of rci^encration, he never wa- vered. Tlicrc is a ^reat scarcitx' of such men, and the loss of such a champion at such a time is severe and somewhat bewildering^. But the trump t has fallen from the lips which blew it with such resound inf,^ blast. What a mystery that he should have been kept in such protracted distress. Seven mf)nths of physical suffer- ing and mental anxiety. I low i^M'eat must have been the trial of silence for one wlm had all his life been so active. Our sympathies ljo '^ut for his f:ur.i!y and hiis church. God never repeats himself, and lie never makes two men alike, liut some men stand so far out from theordinar\' human kind that the\' are like mountain- peaks. Ciod makes no mistakes, or we would con- clude that this dei)arture was a mistake. But the Lord appoints both cradle and f : never wa- ::ii, and ihc .severe and has fallen nlint,^ blast, cpt in such ^ical sLiffer- have been life been so vAv and his lever makes ar (Hit from ) mountain- would con- Hut the urL^eon was d rii^ht on, liard to put is career of 11 the ;40od , the cause m of Chris- es of those memor)' of le." I of keenest mourned his )r renewed Ine to Lon- TRL'E TO TllK LAST. 373 don some L^cntle reminder of his kind solicitude, to be r.tiid from the Tabernacle pulpit. . Some of these letters are " pearls of the faith," and will undoubtedly be prized and cherished, now that the writer is gone. On September 20, 1891, he wrote : The affectionate and etTectual prayers of the saints dragged me back to life, and only by the same means shall I recover strength. I will not touch upon my present affliction ; you will guess at it when I say that, although the stairs of my lied-cham- ber are very easy, I cannot ascend them, but have to be carried up by otJiers. The heart as yet will not endure that even small climb, therefore I need your prayers still ; and I know I shall have them, for your love never ceases. A;_^ain on Sept. 27, he wrote : If sharp pruning makes fruit-bearing branches bring forth more fruit, it is not a thing to be lamented when the great \'ine- dresser turns his knife upon us. If I ma\- in the end be more useful to you, and to those who come in and out among us, I shall rejoice in the woes whicli I ha\c endured. May you each one when tried in sickness improve your school-time, that you may IjC the sooner able to learn and know all the Master's mind I And on Oct. 10 : 1 am indeed happy in being borne up by the prayers of saints as by the hands of angels. On Nov. 7 he \\rote these expressive sentences from ?>Ient()ne : I am far away in body, but not in spirit. I am a sick man physiciily, but in heart I a:n strong in the Lord. A great waste of life force still weakens me ; but it is not so great as it was, and ho who has spared my life will in his own right time spare me this weakening of my strength by the way. It is a great trial to be unabte to preach in the pulpit, but u is no small comfort to be M}.i\e to preach through the press. It is my life to proclaim the everlasting Gospel of the Grace of God, and so I shall live and speak long after I am dead. mw I'll' 374 SrUKCiKOX OUl^ ALLY. -I ,' f ■' 1 » '■ / ; I Deatli was drawiiiL^^ very near to Air. Spurgeon when on Nov. 14th, he dictated this — too feeble, now. to write witli hi.s own pen : I am a sick man who has narrowly escaped the hand of death, and I feel that the things of eternity ought not to be trifled with. To be saved at the last in our wisdom is to be saved at once. If I had left my soul's matters for a sick bed, 1 could not have at- tended to them there, for I was delirious, and the mmd could not fix itse'f sensibly upon any subject. Before the clo'id lowers over your mind give your best attention to the Word of the Lord. Rev. John Harris, a well-known Methodist minister, received the followinfj characteristic and sit^nificant letter from Mr. Spurgeon. It is dated May 25, 1888 : — Dear Friend. — Many Methodists have cheered me greatly, and among them dear Father Osborn. '' It is no " ism" I am fighting for, but the faith common to all saints. Hence I can honestly rejoice in the sympathy of good men and true .... Thank you heartily. I suspect from your expressions that we are nearer one in judgment than you may yourself suppose. *' Salvation all of grace, and damnation all of man's wilful sin would sum up two great lines of my teaching. I try to teach both, but don't altemi)t any reconciliation, for I don't see the need of it or the use of it. I am just now in a place where four seas meet. — 111 myself ; Wife very, very ill ; Mother buried to-morrow ; A body of men declining from the faith, howling at me. Add these up, and then wx'wc per contni — " The Lord liveth," and it leaves a surplus of comfort which rests the heart. " In the multitude of my thoughts within me THY comforts delight my soul." C. H. vSfuR'.kon. rgcon when )lc, now, to land of death, je tntled with. id .'it once. If not have at- e txwnd could : clo'id lowers d of the Lord. ist minister, sii^nificant 25, 188S :— d nie ^Tcatly, " ism " I am Hence I can and true. . . . sions that we self suppose. n's wilful sin try to teach Idont see the at me. Lord liveth," Ihcart. " In Iforts delight Ipurgeon. TRUE TO THE LAST. Rev. Arthur Murscll said, " When, \ cars ai,^o, he lived at Clapham, his home was the scene of a great deal of affliction in the person of the honomed lady who now mourns him as his widow, and on the occasional visits of a distinguished ph\'sician, whose examinations were accompanied by pain, which he had not the heart to witness, since he could not relieve it, he would come down to my house, and ask mc to take a trip into the country to Dorking or among the Surrey hill.s. The first time he honoured me with such an invitation I said I was deeply grateful to him for asking me, that I should be delighted to go, but added, yo?i Mi4st Not Talk Good To Me. He asked me what I meant, and I explained that I understood it was his habit u[)on such occasions, with other companions, to demand devotional expression and prayer when the scenery or circumstance inspired it ; and I said it would embarrass me. I knew I was giving myself away, but I could not help it, though I have often regretted the impulse. It would at that time have seemed unreal to me, and I was sensitive. He knew nothing of such shrinking, and could not understand a Christian being reluctant to pra)'. liut he was intensely kind. He smiled and shook his head. " Don't you be afraid ; I don't desire to throw my pearls — " and then he stopped and instead of roughly finishing the proverb, he added — " awa)'." " I^ut," he continued, " put on your hat and come along, and I promise not to shock you with anything good." I went with him that day, and .several times. Hut as he was telling me some racy stor\', full of hinnour, after pour- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V ^o

. ^^ ^ (^ Photographic Sciences Corporatioii 23 WEST MAIN STREET WIBSTER, NY. M580 (716) 872 •4'=, 03 m qv \ \ ^^ a Q> "^ -%, 4iJ .- w.. t y< ^ [i \ : . ii- li.^h * : t ■iv II :;ii|i.,H M 376 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ing out dozens which had kept me laughing through two hours, he stopped all of a sudden, seeing that I was not listening. " Why, what's the matter, man ? you're crying , are }'OU not well ?" I begged his par- don, and then looked into his kind eyes and said, as well as the lump in my throat would let ine ; " I didn't mean by not talkuig good that I would not do any- thing but jest, but your kindness in stooping to the level I offered makes me terribly ashamed." His note and look changed, and both grew rich with tenderness, and our conversation took a sweeter and a higher flight as he took my hand, and spoke of the mistake of re- pressing what :s best in ourselves. But my candid ex- posure of my temperament at the outset prevented his taking me seriousl}^ and deprived me of a coadjutor- ship which has been the envied lot of many." John Ruskin sa)., : — " One sect of Christians will never be persuaded to believ^e that the religion of any other sect can be sincere or accepted of Heaven ; while the fact is, it does not matter a burnt stick's end from the altar, in Heaven's sight, whether you are Ca- tholic or Protestant, Eastern, Western, Byzantine, or Norman, but only whether you are true." Now, you and I believe that. So did Charles Spurgeon. But he believed, at the same time, that a man could not be true unless he saw the truth as he saw it ; that he could not be a true man unless he had a true creed, and that his creed could not be true without some special brand upon its articles. And he told me himself How Jonn Ruskin once bluntly confronted hint. by saying, " I suppose you think because I don't be- lieve that you draw a correct portrait of Jesus Christ -I, ^ TRUE TO THE LAST. 1 -7 -T ig through ling that I ittcr, man ? cd his par- nd said, as ;" I didn't 3t do any- ing to the His note tenderness, igher flight take of re- candid ex- jvented his coadjutor- istians will ion of any Heaven ; tick's end 3u are Ca- antine, or Now, you eon. But \\d not be ic could ,and that ial brand i Jiim. don't bc- us Christ whenever you preach I shall be damned ?" Spurgeon replied, " It is not my portrait, but His likeness that is in question, and if you don't accept Ilim as the Son of God you will be damned, and will deserve to be." Ruhxin was angry ; Spurgeon was firm. THE FALLEN LEADER. A Word from tJic Ranks. To the Editor of the Baptist : SiK, — Our denominational leaders have spoken con- cerning the great preacher who has recently entered into rest, and they have spoken well ; their testimony has been received by your readers with sr)rrowful yet thankful emotions, and their loving tributes to his memory have done us all good. Many of them having been personal friends of Mr. Spurgeon ; having lived in connection with the Tabernacle, and having spent many happy hours or days under his roof, and been admitted to all the intimate intercourse of friendship, they have written about him, " out of the abundance of their hearts." May one in the ranks be permitted to add his affec- tionate testimony ? There aie many who, like myself, occupy humble and obscure spheres of service, far re- moved from the powerful and stimulating influences which operate in the Metropolitan Tabernacle ; who never spoke to its late pastor, and were totally un- known to him ; but who, nevertheless, have watched his wonderful career with warm admiration and thank- fulness, and have learned to feel towards him that fer- V;! I !ii!| M 378 SrURGEOX OUR ALLY. vent affection and esteem which we entertain towards a personal and dear friend. His name is dear to us, because we owe much to him — more than words can express. Although not members of his church, and never having sat at his feet in the Pastor's College, yet his quickening and stimulating power has reached us, and has blessed us richly ; his sermons, lectures, and books have nourished our religious life, have enriched our minds, have confirmed our faith in moments of weakness and peril, and have imparted new force and brightness to the drooping flame of Christian zeal. Again and again, when the perusal of the religious controversies of the day have left our minds in an agi- tated and wavering state, and baleful doubt has for a moment troubled us concerning the precious doctrines of grace, and we have begun to ask whether our standing ground is really rock, or only sand, a perusal of Mr. Spurgeon's sermon or lecture, like a strong healthy breeze from the mountain, has expelled the evil thing, and, con- firmed in the faith, we have returned to our pulpits sa)'ing in our hearts, " God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." When tempted to compromise in the matter of Evangelical truth, or, through " the fear of man," to keep silent concerning some unpalatable aspects of it, the very re- collection o{ /tis faithful and fearless deliverance of his Master's message to men has brought the flush of shame to our cheeks, and has made us indignant at our own weakness and cowardice, and, freed from the snare, we have been enabled without hesitation to de- clare all the counsel of God. VXA. hi tain towards j dear to us, n words can church, and College, yet ) reached us, lectures, and ive enriched moments of )\v force and ristian zeal, the religious ds in an agi- ibt has for a le precious gun to ask \y rock, or )n's sermon )reeze from ig, and, con- our pulpits should glory •ist." When Evangelical keep silent , the very re- erance of his the flush of ignant at our d from the tation to de- TRUE TO THE LAST. 3/9 But we thank God it has been our privilege to live in the day of this " burning and shining light," and for a season to rejoice in his light ; and we would not recall hnn from his well earned rest, even if we could. Go, noble man ! thou hast not lived in vain ; Earth bears thy blessing-words that will not die Rest in her bosom, like maturing grain, To ripen for the harvest for the sky. I ;im., yours very truly. J. Baxandale. Lancaster -.f. C'l AFTER XX THE DOvVX GRADE. '1 1 iif 1 ;[ ,1 i ■ Ij; ;/ 1; ■ ||, u ii li;^4 1 '^ Ifrlf 1i ' Contend for ihc? fu'th cncc i.kli\cie(l t ■ ihc saints " — Judb, 3. "\ 1(«\ITI I tlic theory that " Mr. Spurgeon attached too ^^ much importance to present tendencies, and al- lowed himself to beundulyharrassed by their assaultson what to him was true and eternal, I have no sympa- thy. As a watchman on the walls he saw the cloud of danger, and gave the warning. In March, 1878, we find this. "All around us are preachers in Christian Pulpits who deny the authenticity of various books of the Bible, and reject plenary inspiration altogether. There is not a doct- rine of the Gospel that is not denied by some thinker or other, and even the existence of a personal God is> by the more advanced regarded as a mooted point ; and yet the churches bear with them, and allow them to pollute the pulpits once occupied by godly preachers of Christ. After having denied the faith, and plunged their daggers into the vital doctrines as best they can, they still claim to be ministers of the Gospel, and ask to be received into union on the ground of some peculiar virtue which exists in them, apart from all 380 THE DOWN GRADE. 381 — JUDB, 3. attached too icies, and al- irassaultson e no sympa- iw the cloud around us D deny the E, and reject not a doct- Dine thinker lOnal God is> ^oted point ; allow them ly preachers id plunged st they can, pel, and ask id of some art from all doctrinal belief. Men who might justly be prosecuted for obtaining property on false pretences, by violating the trust deeds o{ our churches may well wish to abolish creeds and articles of faith, because these are perpetual witnesses against their knaver}' I see this leaven working in all directions. God deliver us from it. Error must d'e, and they who love her most, And suck the poison froni lier vciionvjd hps, Will find her vaunted strength an empty boast, And share the horrors of a last eclipac. But truth is strong, and worthy of our trust, And truth shall stand when tune no more shall be. And man is levelled to his native dust, For God IS truth to all eiernity, " The evil leaven has affected some few of the men who were educated in our college ; and in our attempt- ing to remove them from our Association, they have naturally found sympathizers, and this has been the sorest wound of all. Nevertheless, we have been greatly cheered by the loving enthusiasm of the faith- ful and thorough brethren who make up the great bulk of the host. Many will be all the better for the bracing up which the conflict has induced ; and as a band of men we shall march on with all the greater and clearer confidence in God. Oh, that the college and its men may be a great break-water firmly resisting the incoming flood of falsehood ! We rejoice that, in several instances, ministers have written to say that the ' Down Grade ' papers recalled them to more hearty preaching of the Gospel, and I « fill ! If U'4\ mm ! ^ i , ! m m 1 1) |i I: 1' '1 382 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. aroused their people to more prayer, and the conse- quence has been a deep and true revival. One or two of these cases are very striking, and are no mere imagination, for they arc attested both by the minis, ters and their new converts." On Tuesday evening, January 31st, the r.nnual church meeting was held at the Tabernacle, Pastor C. H. Spurgcon presided, and there was a very large attendance of members. The special item of public interest was the passing, with perfect unanimity, and amid immense enthusiasm, of a resolution ex- pressive of the hearty sympathy of the Church with the Pastor, in the testimony for the truth which he has borne in the * Down Grade ' articles, endorsing his action in withdrawing from the Baptist Union, and pledging itself to support him by believing prayer, and devoted service in his earnest contention for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. There could not have been a more complete answer to the insinuation that the Tabernacle Church is not in complete accord with its Pastor upon the burning question of the day. The decay of true piety, or godliness of life, has commonly been associated with a defection of doctrinal belief ; or, in other words, a departure from the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, a revival of true religion has commonly been attended with, or followed by a renewed attachment to Evan- gelical truth. This may be very much like saying over again the memorable words of Luther, that the holding or not holding the doctrine of justification by faith is the test of a standing or a falling church. Of TIIK DOWN GRADE. 383 i the conse- Onc or two re no mere y the minis. the r.nnual acle, Pastor was a very :ial item of t unanimity, solution ex- Church with th which he :s, endorsing ptist Union, Dy beHeving pt contention ints. There nswer to the h is not in he burning of Hfe, has of doctrinal lorn the faith ither hand, a ien attended ;nt to Evan- Hke saying ler, that the Itification by Ichurch. Of course, he meant, and we mean, not the holding of Evangelical doctrine in the theological or philosophic- al sense only, but the holding the truth in its living power, and gracious, holy influence. The history of Christianity and of Christian Churches in iLngland, Wales, Scotland, France, Germany, and other parts of Europe amply corroborates this statement. But nowhere do we see it more plainly than in the historx- of the Christian Church in Geneva, the city of John Calvin. The common course in the Down Grade movement has been, first of all, while still professedly holding the truth, to hold it less and less in its living, experi- mental power, until it has become little more than a theory or a form. Next, it has been common to gradually drop the form of sound words, and to make the opinions square with the life, instead of permitting living principles to inspire and regulate the conduct. Finally, it has sometimes happened, according to the temper of the man and his associations, to deu)-^ slander, and denounce the very truths he once pro- fessed to hold and teach. The surroundings of iniquity, especially iniquity in a dress of religion, will soon cool down the fervour of inward piety if the repellant power of faith and prayer and communion with Christ be wanting ; and when love to Christ has been cooled down to the point of tolerating error and sin, and living in conformity to the world, the full re- sult of spiritual deadness and disloyalty to Christ and his truth is soon reached. It is well known that, in the Ritualistic section of the Church of England, people are found at the thea- •lif- n n Hll V r I Iflfli C t s [^ K ^* 1^ iilpW iii;:; 84 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. tre at night, and at the Communion the next morn- ing ; and that after an " early celebration " on Lord's Day, the evening may be devoted to the claims of a dinner-part)', or to hiwn-tcnnis. In many Noncon- formist circles it is the custom to attend cliai^ol in the morning only, and spend the rest of the da}- at home doincf what? We do not saw It ///(?!' i^v in rcadinfr LTjod books, catechising the childrcii and servants, or, after the manner of our fathers, going over the morn- ing sermon with them. But we suspect man)- people would laugh at us if we cvlmi suggested such a thing. One instance is well known to us in which a rather loud professor has a " musical evening " on the Sab- bath, with a considerable medley of in\itcd guests, for whom are provided the choicest refreshments. The Chnstiaii World has done much harm in the direc- tion of secularizing the ^Sabbath, -And other publica- tions have followed in its wake. The first part of its title has been supposed to sanctify all its contents ; or, at least, people have acted as if they thought so, and so the tinge of " ChristiaiL " has been the sugar-coat for the great bolus of the " World,'' and all has been swallowed together. flu * i, ■ ":;' WM liilii.Jlli: f I I c^i ••• 2xt morii- on Lord's laims o( a • Noncon- ipcl in the \' cit home n reading M-vants, or, the mom- my people :h a thing. Ii a rather 1 the Sab- guests, for jnts. The the dircc- r pubHca- )art of its tents ; or, iht so, and fugar-coat has been CHAPTER XXL SPURGEON'S HOME LIFE. " Her husband is known in the g.ites wlicn he sitteth among the elders of the land " — Proverbs xxxi 23. HE Home Life of the great preacher promises to be as great a factor in moulding and fashioning public sentiment, whereby his influence shall become a predominating force. Isti the home soul that makes and determines what the reputation shall be. The home life at Westwood, the beautiful bearing of the man to his wife and boys, the honor which he felt it to be and which it was, to be invited to his home the way he deferred to his wife, the joy he had in seeing her climbing out of the drudgery and suffering of the home, into the large place she now holds in public regard, his manner of ministering to her fame reveals the greatness of the man quite as much as does his power in the pulpit. Thousands might preach as great a sermon, but few could put it into practice as did the pastor of the Tabernacle. Have we blessed God for that keeping power, that hands him down to the ages without so much as a stain upon the escut- cheon of a spotless character ? How poor would be 385 I f: ?86 SI'URC'.KON OUR ALLV. if:'!: t'l 'lih the world, could his name be linked with a scandal. It is the life at home that furnishes the hammer to drive the chisel of the tongue. How much his wife was to him, and how much she did for him, will never be known. His home w-:. inore than his castle. It was. his resting place. His heart there got its supply of love. " The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil," The words are fuller of meaning than need be described. There are others who know what it is, to be rich because of a great soul satisfying love at home. Here is a glimpse of what she was to him. Sermons he must have, Gout might come, or gout might go, but there was the great Tabernacle waiting for him, and for that he must be ready. ' Sermons came floating in the air,' he used to say, so that he caught them on the win;::^ and put them away in various corners of his brain to be used as occasion required. " His mode of preparation which was scarcely ever begur. for Sunday morning until Saturday evening, while the sermon for Sunday night was prepared on Sunday afternoon, was to sit down and think over .some of the topics which had ' come to him,' and then to gather round him all the books which bore upon those topics ana jee which, to use his own expres- sion ' laid hold of him the most tightly.' Here are his own words upon the matter as spoken to the writer : — " I am frequently surrounded by a little host of texts, each clamoring for acceptance and saying, * Me, me, preach from me,' so that I am often till lo o'clock I ! th a scandal, e hammer tf) inch his wife im, will never lis castle. It jot its supply y trust in her The words :ribed. There :h because of e is a glimpse i must have, )ut there was id for that he ig in the air,' on the win::^ If his brain to scarcely ever day evening, prepared on think over m,' and then bore upon own expres- Here are Dkcn to the ttle host of ;aying, ' Me, 11 lo o'clock SPURGEON S HOME LIFP:. 3^^- before I make my final selection. On one memorable occasion, however, all failed me. If was one of the strangestexperiences I have known. Ten, eleven, twelve o'clock came and still I had no topic for the follow- ing Sunday morning. At last my wife cume into the room, laid her hand on my shoulder, and said — ' Had you not better go to bed. Tr}- what a few hours of sleep will do.' I took her advice and retired. About 8 o'clock I sprang from the bed under the somewhat unpleasant consciousness of still being without a topic. On leaving the room she asked me where I was going. I repi ( 1, of course, ' Into the study.' Noticing an amused smile upon her fncc, I asked her the cause. /ou will f id when you get there,' was the reply, Going up to the table what was my surprise to find a Ijxt jotted down, a lot of notes scattered about in m}^ own handwriting, of which I had no recollection whatever, and to feel a train of thought come back to me with the notes, which at once supplied me with a sermon. A glim- mering consciousness of the truth dawned upon me, but I hastened to her for an explanation. " About 2 o'clock this morning,' she said, you got up, and went down to your study and I followed you. You were apparently fast asleep. You seated your- self in your chair, gathered paper and pen, and began to write. I feared to disturb you, so I sat and waited. You thought and wrote for about one hour, then rose deliberately from your chair and went upstairs to bed again and slept till you rose just now. I preached that sermon and it was certainly not inferior to my usual productions," m 388 SPURCiEON OUR ALLY. i-3iiri II How His Sertnotis Were Reported, Every week since the beginnini^ of 1855, the Alctropolitan Taberiiaele Pulpit has appeared, contain- ing one of Mr Spurgeon's sermons. This week was published 'No. 2,242,' and throughout the length and breadth of the world, and in many languages, have the weekly utterances of the nineteenth century Savonarola been welcomed, A representative of the Daily Chronicle sought out Mr. T Hill, Mr. Spurgeon's shorthand writer, in order to ascertain from him some facts ot interest about the publication of the great preacher's sermons. " For thirty-two years," said Mr. Hill, * I have been engaged in taking a shorthand note at the Metro- politan Tabernacle — during the first part of the time not so persistently as during the past twenty-two years, but since then either I or my partner have been engaged every Sunday in taking the sermons down for publication in the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpitr "When was a transcription of your notes wanted .^" " The sermons which I had to do were generally the morning ones, and they were not wanted so promptly as the evening ones, but they were kept in reserve, so that their publication might go on in an unbroken series. Six sermons were required every month, and the publication has never been inter- rupted. " " Did you find they required much revision after transcription .' " i'ii i 1 11 ■! i; ' I 1855, the d, contain- wcck was ;he length lages, have I century de sought writer, in )f interest s sermons. have been he Metro- >f the time Aenty-two tner have sermons "abcniacle kanted ?" ;enerally .nted so kept in Ion in an ?d every m inter- ton after SI'URGEON S HOME LIFE. 389 " Mr. Spurgeon always revised my manuscript very carefully, but as he w \s a very correct speaker, more so than any speaker I have had to do with in all my life, they required scarcely any corrections. He was, I should say, an extremely correct speaker, and it was very seldom indeed that I had to make any alterations in his sentences. He was a thorough master of English, and although he was always care- ful to select plain and homely language, yet sometimes in his sermons there were allusions to what I may call recondite matters, which indicated that he was by no means ill-informed, and that his reading was of a wide and varied character. Although he was always credited with using Anglo-Saxon words and phrases, and always endeavored to use the language of the common people, he would now and then use a word which proved that there were few branches of human research that he had not made himself ac- quainted with." " How long was he before he wanted the transcrip- tion of your notes ? " " His practice with regard to his Sunday sermon for publication on the next Thursday was to devote a considerable portion of the Monday to its revision. He used to have the MS. early on Monday, and, with the exception of taking a turn round his grounds (the only exercise he ever got), he would keep at it until it was ready for the printer." *' Now, Mr, Hill, we have all heard extraordinary stories about what he said and did in the Metro- politan pulpit. As you have had a pretty long il LLii In ! 390 SPURGEON OUR ALLV. experience, perhaps you can tell me something on this point. What about his pulpit mannerisms ? " " He had none. I considered him to be the most natural speaker I ever heard. Occasionally I have heard him utter sentences in a somewhat florid style which showed what he could do if he wished, but I never regarded him as a sensational speaker, and I have heard him disclaim emphatically any wish to be rhetorical in his style. In order to speak the language of the people, he avoided anything like an ornate style, and he always sought those forms of ex- pression which were simplest and easiest to understand. His great object and aim was to be perfectly under- stood, and to reach the hearts of those whom he was addressing." " About these stories of his quaint sayings in the pulpit?" " Now and then his humorand his illustrations might be thought a little broad ; but I never heard any approach to vulgarity, and I may say that I never heard him utter any of the startling things that have been attributed to him." " What sort of notes did he generally use in the pulpit?" •' His notes generally consisted of the main divis- ions of his sermon, the sub-heads, and a few what I must call, for want of a better term, ' catchwords/ simply as indications of any anecdotes or illustrations he mifht wish to introduce. But the whole would very well go on the back of a sheet of note paper." spurgeon's home life. 391 Dmething on crisms ? " be the most lally I have : florid style ;ished, but I eaker, and I any wish to • speak the ing like an brms of ex- understand. !Ctly under- iiom he was i'mgs in the tion.s might heard any t I never that have |use in the lain divis- )w what I Ichwords/ Mstrations )le would )aper." " But I suppose this did not indicate any lack of preparation on his part ? " " Certainly not. Every sermon was prepared most carefully, and its structure and leading ideas were made thoroughly perfect before delivery, although he did not trouble so much about the language. Whilst he had a great command over language, and was naturally a fluent speaker, he never fell into the mis- takes that some persons with like qualifications make. He seldom used the same expression or the same sentence twice during the same sermon, and never repeated himself. Indeed, I have found that a straight ahead transcription of my notes was general- ly all that was required, and I very rarely had to alter the construction of a sentence. He used to stand on the right-hand side of a small table on his pulpit-platform, and the greater part of his discourse was delivered there. He rarely looked at his notes during the delivery of a sermon, and then only when he required to be reminded of a new paragraph." " Did he revise your manuscript much, as a rule ? '' " Yes, he used to make considerable alterations, and they, of course, generally required to be amplified in order to fit in with the twelve pages of the Metro- politan Tabernacle Pulpit. This was done in his own study." " What was the usual length A his sermons ? " " The average length was from forty to forty-five minutes. Sometimes they extended to an hour, and upon a few occasions the hour was exceeded. I should say that thirty-five minutes were an exceeding- i mf' ! §m , ■;■:; I i;: .;( 5 , ■, ! P '. r f: ill 392 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. ly short, and an hour an unusually long time. The former would only happen when he was out of health." " Can you recall any special sermons that he preached ? " " Well, they were all special sermons. If any great national event took place during the week he gener- ally referred to it in the course of the morning sermon. His expositions of Scripture during the reading of the lessons were always of an interesting character, and a homely phrase would often throw light upon an obscure passage, as only he knew how to do it." " Were you brought much into personal contact with him ? " " He was a very busy man, and I always avoided troubling him as much as possible, but whenever he had occasion to see me, I found him one of the most genial and kindly of men. He was grateful for the smallest service rendered, and always expressed him- self most appreciatively of the way in which my work was done, and he often thanked me for studying his convenience." In reply to further questions, Mr. Hill said Mr. Spurgeon never had the air of a man who was con- scious of popularity. He was most unassuming in his manners, which would never suggest to an out- sider the extraordinary position he had attained in the world. In his domestic life he was simple and homely. Fame and popularity came to him un- sought, for his life was wrapped up in his work." 11?" time. The was out of •ns that he If any great 2k he gener- ling sermon. I reading of g character, ^ light upon to do it." nal contact ays avoided i^henever he of the most ful for the ressed him- h my work udying his said Mr. o was con- isuming in to an out- Ittained in [iniple and him un- lork." ir> SPURGEON S HOME LIFE. 393 Spiirgeon and His CJiildi'cn. In the Sword and TV^rcr/ of August, 1879, he says : " The only student who has become a pastor since our last notice is our son Charles, who has accepted the unanimous invitation of the London Baptist Association Sub-Committee, and the Committee of South Street Chapel, Greenwich, to become minister of that place. A new Church has been formed, the Chapel is filled, and the prospects are most hopeful. If our friends will pray for our son as they have done for us, we may expect to see the work of the Lord in Greenwich greatly revived, a vigorous Church gathered, and a young minister enabled to commence his work under the happiest auspices. To friends who have aided the Church, great praise is due. May they have their reward in the future history of the place.'' In November, 1879, we find this note : " On Monday eve, September 29th, the Tabernacle was grandly filled for the farewell meeting for our well-beloved son, Thomas and his companions, Messrs. McCullough and Harrison, Their many friends could not accompany them to the ship, but they very heartily commended them to God, and to the word of His grace. For our own part we are now able, together with his dear mother, to look upon our son's departure to Australia, with joy, because we feel that it is for the extension of the Redeemer's Kingdom, that he should go. Endowed as he is with such a wealth of affectionate prayers he must prosper." : i i:! I Ir n'' m\ K r ■ ■ . j!fe!..'.H a Hi'i: •fiij I- I !h-i';l!J :il::» 1 1 r, ; r ::| <|1 1 , ■ !; i 1 ' i. 1 L^ ^ _ 394 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " We cannot expect to have news of the party, till next February ; but since our son's leaving we have had several candidates for Church fellowship who ascribe their conversion to his ministry, and this yields better cheer than letters could afford." In the same number was the portrait of Charles, his son, pastor of the Church in South Street Chapel, Greenwich. Thomas possesses wonderful genius, and has writ- ten in verse and prose for the press, words which will not die. His health is not good and he has been compelled to try the milder Australian clime that he might live and do the work placed before him. Charles, as pastor of Greenwich, holds a large place in public regard, and has been spoken of as success- >r to his father. The sons were tenderly reared, and early began to manifest their desire to do the work that first came to hand. Neither has souglit public place, because of their father s position, but has earned the promotion that has come to them. Home was His trysti7tg-place where he " bade his messengers ride forth — East and West, and South and North, To summon his array. There students, and evangelists, and others, who were to be sent out on difficult enterprises came to be inspired with his devotion, and to be panoplied for the fight. The story of * The Home Life,* may yet be written by her, who knew it best. How wonderful it seems, of the party, 5 leaving we :h fellowship stry, and this )rd." it of Charles, •treet Chapel, and has writ- ds which will he has been clime that he liim. Charles, ilace in public iccessn* to his ed, and early he work that ught public t has earned le *' bade his |rth, others, who tises came to ^e panoplied :t be written [ful it seems, SPURGEON'S HOME LIFE. 395 that on the first Sabbath the young candidate was to be in Park Street, as a supply, a deacon should have gone to the home of Mr. Robert Thompson, and asked the daughter, Miss Susanna Thompson to help to make up a decent sized congregation, and that the young lady thus invited should have been chosen of God, to be the helpmate of the most remarkable MRS. C. H. SPURGEON. preacher of the world, and to grow to be a felt power in Christendom. It was in 1856, she became the wife of the poi)ular London pastor. Spurgeon was on the Up Ciradc. He preached tliat year his grandfather's Jubilee ser- mon, and one of the centenary sermons in Whitfield's ii ii ::. :!; . ! tti^i 396 SPURGEON OUR ALLY ^ Mi ii i ' ; 1 Tabernacle in Tottenham Court Road. On January 8th, early in the forenoon, Mr. Spurgeonwas married, by Dr Alexander Fletcher, to Miss Susanna Thompson, daughter of Mr. Robert Thompson, of Falcon Square, London. Over two thousand persons were unable to enter the Chapel on the occasion. The service was begun by singing the well-known hymn, * Salvation ! oh, the joyful sound.' The one hundredth Psalm having been read, a solemn and affecting prayer was offered, and an appropriate address given. The form of marriage used by protestant Dissenters was then gone through with, after which Ephesians v. was read, and the wedding hymn sung, commencing : " Since Jesus freely did appear.', Dr. Fletcher again implored the Divine blessing on the happy pair, who were both attended by their parents, after which they drove off amidst the cheers and prayers of a vast concourse of loving friends. After a brief sojourn on the continent, husband and wife began their life-work together. In this world the good is set over against the bad. It was in January they were married. It was in October " The Surrey Gardens " catastrophe took place, which brought her husband to death's door, and made the quiet of his home, and its engirding and soul- satisfying love, a real necessity. Then came such prosperity as never before came to a minister. It has been a source of delight that I saw them at their best in 1868. Her welcome so modest, so English, so undemon- strative in the room where her husband received his V ti January 8th, larried.by Dr 1 Thompson, alcon Square, /ere unable to le service was 1, 'Salvation! Iredth Psalm ig prayer was n. The form tci's was then ssians v. was nencing : le blessing on ed by their St the cheers ving friends, husband and linst the bad. It was in le took place, )r, and made and soul- came such ^ter. It has It their best undemon- received his spurgeon's home life. 397 friends will never be forgotten by that group that gathered about the great preacher on that occasion. The breakfast at their home, and the quiet grace with which she presided at the table arc remembered by hundreds. She did not monopolize the conversa- tion. She simply enjo}'ed it. She looked the pride she felt in her " husband known in the gates." I never believed that she even remembered that I had crossed the threshold of her home. So many came and went to see her hus- band, of whom she knew nothing, and cared less, excepting so far as it was incumbent on her to be hospitable for their Master's sake, and I went out feeling that I belonged to the undistinguishable croud of visitors that have ectten at their table, and have basked in the sunshine of their home, who remember her, but are not remembered by her. She has her reward for her long service in the cause of her Master, in the hearts, love, and prayers of thousands who have seen her, only to admire her quiet and dignified bearing, and who name her but to praise. Is there not a lesson here for all ? It is the un- noticed and the undemonstrative act we remember. The giving of the cup of cold water which was for- gotten as soon as performed, that Christ remembered and recalled. And Jesus turns to this woman who has carried happiness to hundreds of parsonages and to the hearts of unnumbered ministers and says to some Simon, who wonders at the place she holds in the world's regard " See'st thou this woman ? " Perhaps the Master may say it to .some woman, who is con- 11 I'H I! I (!!Hi iMi t->n ;l!^u: ' -3 : |: ':! ;v! 1 'i 'K V i'i'.l ! ! •I i ,■ :! i 598 SPUKGI'iOX OUR ALLY. tinually finding fault because of the stream of company that is pouriiif^ into the home, * See'st thou this woman ? She has ministered to me in ways that cannot be described.' When some stranger beyond the sea, or from some poor field in Great Britain came, she did not say to her husband, ' It is too bad that we can never be alone,' but the reverse was in her smile that was given her husband before she saw the guest. Then the pleasant greeting to the stranger which followed, came, as a matter of course, because it was in her heart. How happy she must feel as she reads the words of praise bestowed upon her husband, because of the pleasant times enjoyed in their home, and now as she goes over the golden days sunned all over in love, she can say to herself " It was the pleasant things he said, and the kindly things I did that makes the memory so jo\'ous at this hour," Mrs. Spurgeon is not alone. All over this and other lands are wives of ministers whose hospitality is proverbial, and whose kindness is unintermitting, and it is their acts of un- obtrusive thoughtfulness that make many a tired and almost despairing wanderer rejoice that there are wells in the Valley of Baca, and that because of them they go on from strength to strength. It was not alone what she was to others that makes her so dear to the heart of the world, but because of what she was to her husband, who felt that any place with her became a palace, without her was but little better than a desert. How good God is, was our exclamation again and again, as we realized that he was permitted to have dear Men tone with her, before sruuriEONs iiomf, lifk. 399 stream of * See'st thou in ways that iger beyond Britain came, too bad that was in her she saw the the stranger irse, because the words of :ause of the i now as she )ver in love, mt things he makes the Spurgeon is are wives of and whose acts of un- a tired and re are wells them they that makes because of t any place IS but little s, was our ed that he her, before he went to heaven. They rode together, and com- muned together, and he who had sung *' I cannot do without thee," had her to his heart's content, and from their home beside the sea stepped from the endearments of love here to the realization of perfect love, among the white-robed throng, where he shall start on a fresh career, and explore heaven for her, as he explored beautiful Mentone, which he so dearly loved, and be prepared to give her a welcome there, as he gave it to her in sunny France. There they were among a people of a strange language, but in Heaven the}' shall understand the language of Canaan and know each other as they are known to God. It seems too good to be true, that what has now been written is not an exaggeration but the truth. Who can forget this tribute to his wife written years ago when he left her sick at home : " What have we not left behind in that dear abode !'' Could she but go with us who has been, under God, the good angel of our life, then our vacation would lose that one sad vacancy which takes from it its full con- tent ; and then all our enjoyment of nature's beauties would be doubled as we marked the pleasure of that kindred spirit, whose appreciations of the divine handiwork are even keener than our own. We have both learned to bow before our Father's will ; and. whether in one home, or with a thousand miles be- tween, we are one in a full and intense yielding to the divine ordination, and in one undivided desire to do, and to be, that which is most for the glory of God. May I 'A\ .11! ; Ii 400 bPURGEON OUR ALLY. the dew of heaven fall ever on that house where she abides, who, in lame, Our joys and griefs alike, with gentle sweetness Fade in the dawn of the next world's completeness. The hour is Thine, dear Lord ; we ask no more, But wait Thy summons on the sunny shore. Mentone, Feb. 3rd, 1892, It was telegraphed that : " Mrs. Spurgeon was very graciously sustained and comforted in spirit by the Lord's all-sufficient grace." Afterwards she sent this letter to her friends : — Mrs. Spurgeofis Message of Thanks To the many correspondents who have so lovingly shared her sorrow : — :4' f 11 n ( '■ 1 T 1! c strengthened and helped me wonder- fully. My loss is your loss, so we could weep together. You loved my beloved, and we could rival one another in his praise. You will miss his dear face, his sweet voice, his graeious, genial presence, not so 7m(c/i as I do, but as tru/y ; and here, too, we mourn together. But so many of you, when writing to me, so put aside at once the selfishness of grief, and looked up from earth to heaven, that I tried to do SPURGEON S HOME LIFE. 409 )f my great he deepest sympathy took my could heal Lve lost its or me ! I me, O my iched me !" ±c utmost '• sorrowful ; and gra- have risen their own ous letters [ually, and not being of com- y, asking s as ad- wonder- Id weep )uld rival his dear )resence, too, we writing |rief, and to do the same. And, blessed be the name of the Lord, / have done it! His 'abundant entrance,' the 'Well done, good and faithful servant !' of the Master, the great throng of white-robed spirits who welcomed him as the one who first led them to the Saviour, the admiring wondering angels, the radiant glory, the surprise of that midnight journey which ended at the throne of God ; all this, and much more of blessed reality for him, has lifted our bowed heads, and enabled us to bless the Lord, even though He has taken from us so incomparable a friend and pastor. All that was choice and generous, and Christlike, seemed gathered together in his character, and lived out in his life. He was pre-eminently the ' servant, of all,' yet he served with such humility and wisdom that with him to serve was to reign. All are feeling now the power he wielded over men's hearts ; and l-ecause a prince of God, and a leader of men has passed away, ' our homes are left unto us desolate.' I must not attempt to speak of his worth ; words would utterly fail ; but the tears of multitudes, all over the world, testify to the irreparable loss they have sustained. " I will tell you of one fact which has greatly com- forted me in my deep grief; it will even be a precious memory to mc, and a theme of praise to God. It may rejoice your hearts also to have such an assurance from my pen. Is is that the Lord so tenderly grant- ed to us both three months of perfect earthly happi- ness here in Mentone, before he took him to the ' far better ' of his own glory, and immediate presence ! For fifteen years my beloved had longed to bring me m W; V Si ;. a 410 SPUFGEON OUR ALLY. here ; but it had never before been possible. Now, we were both strengthened for the long journey ; and the desire of his heart was fully given him. I can never describe the pride and joy with which he intro- duced me to his favorite haunts, and the eagerness with which he showed me each lovely glimpse of mountain, sea, and landscape. He was hungry for my loving appreciation, and I satisfied him to the full. We took long daily drives, and every place we visited was a triumphal entry for him. His enjoy- ment was intense, his delight exuberant. He looked in perfect health, and rejoiced in the brightest of spirits. Then, too, with what calm, deep happiness he sat, day after day, in a cosy corner of his ^unny room, writing his last labour of love, 'The Com- mentary on Matthew's Gospel.' Not a care burdened him, not a grief weighed upon his heart, not a desire remained unfulfilled, not a wish unsatisfied ; he was permitted to enjoy an earthly Eden before his trans- lation to the Paradise above. Blessed be the Lord for such sweet memories, such tender assuagement of wounds that can never quite be healed on earth Up to the last ten days of his sweet life ; health appeared to be returning, though slowly ; our hopes were strong for his full recovery, and he himself believed that he should live to declare again to his dear people, and to poor sinners, 'the unsearchable riches of Christ* But it was not to be, dear triends. The call came with terrible suddenness to us ; but with infinite mercy to him. The prayer, * Father I will that they also whom Thmi hast given me, be with me where I am ; that they may behold my Jsible. Now, ourney ; and him. I can iich he intro- le eagerness glimpse uf hungry for him to the ry place we His enjoy- He /ookea^ brightest of 3 happiness f hit sunny 'The Com- e burdened not a desire ■d ; he was - his trans- the Lord suagement i on earth ife ; health our hopes le himself ain to his searchable ar friends. ) us ; but Father I n me, be ^hold my SPURGEON'S HOME LIFE. 41 , glory," was answered in his case. His Saviour wanted him up higher, and could spare him to us no \TTu ,"', '" ^."""^ '^ ^"'' ^^^^^^^ting reward, and the hallelujahs of heaven must hush and rebuke the sobs and sighs of earth. " Looking up, with tear-dimmed eyes, to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can sav- Even so, Lord, for Thou hast made him most blessed for ever. Thou hast made him exceeding glad with Thy countenance.' Yours, sorrowful yet rejoicing, Susie Spurgeon. II i li rf CHAPTER XX ri. ,11 i.1 'm t^J w THE WARRIOR WITHDRAWN. W \ \ Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates |into the city." — Rev. xxii. 14. 'HE death of the great preacher filled the world with surprise and awe. It was thought that he was on the up-grade, A friend had been to see him but a few days before the last attack, and wrote that he had not looked so well in a longtime, that the swelling had passed from his hands, that his body had resumed its normal condition, and that he had the promise of coming back to work, looking like his old self once more, and of entering upon a career of usefulness that might eclipse anything known in the past. Alas ! how soon were all these hopes dashed to the ground. The history of his illness carries us back to May 1891. On June 7th, he appeared for the last time at the Tabernacle. The building could not have been more crowded had the people known that it was to be his last appearance, nor could the preacher have been more in earnest. His text was in i Sam. 30, 21-24. David had come back to the people after an absence 412 N. ve right to the the ivorld with lat he was lys before looked so from his ondition, to work, entering [anything ?d to the back to last time ive been ^as to be [ve been 1-24. labsence THE WARRIOR WITHDRAWN. 413 and gave them his royal salute. It was a great day. At the conclusion of the service, from a great heart overflowing with love, joy and gratitude, he poured out a fervent thanksgiving to God, for health restored, and the privilege of again preaching to his beloved people. At the conclusion, the vast throng rose to their feet and sang " Praise God from whom all blessings flow," and turned from that well-known face never to see it again. His closing words on that occasion were character- istically earnest for the conversion of souls, and his closing sentences full of pathos : — " What I have to say lastly is this ; how greatly I desire that you who are not yet enlisted in my Lord's band would come to Him, because you see what a kind and gracious Lord He is. Young men, if you could see our Captain, you would go down on your knees and beg Him to let you enter the ranks of those who follow Him. It is heaven to serve Jesus. I am a re- cruiting sergeant, and I would fain find a few recruits at this moment. Every man must serve somebody ; we have no choice as to that fact. Those who have no master are slaves to themselves. Depend upon it, you will either serve Satan or Christ, either self or the Saviour. You will find sin, self, Satan, and the world to be hard masters ; but if you wear the livery of Christ, you will find him so meek and lowly of heart that you will find rest unto your souls. He is the most magnaminious of captains. There never was His like among the choicest of princes. He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold He always takes the bleak side of the 1 1 1 :: I It • i i 't ■i 414 SPUKGEON OUR ALLY. hill. The heaviest end of the Cross Hcs ever on His shoulders. If He bids us carry a burden, He carries it also. If there is anything that is gracious, gener- ous, kind, and tender, yea, lavish and superabundant in love, you always find it in Him. These forty years and more have I served Him, blessed be His name ! and I have had nothing but love from Him. I would be glad to continue yet another forty years in the same dear service here below, if it so pleased Him. His ser- vice is life, peace, joy. Oh, that you would enter on it at once ! God help you to enlist under the banner of Jesus even this day ! Amen." Unfortunately, he went off on the following morn- ing into the eastern counties in order to re-visit the loved scenes of his youth in and around Stambourne. How mightily he enjoyed himself vve learn from the recently-published " Memoirs " of that old Essex vil- lage. Before the end of the week he had to return hastily to Norwood. He took to his bed on Friday, June 12, and lay for weeks, as it were, between life and death, until he sufficiently rallied to come down stairs, and in the warm summer weather to take chair and carriage exercise in the open air. As will be remembered, the pastor's condition at the end of June bee ime somewhat alarming. He had been looking forw.ird with great interest to the open- ing of the Surrey Gardens Memorial Hall, but was unable even to hold up his head on June 23, when the opening took place. Monday, June 23, was the date of the memorial all-day pra}'er-meeting at the Taber- nacle. On that occasion everyone felt encouraged to hope for the best ; and at the end of the weekly ser- THE WARRIOR WITHDRAWN. 415 /er on His ie carries •us, gener- 'abundant orty years 'is name ! would be the same His ser- enter on le banner ng morn- -visit the mbourne. from the Issex vil- to return Friday, vccn h'fe ne down e Royal Baptist preacher, who, under the banner THE UNFINISHED WORK. 425 le question be well. h take one n the Pre- tn all who in America the gifted on and the urch steps in, and be- orld. •ry because early pas- Scripture •upper ap- : baptized were im. j' doctrine prayers." E Lord's ith their hey have and all oose be- ds were fote/ des g it for banner of an open Bible, shall show to all the world that the Baptist way is the more excellent way, and that the Baptists of England cannot in this emergency afford to follow the dead Spurgeon or the living MacLarin* or any one whose course is even questionable regard- ing the duty of standing up for the truth, and the whole truth, as Christ proclaimed it, and as the Apostles illustrated it. No man of position could be induced to attempt the great work unless he could have the place that right- fully belongs to him as Pastor. The printing of the sermons of the dead preacher must give way to the scrmonsof his successor, be it James Archer Spurgeon, Archibald G. Brown, of the East London Tabernacle, or any other man worthy of the place. Dr. Pierson has done well, and if it shall require five years for the Chucrh to give some Royal Baptist an opportunity, let him remain for the five years ; but in the meantime, let Baptists, that are Baptists, all over the world, pray that the time may soon come, when the decks of the Tabernacle shall be cleared for action, as was done when Spurgeon came to London, and let the great war- ship, with cannon shotted on either side, sail out upon God's open sea, and believe with Charles Haddon Spurgeon, now in glory, that " not only is every turn of the read marked in the divine map, but every stone in the road, and every drop of morning dew or evening mist that falls upon the grass which grows at the road- side. We are not to cross a trackless desert : THE LORD HAS ORDAINED OUR PATH IN HIS IN- FALLiliLE WISDOM AND INFINITE LOVE." ■i i' Ir- : M'^ 426 SPURGEON OUR ALLY. " A Guide is provided and there ivill be strength for the journey y This was his last message. Let the Church heed it, and there will be no peril that may not be met and overcome. Therefore, people of the Tabernacle Church, " Arise and go over this Jordan remembering that God is neither dead nor bankrupt, and that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." A person is dull in discerning the signs of the times if he does not see the necessity for a great and true Baptist Church in London. A stream of influence which started out from the throne of God under Spurgeon needs to go on widen- ing and deepening, until all the people in every land shall see it to be their duty, First, TO believe. Second- ly, BE IMMERSED, and Thirdly, making Baptism the pre-requisite to Communion, to permit the Church, as Christ organized it, to become the example for all, an5 a fountain -source of Liberty, Justice and Righteous- ness. God Almighty furnished the Model in the Baptist Church in Jerusalem, which is now the mother of us all. Let us content ourselves with being loyal to the truth as delivered to the Apostles, and illustrate it in our lives and conversation, so that the world may say that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him. Amen, and Amen. f-V; % I 41 1- fli trength \\ heed it, met and 3 Church, that God teps of a the times and true rom the 1 widen- cry land Second- ism the urch, as all, ancl hteous- Baptist fus all. le truth in our ay say Him. INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS. Anglican Church uniting with Rome, 151 ; Ana-IJaptists, 127, 129 and 138 ; Abbey, 97 ; Alva, Duke, 21 ; Apthorpe, (i. fur- nished Memorial Stone, 45 ; Angus, Dr. Tutor 50 ; Angus, Joseph 73 ; Ark, 52 : Armitage, Thomas D.D. 56-7 ; America, 60 : A hoary head rebuked, 67 ; Architect of Tabernacle, l);\ine Help, 107 ; Alabaster and Passmore, no; Anti-Christ and her brood, 122 : Ana-Ikiptistical, 127 ; Articles of Visitation, 129 ; Ana-Baptists persecuted, 130 ; Despised, 133 ; Act of Tolera- tion, 146; Actsand Monuments, 149 ; Ayesbury and '.v'inslow, 152 : Antwerp full of Virgin Mary's, 154 ; All unbaptized lost, 198 ; Anguish endured, 199 ; Abraham Lincoln, 201 ; Anonatea, 205 ; Armitage, Rev. Thomas, D.D., 211 ; Allon, Dr. Tribute. 247 ; Armitage, Tribute in Philadelphia, 255 ; .\rmenianN, 257, 296 ; Antinomians, 257 ; .A.merican people, 260; A pre- destinated man, 262 ; Appetite for Tobacco, 267 ; An .Abstainer, 273 ; Alcohol does no good, 282 ; Appointed Order before the Lord's Supper, 295 ; Americans afi.iid ui Spurgeon's Students, 308 ; Anderson, Galusha 337 ; Ananias, 364. Bury, St. Edmunds, 41 ; Baptizing in the Thames, 132 ; Bap- tists of Holland, 128 ; Baptists of (iermany, 128 ; Bartleit, Mrs. 118; Biographies written to please men, Preface, 6; Bunyan's Grace Abounding, 28 ; Baptist Reporter, 34 ; Beecher, Henry Ward, 59 ; Brimstone and Treacle, 79 ; British Banner, 86 ; Buckingham 1 <).' ice, 96 ; Bennett, W. J. E. of Frome, 124 ; Baptists persv" uod by Romanists, 125 ; Baptist Martyrs, 126; Bergen op. Zoon, Brabant, 126; Burnett, Bishop, 129 ; Baptists increase, 131 ; feared, 134 ; Busher, Leonard wrote '' Religion's Peace," 141 ; Blunt. Richard ser . to Holland, 141 ; Batte, John baptized Blunt, 142; Blak'j, witnessed infants dij^ped, 142; Boston, England, 148 ; Buckinghamshire, 152 ; Baptists and Immersion, 158 ; Bible Religion of Protestants, 158 ; Baden Baden, 162 428 INDKX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS. i m .■'11 I ! %\ ljaptism.ll Regeneration in the Church of Enghmd, 164 Babes cannot 'beheve, 175 ; Baptism does not save, 178 Baptism and Faith, 187 ; Baptism follows Belief 187 Baptism not a saving ordinance, 1S8 ; I5apiism to save souls the outward Symbol, 188 ; Baptismal Regeneaation in the Church of Rome, 195 ; Baptism does not save, 202 ; Brabeuf, Jean de, 207 ; Baptism no safeguard against pestilence, 207 ; Brabeufs Martyrdom, 209; Bank of Knj^land, 216; Boy Preacher, 220; Bates, S. S. 250; Becchi ' nry Ward, 251 ; Blake, Hon. Samuel H. 252 : Boarcin , vIeorge2 54 ; lirown, T. Edwin 255 ; JJurmah, 261 ; Blue Ribbon Move- ment, 264 ; I5eer-shops, Enemy of the Home, 275 ; Blue Ribbon Mission, 278 ; Brown, John 293 ; Bunyan, John and the Lord's Supper, 300 ; Rjaptist I)c;icons not Immersed, 300 ; Bright, I^lward 302 ; Breakmg bread not aChu* ^li Ordinance, 303 ; Blood shed for many, 206 : Bishops, 307 ; Baptist's Weekly, 311 ; IJaxter, Richard 317 ; Baptists m England no Power, 310; Bright, Dr. and Secret Circular, 326; Baptist would be Baptist, 330 ; Brooklyn and Open Communion, 2>2)2, ', Baptist Union, 340; Bright, Edward D.D. 338; P.and of Hope, 352 ; Baxandale, J. Letter from the Ranks, 378-9 ; Be Baptists, 423 ; Brown, Arch. G. 425. Confession and Absolution, 1 53 ; Confessional in tne Church of England, 153; Cut the Cancer out, 153; Charity among Christians, 151 ; Catechism on Baptism, 151 ; Cantlow, Rev. W. \\'. Baptism, 39-41 ; Charles I, 132 ; Church in .State, 132 ; Continental Hive, 128 ; College, 106 ; Corner Stone, contains, 102 ; C.ilvinist, 102 ; Coe of Waterbeach, 69 ; Describes his Sermon, 66 ; Colchester, 5 1 ; Communion Question, Preface, 6; Chelmsford Jail, 21 ; Colchester, Mother's birthplace, 22 ; Calvary, cast anchor on, 24 ; Chapel at Waterbeach, 28 ; Call to New Park Street, 28 ; Cantlow, W. H., 43 ; Accompanies .Spurgeon to his baptism, 43 ; Cook Jos., 57 ; Chrysostom, 60; Congregationalist, Father and Mother, 61 ; Cottage at Tever- sham, 63 ; Campbell, Dr. His description of the Surrey Hall disaster, 86-91 ; Can't afford it, 72 ; Catch 'cm alive 'o, 80 ; Cry of Fire, 90 ; Christian Cabmet, iii ; Church and mem- bership, 120 ; Christ in Revelation, 122 ; Collier, 124 ; Char- les 1, 131 ; Calamy, Edmund, 134 ; Cranmer, 139 , Cover- dale, 139, Confession of 1644, 140 . Cromwell Protector, 142 ; Cripplegate, 150; Confession right kind, 154, Catherine; the (]teat, 157 : Confirmation, 159 ; Clergymen deceivers, 174 ; Communion, 194 ; Children carried to tlie homes of priests to :i*t INDEX OF NAMES AND SUI5JKCTS. 4^9 be baptized, 196 ; Children <.aved by Christ, 19Q; ("onfidenre reposed in baptism perilous, 109 , Cuibono, 190 Christian era, 210; Crystal Palace, 217; Canterbury, 217, Cook, Joseph, 228 ; Cabby, 231 , Gallon the Baptist Pastor. 232 , Campbell, Lord Chief Justice, 234 , Conference yc.irly, 240 ; Clifford, I). Tribute, 249, Chowan, 269 ; Copperiicld David, 270; Coming to America, 289, Coo]jcr Union, 203 , Clinst did not spread his table m the street, 298 ; Church of Corinth, 298 : Communion how often held, 306, Cardinals, 307 , Cen- tral Daptists, St. Louis, 310; Clifford on Open Communion, Canadian Baptist, 314; Colleges in England, 322 , Capwell, A. P., 336 , Christian World, 354, 356, Canada, 3^8 , Call to Prayer, 369 , Christian Herald, 371 ; Consubstantiation, 366 ; Children, 393, rch of amony Re\. 132 ; ntains, 3es his eface, ,22; Call panics m, 60; ever- Hall 80; mem- Char- over- 142 ; rine ; 174; sts to Dippers Dipped, 132 ; Deacons Number 118, 11 ; Dutch An- cestors, 21 ; Down drade, 56, Disaster at Surrey Hall, 8[ to 95 ; Donatists, 129 ; Duchess of Richmond, Fox's Friend, 149 ; Duke of Norfolk, 149 ; Dave, John Printer to the Queen, 149 ; Dome of the In\alides, 156 ; Dogma not supported by facts, 172 ; Dissentei T turning to Rome, 182 ; Down Grade, its cause, 194 ; Dying Priest. 203 ; Dickens, Charles 232 ; Daily Spiritual Mood, 259 : Dunn, John T. 263 ; Letter, 264 ; Drink God, The 276 , Dead Lion, 291 ; Davis, h.D. Rev. 321 ; Death of Spurgeon, 370; Dunn, John T. 370, Dovvn Grade, 380 , Decay of True Piety, 382. Elders, when appointed, 118; Eaglen, Rev. Rober'., the Local Preacher, 23 and 32 ; Exeter Hall and Spurgeon, 23 ; Everett, J. D. Professor, 26 , Episcopal Minister Antagonizes Baptism, 46 ; Ellis's Book, 53 ; English Puritanism, 55 , English Pro- testantism, 55 ; Episcopal Catechism, 36 ; E\eter Hall, 78, 79, 80, 88 ; — re-entered, 104 ;— reasons for leaving, 104 ; Every- thing said Printed, 113; Excesses, 127; Edward VI, 129; Edward's Bitterness, 134 Edwards, Thomas opposes tolera- tion, 149 ; Earl of Surrey, 149 ; Edward VI, 149 , Evangelist, 214 ; English People, 221 ; Elders and Deacons, 256 ; Elijah, 257; Executive Committee, Missionary Union, 261 ; England and Drink, 271 ; English Church, 291 , Equivocal Position, 292 ; Episcopalians, 300; Enquirer^ New York, 312; Ex- aminer^ New Y-^rk, 312; Emancipation Proclamation, 324 ; England and America, 324 ; Echoes to Spurgeon, 354 ; English Church refuses to Commune with Pentecost, 360. /^i \ ' n 'i '^m Ui . 430 INDE ; OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS, Featley, 132 ; Father's Conlidence, 22 ; Fletclicr, Dr. Alex. Mis description of Surrey Hall disaster, 91, 92 ; Funds for Tabernacle, loi ; Fuller, Thomas 129 ; Fok Writes a Letter, 130 ; liook of Martyrs, 148 ; — when born, 148 ; False Teach- ing, 179 • Faith Indispensable to Salvation, 183 ; Freedom of Religion opposed, 201 ; Forage of Iroquois, 206 ; Faith in its proper place, 189 ; Fox, George 191 ; Fulton, Justin D. 210 ; Fulton's Address, 216 ; Fulton giving up Tobacco, 266 ; Ftiture Clouded, 289 ; Feast Dedicated, 305 ; P>iars, 307 ; Fulton's Letter to James Spurgeon, 309 ; Fulton's Letter to Pentecost, 3.^1 ; France, 340 ; Filthy, filthy itill, 358 : Fallen Leader, 377 ; Fletcher, Dr. 396 ; Funeral, 417. r"; m I . Great Preacher, how made, 97 ; Grant on Toljacco, Preface, 7 ; (Gladstone, 53 ; Gould of Loughton, Essex, 70 ; (iarden of Eden, 71 ; Gill, Dr. Chair 71, y;^ ; General I'>aptist Church, [39 ; General Baptists Thrive, 143 ; Gardner, 149 ; Goreham, Rev. Cornelius 192-193; Guiry, 200 ; Good Romanists and Poor Christians, 206 ; Glacis:© ^e, 193 ; Grimes, Leonard A. 211 ; Guildhall, 216 ; Gill, Dr. 2.'' 5 ; (Gladstone and Spurgeon, '^33 ; Graham, Sir James 234 ; (}rant, Rev. James, Description, 235 ; Grampian 11 ills, 236 ; Grant, James 242 ; Gauge, Rev. E 245 ; (jetman. Rev. J. F. 250; Grant, Rev. James 251 ; Gordon, A. J. 253 ; Glad":.tone and Heer, 270 ; Gist of the Circular, 327 ; Gethsemane Baptist Church, 336 ; Good Temp- lars' Watchword, 357 ; Greenwich Chapel, 394. H Hughes, -Xrchbishop 18 ; Harlot of the Tiber, 21 ; Hill, Row- land 26 ; Hughes, Hugh Price, describes Spurgeon, 57, 99 ; how facts are gathered, 59 ; Habitans in Sicco, 83 ; Higgs, William Builder of Tabernacle, 103 ; Henry II, 124 ; Henry II to Henry VIII, 125 ;Henry VIH. proclamation, 136; Hutchison, Roger 137 ; Helwys, Thomas 139 ; Harrison, Gen- eral 142 ; Hutchison, Col. 142 ; Helps, 157 ; Horrible Mons- trosity, 195; Huron, 204 ; Hurons, 206 ; Hurons revenge, 208 ; Honored Preacher, 231 ; Horses and pet animals, 237 ; Hall, Rev. Newman, 246 ; Homiletic Review, 251 ; H^yt, Wayland 259, 308 ; Hall, Robert ''89. 300 ; Hyper-Calvinists, 296 ; Ilail, Newman, Sermons, 303 ; ILscox, E.T..D.D. 333, 336 ; Hodge, jas. L., D.D., 335 ; Henry VHI to William III, 340 ; Hutchins, W. N. Letter to Spurgeon, 34S ; Halifax, 358 ; His old year Retrospect, 36S ; Hopes to get well, 369 ; Harris, John Rev. 374 ; Home Life, 385 ; Hill, the Reporter, His Stc-v. iSB. I,; INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS. 431 Dr. Alex. 'unds for a Letter, e Teach- Liedom of lith in its D. 210 ; CO, 266 ; irs, 307 ; Letter to : Fallen eface, 7 ; irden of Church, ioreham, lists and •nard A. pLirgeon, cription^ ge, Rev. ,es 251 ; of the I Temp- 1, Row- 57, 99 ; Higgs, Henrv 136"; n, Gen- Mons- e, 208 ; Hall, ayland 96 ; 3, ?>2>(> ; I, 340 ; His Harris, His S r I Isleham Ferry, 41; Iconoclast of the Century, Preface, 10: Ipswich, 43; Independents persecuted, 133; Infants dipped, 142; Iroquois, 204 ; Intemperance must be fought, 277 ; In- temperance cured by Christ, 283 ; Inteniperrnce and Pover- ty, 285; Independents, 300; Independent^ 309; Invitation of Deacons, 325 ; Ignorance overlooked, 329 ; Immersionist, 264. J Jesuit, 132 ; JuUien, Mr., 80 ; Jesuit Father reads Spurgeon, 100 ; Joynson William, 103 ; Judah's Lion, 125 ; James, 131 ; Jacob Henry, 139 ; Jesuits described by Spurgeon, 150 ; Jesus the Mighty One, 197 ; Jesuits seeking to save by baptism, 204 ; Jesuit Fathers, 206 ; Jarvis, St., 249 ; Jerusalem the (iolden. Keach, Benjamin, 151 ; King, J[ames 132 ; Kelvedon, 22 ; Knill, Richard 26 ; Knowles, Sheridan, 29 ; Keach, Benjamin 73 ; Knox, John, 130; Kiffm, William 139; Karen Christians, 261. Locke Protesting, 147 ; Lynn, 41 ; Latimer, Enemy of Baptists, 84, 128 ; London Extent, 97 ; Leeding, Edwin S. 51 ; Lewis, Heniy, 51 ; Leader Wanted, 56 ; Livingstone David, 57 ; Lay- Preacher's Association, 63 ; Lowe, Deacon James 70 ; Loss of Life, 92 ; London and the Tabernacle, 96 ; Lecture to Students, 1 13 ; Lollards, 130; Latimer, 139; Lathrop, John 140; Lambert, Burnt 152; Lord's Supper, 190; Lalemont, 208 : Letter to the Deacons of the Union Temple Church, 213; Lincoln, Abraham, 256 ; Livingstone's Inward Mission, 261 ; London Association and Temperance, 265 ; Liberal with what is not your own, 292 ; Lord's Supper, 297 ; Lincoln, Heman, 301 ; Luther, Martin, 307 ; Liberty, Religious, 324 ; Long Island Baptist Association, '^f'},'', ; Lee Avenue Baptist Church, 333 ; Lawson, L. (i. 335 ; Long Island Association, Met, 336 ; Lee Avenue expelled, '}>yi \ Lesson to Smokers, 355 ; Last Sermon, 366 ; Lost Correspondence, 372. M Martyrs Burning, 153; Murrell, W. C, iiSj Maidstone, 51; Melchizedec, Preface, 5 ; Manning Cardiril 16 ; Manning and the Wafer God, 16; Mary instead of Christ, 16 ; Man- ning in P'lr atory. Is it hell ? 18 ; Mother of prayer, 22 ; Memorial Stone, 45; McMillen, publisher, 50; Mount of i 432 INDEX OF NAMKS AND SUBJECTS. I ' Transfiguration, 52 ; Manor St., 85 ; Metropolitan Press, 88 ; Missions, 121 ; Motley, izy ; Mary of Hungary, 127; Mis- sion of liaptists, 136; Mori,'in, a Roman Catholic, quar- tered, 143 ; Milton John, contends for it, 1^+5 ; Manning, becoi.ies a pervert, 156; Monks,, 160; Methodist Minister baptizes a dead child, 195 ; Masterpiece of Satan, 197 ; My Mother's prayer, 199 ; Mannini,^, 193 ; Modern Whit- field, 220 ; Mayne, Richard, Commissioner of Police, 234 ; Manning and Spurgeon, 24S ; Moderator of Methodist Min- isters' Association, 250; Murdock, J. X., 259; Malcolm Howard, D.D., 330 ; Marcy Avenue, 334 ; Moore, David, D.D., 335 ; MacArthur, R. S., D ' ,335; Mather, Cotton, 341 ; Moodyism and Romanism, 360 ; Moodyism not a safe Guide, 361 ; Aloody needed in the fight wit' jme, 263 ; Minister demanding Ale, 272 ; Meat not a nee, '3ity, 284 ; Moody, D. L., 290 ; Middle ground, 292 ; Monks. 307 ; Murdock, J. M., 309 ; Munsell, Arthur, Rev. 375 ; Manning, Cardinal, 417. N Nadabs and Abihus, 132 ; Niagara, 112 ; Newmarket, 51 ; Net- herlands, 21, 22 ; Newmarket, 26 ; Nonconformist IVofld, 47 ; New York's Tribime Description, 52, 53 ; New Park Street, 71 ; Chapel, enlarged, 78, 79 ; Numbers, 121 ; National Grave- yards, 134 ; Newman, Cardinal, going to Rome, 155 : Na- poleon, 156 ; Newman, John Henry, 192 ; Neil, John, 251 ; National Baptist^ 274, 308 ; Nazarite, The, 286 ; Newport, Rhode Island, 291 ; Nothingarians, 300 ; Number of Baptists, 321. Our own dear Baptist Church, 151 ; Olney, William, 1 18 ; Olney, Deacon, Thomas, Treasurer of Poor Fund, 72, 118; Gives ;^io, 72; Our Own Hymn Book, 220 ; Open Communion, 289 : Its fruit, 290, 296 ; Outside the pale, 297 ; Organization of the Church honored, 208 ; Open Communionists, 300; Open Communionism, 300 ; Not of Christ, 316 ; Disastrous results, 318 ; What it does, 319 ; Own Hymn Book, 326. Popery in the Church of Englan 1, 153 ; Peto, Sir Morton, 102 ; Parliament House, 97 ; Pio Nono, 18 ; Philip of Spam, 21 ; Primitive Methodist, 33 ; Ploughman, John, Spurgeon's Conception, 52 ; Paslors of the Baptist Church, Southwark, 73 ; Passmore, Joseph, member of the Church, prm^er and publisher, 74 and 1 10 ; Panic m Royal Surrey Gardens, 81 ^nd 82; Parliament Buildings, 96 ; Printer's Ink, 11 1 ; Popular Books, 113; Ploughman's Talks and Pictures, 1 13 ; Pierson, INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS. 433 Dr., 114; Popery unmasked, 122; Paulicians, 124; Protest- tants whipped, 124 ; Puritans and toleration, 133 ; Public Speech, 135 ; Particular Baplist Churches, 139; Presbyter- ians Protest 145 ; Popery at Oxtord described by Spurgeon, 150 ; Protestants bowing down, 154 ; Pusey, Dr., 155 , Popery gaining, 160 ; Priests, 160 ; Persecution, 162 , Puseyism and Romanism, 163 ; Popery making fearful strides, 180 , Pusey 192; Philpot, Bishop, Exeter, 194 ; Pembroke, Ontario, 195 Prior house for baptized children, '96 , Priest explaining bap tismal regeneration, 198 ; Peril scene in Italy, 2or ; Pijort Father Pierre, 205 ; Pascal, 206 ; Prayer greater than ser mon, 222 ; Portrait of Cromwell, 225 , Prayer meeting, 226 Premier, 234 , Pierson, 244 ; Pulpit Tributes, 245 ; Pearson Rev. S., Tribute, 246 ; Philadelphia's Tribute, 253 ; Paul, 257 Pedo-baptists received to fellowship, 290 ; Phillips, Wendell 293 ; Presidential saddle, 293 ; Peril confronting us, 294 Particular Baptists, 296 ; Passover, 298 ; Prelacy, 299 ; Pres byters, 299 ; Particular Baptists, 300 ; Pope on board ship 307 ; Priests, 307 ; Pearson, Dr., 310 ; Pearson, Arthur T. 312 ; Pentecost, Geo. F., 328 ; Letter, 330; Plague Spot, 333 Progress in the United States, 341 ; Pentecost and tobacco 344 ; His resolves, 360 ; Pharisee, 352 ; Presbyterian As sembly on Smoking, 358 ; Phillip, 364 , Pearls of faith, 374 Prince of Wales, 417. Q Queen Elizabeth persecutes, 131, 132 ; Quakers persecuted, 133 Queenstown, 213 ; Quaker, 341 ; Quaker on Smoking, 355. 300; 102 ; [•geon's iwark, ir and li ^nd lopulai Icrson, Retreat, 106 ; Roman Catholics, no Salvation outside the Church, 16 ; Roman Catholics are they saved ? 16 ; In peril, 17 ; Romanists in peril, 18 ; Ruskin. 58 ; Robert Hall, 63 ; Rider, William 73 ; Ripon, John D.D. 73 ; Ritualistic Fight, 125 ; Reformers before the Reformation. 126 ; Romish Anti- Christ, 126; Ridley, 129, Religious Liberty, 144; Rome's Claim, 158 , Romanism rampant, 161 , Romanism and the pictured Christ, 163; Romish Baptism a cruel delusion, 195 ; A curse to humanity, and a peril to the state, 196 ; Roman Catholic Ward, 196; Romanism condones wrong-doing, 200 ; Rome justifies Priests sinning, 200 ; Revenue taken out of Priests' hands, 201 ; Red man, 204 ; Royal Exchange, 216 : Rochester, 217 ; Reverence for Spurgeon, 233 ; Russell, Lord John, 234 ; Rees, Dr. Allan, 247 , Rees, Dr., 254 ; Relation to Baptist Churches, 289; Rochdale, Eng., 321 ; Read, Daniel D.D. 335 ; Russell, Rev., R. R. 358 ; Results of the discus- sion, 359 ; Ritualistic Magazine, 365 ; Real Presence, 365 ; Ruskin, John, 376; Ryley, G. B. 404 ; Riviera, 405. 434 INDKX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS. ii. > * SPURGEON Spuigeon Escaping Pain, Preface 5 : Spurgeon, was he a Bap- tist, Preface 6 : Temperance and Tobacco, Preface 6 : In 1 868, Preface 7 : Time to Read His Real Life, Preface 9 : Attacks Romanism, Preface 10 ; Strike the Keys, Preface 12 : Our Ally, 15 : Of London, 15 : Of Norwood, 15 : Entrance into Heaven, 15 : An Immersionist, 17 : And Manning still apart, 17: Welcome to Heaven, 19,20: Pedigree and Boy- hood, 21 : His Pride, Martyr Blood, 21 : Job, 21 : Rev. John, 22 ; Youthful Attainments, 23 : Infidelity, 23 : Ancestry, 25 : Congregationalists, 25 : Birth])lace, 25 ; Undertone of Life, 25 : In School, 26 : Attainments as a Boy, 27 : At Cambridge, 28: His own Performances, 29: At his Ease, 29: And the Episcopal School, 31 : Conversion and Immersion, 32 : Under the Gallery, 32 : Reasons for being Immersed, 34 : The Catechism, 36 : Appearance at Baptism, 42 : Immersionist, True, from First to Last, 47 : Education, 49 : Failure to enter College, 50 : School at Cambridge, 52 : Executive Ability, 54 : Library, 57 : Scholarship, 58 : Rates Himself Low, 58 : Rare Books, 58 : Omniferous Reader, 59 : His Power, 60 : Call to the Ministry, 61 : His Greek Testament, 61 : Moves to Cambridge, 62 : Baptized in 1850, 62 : Non- conformist, 64 : How he Worked, 64 : Spurned, 67 : His Faithfulness and Contentment, 70 : Preaches at Sunday School Union of Cambridge, 70 : His call to London, 70 : His First Sunday in New Park Street, 72 : Elected Pastor in 1854, 76: Description of Chapel, 84, 98: His description of the disaster, 85: Carried Out, 93: He made 150 Sermons a Year, 99 ; Ferocious Assault, 94 : London and Spurgeon well suited, 96 : Helpers of Spurgeon, 108 : Wrought with his workers, iii : Fight with Rome, 122 ; Attacks the English Prayer Book, 165 ; Exposes Baptismal Regenera tion, 169 : Ignores the Tractarian Movement, 192 failed to notice, 193 : in 1868, 210 : letter to the Church, 219 : Taber- nacle, 221 : Se»"mon described, 223, in his working-room, 224 : kindness of heart, 226 : True, 230 : in Paternoster Row, 231 : Called Governor, 234 : at home, 237 : As a lecturer, 238 : Crying for help, 239, Summing up, 241 : with an opposmg member, 243 : Securing help, 244 : His voice, 258 and tem- penince, 263, and the Blue Ribbon, 274, President of the tern peiance Society, 279: Addresses, 281 : Speech on his r,oth birthday, 287, And Stric Communion, 290 and 308 : in k368, 291 : and Open Communion, 301 : h'j view of the Communion Question, 305 : Communing in a wood or mountain, 306 : T//e Independent^ 311 : and his leadership, 310: Spurgeons letter, 311 : Successor, 312 : Helped Open Communion, 321 : Southern Baptist Con., 321, INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS 435 5 he a Bap- face 6 : In Preface 9 : Preface 12 : : Entrance anning still 5 and Boy- Rev. John, icestry, 25 : ne of Life, Cambridge, ) : And the 32 : Under 1, 34: The imersionist, Failure to Executive tes Himself ;r, 59 : His Testament, ), 62 : Non- i, 67 : His at Sunday on, 70 : His 5tor in 1854, jtion of the Sermons a Spurgeon ought with ttacks the Regenera- 2 failed to 19 : Taber king-room, loster Row, turer, 238 ; opposing and tem- of the tern n his r,otli : in 1 368, oinmunion tain, 306 : |Spurgeon"s .nioii, 321 : 8 Silly Women Confessing, 153; Salome, 132; Scotch Friends Helping, 102 ; Shall the Truth be Told, Preface 8 ; Sw'ndell, 26 ; A Baptist, 30, 33 ; Sons of Gentry, their Ignorance, 35 ; Stupid Servant, 50 ; Scottish Calvinism, 55 ; Sword and Trowel, 59 ; Spurgeon, Rev. James Archer, Scholar'v, 59, 109 ; St. Andrew's Baptist Church, Canibrid<^e, 63 ; Surrey Gardens, 81, 95 ; Samaria, 71 ; Slinton, Benj;mini 73 ; Smith, James 73 ; St. Paul's Cathedral, 96 ; Southern Section Famed for Tabernacle, 96; Sermon on Indian Mutiny, loi ;.Spicer, 103; Surrey Hall given up, 104; Shilling Series, 113; Spurgeon, James Archer described by Charles, 1 14-1 19 ; Spur- geon described by James, 119 ; Sabbath School, 121 ; Spur- geon, James A., a Preacher, 121 ; Spelman, 124 ; Simon, 126 ; Southwark and the strange fire, 133 ; Stoughton, Dr. 134 ; Some, Dr. 139 ; Smyth-Hehvys, 141 ; Strasbourg, 149 ; St. Giles, 150; Spiritual Liberty, 152; Sisters of Mercy, 160; Satan the Master, 197 ; St. Joseph, 204 ; Surrey Chapel, 217 ; Secret of His Power, 229 ; Stanley of Alderley, 234 ; Steveur son, Dr. 248 ; Simple Methods, 253 ; Swedish and German Missions, 261 ; Spurgeon, James A. Letter on Temperance, 263 ; Statistics on Drink, 268 ; Spurgeon, James A. on the Communion Question, 289 ; Seward, \Vm. H. 293 ; Solonon, 294 ; Stand in the ways, 295 ; Strict Communion ist, 296- 300 ; Strict Discipline Baptists, 296-29S ; Spiritual nature of the Communion, 307 ; Spurgeon, ChaiMpion of Pr;)testantism, 147 ; Praises Thomas Cook, Elder Diansfield, 118 ; Sermons scattered, 112 ; Discourse on Crimean War, 112 ; Thanksgiv- ing for Money, 106 ; Tabernacle Free of Debt, 106 ; Speech on Laying the Corner Stone, 102 ; Description of him impossible, 97 ; At Waterbeach, 69; Makes much of Friends, 69 ; His Edu- cation, 51 ; Stars and Stripes, 324; Secret Circular, 326; Sarles, J. N., D.D., 334 ; Statistics of Baptist Progress, 341 ; Spurgeon and Tobacco, 342 ; Scripture in favor of Smoking, 358 ; Shall the Church assert itself, 362 ; Spurgeon's Letter on Communion, 363 ; Come up Stairs, 374 ; Endorsed by his Church, 382 ; Sermons Prepared and Reported, 338 ; Poem — To My Wife, 400 : Scenes at the Funeral, 418. Tabernacle Bap. Ch., 151 ; Tillotson, 147 ; Tribute to John Fox, 147; Tabernacle size, 10 i; First Stone, 102 ; All See, 97 ; Thorowgood, Mr. 28 ; Tennyson, 53 ; Trafalgar S'j., 96 ; Tact in turning daily occurrences to account, 98; Thanksgiving for money raised, 105 ; Tabi:rnacle histories, 113 ; Treasury iliil:Jli lis !l':| km i : sr;.'"' 436 INDEX OF NAMES AND SUBJECTS. of David, 113 ; Terwoort, Hendrick 138 ; Tractarian move* ment, 155; Traitors to Jesus, 155 ; Tradition, 159 ; Tractarian movement, 192 ; Taproot, 195 ; Twenty woman slain, 198 ; Thieving allowed, 200 ; Testimony of Faith, 189; Tremont Temple, 212 ; Tower of London, 216 ; Tabernacle described, 218 ; Toronto Memorial Service, 249 ; Thomas, B. D., D.D. 250; Tabernacle saved by deed, 290 ; Three months in a Congregatinal Church, 292 ; Transformed into prelates, 299 ; Truth telling, 314 ; Thomas, J. B., D.D. 337 ; Tribune, N. Y. 338 ; Telegraph, London, 346 ; True to the last, 364 ; Talmage. Dr. 371 ; Transubstantiation, 366 ; Theatres visited by so-called Christians, 383 ; Thompson, Robert 395 ; Thomp- son, Susie married, 395 ; The Vault, 420. U Unregenerated people in the Church, 173 : Upholding Popery, 192 : Underbill, 212 : Unitarianism in New York — result, 319. Union Jack, 324 : Narcotics, 357 ; Unfinished Work, 422. Vatican blood hound, 149 ; Visible sign, 190 ; Vedder, 322 Victory over Open Communion, 324 ; View, 366. P',: \'^ ■full W. Why Priests should wed, 153; What such a life cost, Ii2! Wesley, Preface, 11 ; Whitfield, Preface, 11,89; Wilson ex- plains engraving, 45 ; Waterbeach Described, 65 ; Waldenses, 124 : Whitgift, 139 : Westminster divines rebuke Parliament, 143 ; William III, the Orange Leader, 146 : Warning Cry, 160 : Water Baptism, its value, 171 : What salvation does, 185 : Winnowing time, 192 : William Prince of Orange, 201 : Wil- berforce, 193: Watchman, The, 210: Wright, W. B., 210 and 302 : Warren, Jonah J., 212 ; Wayland, H. L., 254, 274 : Weston, President, 254 : Wilkinson, W. C, 258 : Walk dis- orderly, 289, 304 : Wine not for the clergy alone, 307 : Wales, 321; William III, 340: Williams Roger, 341; Watchman, Boston, 358 : Warning the Baptists, 380 ; Westwood, 402 : Warrior Withdrawn, 412 : Walters, Wm., 73. Swingle, 128 : Zurichers Drown the Dippers, 133. "SPURGEON OUR ALLY'* an move» 'ractarian lain, 198 ; Tremont described, D., p.D. nths in a ates, 299 ; itne, N. Y. ast, 364; res visited I ;Thomp- ig Popery, •esult, 319. •k, 422. Ider, 322 : :ost, 112: ^ilson ex- ^aldenses, irliament, [Cry, 160 : ioes, 185 : 01 : Wil- B., 210 254, 274 : yalk dis- : Wales, 'atchmatiy od, 402 : By JUSTIN D. FULTON, D.D. Published by THE PAULINE PROPAGANDA, 255 Carlton Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. PURGEON was a heroic factor in the Fight with Rome. Let us say so, and have the bene- fit of his brave words in the oncoming battle. Against Intemperance he stood, and became the Ally of the Temperance host, Though on the Communion Question he was far astray, yet as an illustration of the evil effects of tampering with God's order, his life teaches a lesson which all the world should read, ponder and heed. His Unfinished Work requires that a Baptist be welcomed to the Tabernacle, with all that such an act implies, To secure this and other equally laud- able results, the book is sent forth, and for it the prayers of the true of every land are invited. Eng- lands opportunity has come. A banner Chieftain, who shall march under the unfurled banner of an open Bible, is in order. The Rev. ROBERT S. Mac ARTHUR, D.D., Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, New York, in speaking of the Book, says: ••Dr. Fulton is quite right in presenting Mr. Spurgeon as the decided and positive man he was, and not, as some would present him, a man lacking in aggressive and controversial elements of char- acter. He was a powerful and conscientious iconoclast. He did not hesitate to oppose Romanism, Home Rule, Intemperance and many public evils. His sermon on •' Baptismal Regeneration" was probably the most powerful arraignment of that dangerous heresy which has ever been made in the history of the church. He dared utter the truth as God enabled him to see it in the inspired Word. To represent Mr. Spurgeon as a weakling, and not as a mighty con- troversialist is to speak of another man rather than of the Taber- nacle pastor. Those who know Dr. Fulton can readily prophesy as to the ringing words in which he will present the life and labors of the world's greatest preacher. We may be sure that Dr. Fulton will write of Spurgeon, and will give no uncertain sound touching many of the controverted questions which will doubtless come under review in his preparation of this volume." The kev. A. £. WHITNEY^ of Indianapolis^ writes^ iri a Review of the Book^ in this appreciative strain : •'Spurgeon our Ally "has in it the same love and fearless- ness which distinguish the Author. Dr. P'ulton cares more for truth than for man, and speaks as one ^vho does not forget eternity. We need a life of Spurgeon that is clear and clean cut. No one will question the largeness of heart, nor the sincerity and fidelity, the loyalty to Christ and the Baptist Denomination, of the Author of this thrilling story of a wonderful life lived in our time and which is a felt power in all the world. It bears the stamp of the deepest con- viction, and there is not a dull line or a false page between the covers. In the ripeness of his years the Author has made it his chief work. It has its mission in a love that includes Christ, Spurgeon, souls, and truth. Pray that it may uncover to all how foolish it is to compromise with error, and how wise it is to contend for the truth as it is revealed in the Word of God." ANTE-PAPAL BOOKS. "WHY PRIESTS SHOULD WED.** Price $1.00. Paper 50 cents. The book is a consensus of opinion from Roman Catholic sour- ces. After three years it remains uncontradicted. Said Father Chiniquy, "It is one ef the deadliest blows ever given to Romanism in this country." "IN THE LAP OF ROME," Price $1.00. It uncovers the workings of Romanism in the United States and Canada. The statements made by Archbishop Lynch relative to Priests and Nuns, if widely circulated, would empty the nunneries of all Wiio are not vile. "ROME IN AMERICA." Price $1.00. With a sketch of the author by Robt. S. MacArthur, D. D.» and facts which help to persuade Romanists to come to Christ. "THE FIGHT WITH ROME." Price $2.00. Contains, High and Low Mass a roaring; farce ; Purgatory, the masterpiece of presumption ; lectures on Cardinal Gibbons, Wycliffe, Luther, McGlynn, and the Nun of Kenmare. "It is," said a min- ister, "a library of itself, a cloud of witnesses, a very arsenal of facts." "MARY, THE LADY OF THE JESUITS." Price 25 Cents. THE PAULINE PROPAGANDA . 288 carlton avenue, Brooklyn. N.Y. ntes, m a nd fearless- > more for et eternity. Mo one will fidelity, the thor of this which is a eepest con- etween the it his chief Spurgeon, ilish it is to he truth as lolic sour- id Father Romanism >tates and elative to nunneries r, D. D., ist. Ltory, the Wycliffe, i a min- rsenal of TDA %.