Early Criticisms and Slanders
In these day?, there is a growing hatred of the pulpit. The pulpit has maintained its ground full many a year, but partially by its becoming iueflicient, it is losing its high position. Through a timid alpusc of it, instead of a strong still’ use’ of the pulpit, the world has come to despise it; and now most certainly we are not a priest-ridden people one-halt so much as we are a press-ridden people. By the press we are ridden indeed. Mercuri,-.;, Journals, Cnzclus, and Magazines are now the judges of pulpit eloquence and style. They thrust themselves into the censor’s seat, and censure those whose oilire it should rather be to censure them. For my own part, I cheerfully accord to all men the liberty of abusing me; but I must protest against the conduct of at least one Kditor, who has misquoted in order to pervert my meaning, and who has done even more than that; he has manufactured a “quotation” Iroin his own head, which never did occur in my works or words. — C. II. S., in sermon preached at the Jfitsic Hail, Royal Surrey Gardens, January 25, 1857.
VJ 1 I ILK reading again the. letters referred to in the preceding chapters, Mrs. Spurgeon has been reminded that, before, her marriage, she made a collection ol newspaper cuttings relating to her beloved. As the different articles appeared, Mr. Spurgeon sent them on to her. usually saying with regard to each one, “Here’s another contribution lor your museum.” It would not be difficult to fill a volume, with reprints of the notices — favourable and otherwise, — of the: young preacher’s first years in London; but it is not likely that any useful purpose would be thereby served. It will probably suffice if a selection is given from the contents of this first scrap-book, especially as the: papers it contains were published in various parts of the kingdom at considerable intervals during the years 1855 and 1856. They are therefore fairly representative of the press notices of the period, and they will be: of greater interest to many readers because they were gathered by the dear preacher himself. The book in which the extracts are preserved bears upon its title-page, in his handwriting, the following inscription: —
JFacts, jFtctton, antr JTacftftc.
The last word might have been Falsehood, for there is much that is untrue, and very little that can be regarded as facetious in the whole series. Some of the. paragraphs are too abusive or too blasphemous to be inserted in this work; and one cannot reael them without wondering how any man coulel have written in such a cruel fashion concerning so young ami so e;arne;st a servant of the; Lord Jesus Christ, who was labouring with all his might to bring sinners to the Saviour. At that early stage; of his ministry, he; had not become so accustomed as he; was in later years to attacks from all quarters, and his letters show that he felt very keenly the aspersions raiel slanders to which he was subjected. Occasionally, also, he alluded from the; pulpit to this form of fiery trial. In a sermon, preached March 15, 1^57, he saiel: — “I shall never forget the; circumstance, when, alter I thought I had made a full consecration to Christ, a slanderous report against mv character came to my e’ars, and my heart was broken in agony because I should have to lose’ that, in preaching Christ’s gospel. I fell on my knees, and saiel, ‘Master, I will not keep back even my character for Thee. If 1 must lose that, too, then let it go; it is the dearest thing I have; but it shall go, if, like; my Master, they shall say 1 have a devil, and am mad; or, like ilim, I am a drunken man and a wine-bibber.” In after years, he was less alfecte-d by the n ptices which appeared. Perhaps this was all the e-asie-r as the tone adopted by most ol the writers very greatly improved, while the friendly articles and paragraphs were so much more numerous than the LI n favourable ones that they obliterated ‘.lie memory of any that might have caused sorrow and pain. The habit of preserving newspaper and other records of his career was continued by Mr. Spurgeon to the last; and as each caricature, eaaticism, or commendation came to hand, he would say, “That is one more for my collection,” while the praise or blame it containeel would be of less importance, in ITS esteem than his e:oneern to have: a conscience void of offence toward Cod and men. Preaching in the Tabernacle, in iSS.t, he thus referreel to his early experience, and to the change the intervening period had witnessed: —
“‘I hey compassed me about like bees,1 says I Xavid; that is to say, they we’re very many, and very furious. When bees are excited, they are among the most terrible ol assailants; sharp are their stings, and they inject a venom which sets the; blood on lire. 1 re-ad, the other day, of a traveller in Africa, who learned this by experience. Certain negroes were pulling his boat up the river, and as the; rope traileel along it disturbed a bees’ nest, and in a moment the bees were upon him in hi -cabin. He said that he was stung in the face, the hands, and the eyes. He was all over a mass oi lire-, and to escape from his assailants he plunged into the river, but they persecuted him still, attacking his head whenever it emerged from the wate:r. Alter what he. sufle:re’el from them, he saiel he would sooner meet two lions at once, or a whole herel ol buffaloes, than over be; attackeel by bees again; so that the simile which David gives is a. ve:ry striking one:, A company of mean-spirited, wicke-d men, who are no bigger than bees, mentally or spiritually, can ge.-t together, and sting a gooel man in a thousand place’s, till he: is well-nigh. maelde:ne;el by their scorn, their rielicule:, their slander, and their misrepresentation. Their veay little-ness <dvcs then the power to wound with impunity. Such has been the experience of some of us, especially in clays now happily past. For one, I can say, I grew inured to falsehood and spite. The stints at last caused me no more pain than if I had been made of iron; but at first they were galling enough. Do not be surprised, dear friends, if you have the; same experience; and if it comes, count it no strange thing, for in this way the saints have been treated in all time. Thank God, the wounds are not fatal, nor of lon<>- continuance! Time brings ease, and use creates hardihood. No real harm has come to any of us who have run the gauntlet of abuse; not even a bruise remains.”
According to chronological order, the first serious attack resulted from the publication, by Rev. Charles Waters Banks, in The Jtarlhcn Vessel, December, 1854, of an article, the opening paragraphs of which appear on the next page.
3o c. ii.
“Tin-: PASTORS OF OCR CnruriiKS; THE PRKACIIKRS OF OUR DAY.
“A BRIEF AND IMPARTIAL REVIEW OF MR. Sl’URGEON’s MiXISTRY.
[“As we have nearly conic to the: close of another year, we are striking out a new line of mental labour, — it is a glance at ministers as they are. It is not an easy task; but, then, we go to this work with a two-fold determination, — first, knowing that there is some good tiling in all good men, we will try to find out, and to show, how that good thing is developed in different ways in different men. Secondly, knowing that there: are imperfections in all men, we. are determined, by help Divine, to have no hand in exhibiting them: ‘We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.’]
“Mr. C. II. Spurgeon is the present Pastor of New Park Street Chapel, in the Iiorough of Southwark. He is a young man of very considerable ministerial talent, and his labours have been amaxingly successful in raising up the: before drooping cause at Park Street to a state: of prosperity almost unequalled. e know of no P>aptist minister in all the metropolis — with the exception of our highly-favoured and long-tried brother, James Wells, of the Surrey Tabernacle, — who has such crowded auditories, and continued overflowing congregations, as Ir. Spurgeon has. P>ut, then, very solemn questions arise. ‘WilAT is UK DOING?’ ‘WnosK SERVANT is UK?’ ‘W’hal proof does he give (hat, instrumcnlally, Ins is a heartscare king, a Christ-exalting, a truth-unfolding, a sinner-converting, a churchfeeding, a soul-saving ministry?’ This is the point at issue with many whom we: know, — a point which we should rejoice to se-e: clearly settled — in the best sense — and demonstrated beyond a doubt in the: confidence of all the true: churches of Christ in Christendom. In introducing this subject to the notice oi our readers, we: have no object in view further than a desire: to furnish all the material which has been thrown into our hands, — a careful and discriminating examination of which may, to some extent, be edifying and profitable:. Yc wish our present remarks to be: considered merely introductory, not conclusive; but seeing that the: minds of so many are: aroused to enquiry as to what may be considered the: real position of this young Samuel in the professing church, we are disposed to search the records now before: us, and from thence fetch out all the evidence we: can find expressive of a real work of grace: in the soul, and a Divine: call to publish the: tidings of salvation, the mysteries of the cross, and the work of the Holy Spirit, in the: hearts of the living in Jerusalem.”
The article contained a kindly reference to Mr. Spurge:on’s spiritual experience’, and included the friendly testimony of a recent hearer, whose judgment carried weight with Mr. P>anks, though his name was not given; but most of the: space: was devoted to extracts from the young preacher’s published discourses. In ‘J he
C. II. SPURr-EOX S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Earthen Vessel for the following month (January, 1855), a long communication was inserted, bearing the signature, “Jon.” Mr. Spurgeon believed that the writer was the redoubtable James XYells (” King James,” see page 19).
REV. JA.ME:-; WELLS.
The following extracts will show how the veteran wrote concerning the stripling who was destined far to surpass his critic in lame and usefulness : —
“1 h.ive no personal antipathy to Mr. Spurgeon; nor should I have written concerning him, but for your review of his ministry. His ministry is a public matter, and therefore open to public opinion; and as you assure us that the sermon on i Con i. 6, — ‘The Testimony of Christ Confirmed in You, — by Mr. Spurgeon, is by far the best, I will, by your permission, lay before you my opinion of the same. lUit I will first make a lew remarks concerning Mr. Spurgeon, to which remarks 1 think he is entitled.
“It is, then, in the first place, clear that he has been, from his childhood, a very industrious and ardent reader of hooks, especially those of a theological kind; and that he has united with his theological researches hooks of classic and of scientific caste, and has thus possessed himself of every kind of information which, by the law of Association, he can deal out at pleasure; and these acquirements, by reading, are united, in Mr. Spurgeon, with good speaking gifts. The laws of oratory have’been well studied, and he suits the action to Ins words. This mode of public speaking was, in the theatres of ancient Greece, carried to such an extent that one person had to speak the words, and another had to perform the gestures, and suit, with every variety oi lace and form, the movement to the subject in hand. Mr. Spurgeon has caught the idea, only with this difference, that he performs both parts himself. Mr. Spurgeon is too well acquainted with Klislia Coles not to see in the Bible the sovereignty of God; and too well acquainted with the writings of Toplady and Tucker not to see in the Bible the doctrine of predestination, and an overruling providence; and too well versed in the subtleties of the late Dr. Chalmers not to philosophize upon rolling planets, and methodically-moving particles of earth and water, each particle having its ordained sphere.
:< But, in addition to this, he; appears to be a well-disposed person, — kind, benevolent, courteous, full of goodwill to his fellow-creatures, — endearing in his manners, social, — a kind of person whom it would seem almost a cruelty to dislike. The same may be, with equal truth, said both of Dr. Pusey and of Cardinal Wiseman. But, then, it becomes us to be aware, not only of the rough garment of a mock and ‘arrogant humility’, but also of Amalekite-measured and delicate steps; and also ol the soil raiment of rclined and studied courtesy (Matt. xi. 8), and fascinating smile with, ‘Surely the bitterness of death is past’ (i Sam. xv. 32). But Samuel had too much honesty about him to be thus deceived. Ye must, then, beware ot words that are smoother than butter, and softer than oil (Psalm lv. 21). Not one ol the Reformers appears to have been of this amiable caste; but these creature-refinements pass with thousands for religion; and tens of thousands are deluded thereby. It was by great, very great politeness that the serpent beguiled Bve; and, unhappily, her posterity love: to have it so; - so true is it that Satan is not only a prince of darkness, but transformed also as ‘an angel of light,’ to deceive, il it were possible, even the very elect.
And yet further than all this, Mr. Spurgeon was, so says the Vessel, brought to know the Lord when he was only fifteen years old. Heaven grant it may prove to be so, — for the young man’s sake, and for that of others also! But I have — most solemnly have — my donl>/s as to the Divine reality of his conversion. I do not say it is not for me to say — that he is not a regenerated man; but this I do know, that there are conversions which are not of Cod; and whatever convictions a man may have, whatever m.’iy be the agonies ot his mind as to the: possibility ol his salvation, whatever terror anyone may experience, and however sincere they may be, and whatever deliverance they may have by dreams or visions, or by natural conscience, or the letter or even, apparent power ot the Yord, yet, il they cannot stand, in their spirit and ministry, the test of the law of truth, and the testimony oi God, there is no Intc light in them; for a person may be intellectually enlightened, he may taste of the I leavenly in ft, and be made: partaker ol the: I loly Ghost, professionally, and taste of the goo.l Yord of God (Hebrews vi.), and yet not be regenerated, and therefore not beyond the danger of falling away, even from that portion of truth which such do hold. Such are never thoroughly convinced ot what they are by nature; Psalm xxxviii. and Romans vii. show a path to which they make some approaches, and. of which they may eloquently talk, but at the same time give: certain proofs that they are not truly walking therein. Mr, Spurgeon tells us, in his sermon on the: .Ministry of Angels, that he has more angelology about him than most people. Vell, perhaps he: has; but then, if a m?/ angel from I leaven were to preach another gospel, he is not to be’ received....
“Concerning Mr. Sp’urgeon’s ministry, I believe the following things: —
“i st. That it is most awfully deceptive; tint it passes by the essentials ol the work of the Holy Ghost, anel sets pe:ople by shoals down tor Christians who are: not Ghristians by the quickening and indwelling power ot the 1 [oly Ghost. 1 fence, livewillers, intellectual Calvinists, high and low, are: delighted with him, together with the philosophic and classic-taste Christian! This is simply deceiving others with the deception wherewith he himself is deceived.
“2nd. That, as he: speaks some truth, convictions will in some cases take place under his ministry; such will go into real concern for their salvation; and will, alter a time, leave his ministry, for a ministry that can accompany them in their rugged paths of wilderness experience.
“yd. Though 1 do not attach the: moral worth to such a ministry as I should to the true ministry of the Spirit, yet it maybe: morally and socially beneficial to some people, who perhaps would care to hear only such an intellectually, or rather rhetoricallv-gifted man as is Mr. Spurgeon; but then they have this advantage at the cost of being fatally deluded.
“4th. My opinion is, and my argument is, and my conclusion is, that no man who knows his own heart, who knows what the daily cross means, anel who knows the difference between the form anel the power, the name anel the life itself, the semblance and the substance, the difference between the sounding brass or the tinkling cymbal and the voice of the turtle, pouring the plaintive, but healing note:s of Calvary into the solitary anel weary soul; — he who walks in this path, could not hear with profit the ministry of Mr. Spurgeon.
5th. I believe that Mr. Spurgeon could not have fallen into a line of things more adapted to popularit): his ministry pays its address courteously to all; hence, in this sermon, he: graciously receives us all,- such a reception as it is, — he who l)rc;idles all doctrine, and he who preaches no doctrine; he who preaches all ‘xl)cH(‘ncc’ aiul hc who preaches no experience; and, hence, intellectually High Jalvinists olV^T ?•/>///<• receive such a ministry into their pulpits, at once showing that the man of sin, the- spirit of apostacy, is lurking in their midst. Low Calvinists ‘’lls° rcceivc himp showing that there- is enough of their spirit about him to make him / only his Hyperism does sometimes get a little in their way, but they hope experience will soon take: away this Calvinistic taint, and so make things more agreeable. But in this I believe they will be disappointed; he has chosen his sl)hcrc; his “rl)iL Illay seem to be eccentric, but he will go intellectually shining On, throwin out his cometary attractions, crossing the orbits of all the others, seemingfriendly with all, yet be-longing to none-.
“His originality lies not in the- mate-rials he uses, but in ranging- them into an order that suits his own turn of mind; at this he industriously labours’. (In this he- is a reproof to some ministers of our own denomination who are not industrious nor Jious, nor diligent, but sluggish, slothful, negligent, empty-headed, and in the pulpit as well as in the parlour, empty-handed. Preaching then is like sowing the wind, and reaping the whirlwind; and many on this account leave our ministers? and prefer a half-way gospel, ingenuously and enthusiastically preached, to a whole: -l)SlK’Vn<)L half preached, or preached without variety, hie-, or power. May the Lord stir up His own servants, that they may work while: it is day!)
“But, in conclusion, I say, — 1 would make: every allowance- for his youth; but 1 make this allowance, I am, nevertheless, thoroughly disposed to believe’ that we have a fair sample: of what he will be even unto the end.”
This letter was followed by editorial comments, and a long correspondence, pro ’ wrote: again, explaining one expression he:’hael previously used, but making even more definite his assertion concerning what he supposed to be Mr. Spurge-on’s lack of true- spiritual life: : —
‘Dear Mr. Editor, — In one part of my review of Mr. Spurge-on’s sermon, I have said ol him, as a minister ‘I am thoroughly (it should have been strongly] disposed to believe that ivc hare a fair sample of what he will be to the end: It is to be regretted that some persons have: trie-el to make: the above mean that, as Mr. Spurgeonis in a state of nature now, he: will so continue even unto the end; whereas, 1 neither did nor do I mean, any such thing: all I mean is, that his ministry, as it now is, is I am strongly disposed to believe a fair sample- of what it will be even unto the end. I do not here refer to his personal destiny at all, — though no doubt many would have
C. II. SPURGEON’S AUTOmOGRAJ’UY. 41
been glad to have seen me commit myself, by rushing in ‘where angels fear to tread.’...
“I am, Mr. Editor, credibly informed that Mr. Spurgeon himself intends takingno notice ol what I have written; and if I am to be counted an enemy because: I have spoken what I believe to be the truth (Gal. iv. 16), I am perfectly willing to bear the reproach thereof; and most happy should I be to have just cause to think differently ol his ministry; but I am at present (instead of being shaken,) more than ever confirmed in what I have written. I beg therefore to say that anything said upon the subject by Mr. Spurgeon’s friends will be to me as straws thrown against a stone wall (Jeremiah i. i S), and of which I shall take no notice. Only let them beware lest a voice irom Him, by whom actions are weighed, say unto them, ‘Ye have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Job hath’ (Job xlii. ;.)”
Mr. Wells long continued his spirit of opposition to Mr. Spurgeon, even refusin<>- to luliil an engagement to preach because his brother-minister was to take one of the services on the same day; but many of his strict Baptist brethren did not sympathize with him in his action, and cordially welcomed the: young preacher who held so many truths that were dear also to them,
The Kditor of ‘J7ic Earthen Vessel (kit. Banks) published, in later numbers of his Magazine tor 1855, three articles from his own pen, in the course of which, reviewing Mr. Spurgeon’s life and ministry up to that time, he wrote: —
11 It was a nice word ol Richard Sibbes when he said, ‘The of/ice of a minister is lo be a wooer, lo make /.// Ihe marriage between Christ and Christian souls:’ and we will plainly speak our minds; — we have: hoped that C. II. Spurgeon’s work, in the hands ol the: Holy Ghost, is to woo and to win souls over unto Jesus Christ; and we have an impression, should his hie be spared, that, through his instrumentality, all our churches will, by-and-by, be increased. God Almighty grant that we: may be true prophets; and then, to all our cruel correspondents we will say, ‘Fire away; cut up, cast out, and condemn The I’larlhen Vessel as much as ye may, ye will do us no harm.’... We have no ground for suspecting the genuineness of Mr. Spurgeon’s motives, nor the honesty- of his heart. We are bound to believe that his statements respecting his own experience are just and true. We are bound to believe that, in prosecuting his ministry, he is sincerely aiming at three things, — Tin-; GLOKV OF CHRIST, — the good of immortal souls, — a.nd the well-being of XY<w, — and that, in all this, the love of Christ constrains him. If, in thoroughly weighing the sermons before us, proof to the contrary appeared, we would not hide it up; but we sincerely trust no evidence of that kind can be produced. ... In the course of Mr. Spurgeon’s ministry, there are frequently to be found such gushings forth of love to God, of ravishing delights in Christ, of the powerful anointings ol the Holy Ghost, as compel us to believe lliat God is in him ol a truth. We must confess that is the deep-wrought conviction of our spirit; and we dare not conceal it. Why should we? Ve may be condemned by many; but, whatever it may cast upon us, — whoever may discard us, — we must acknowledge that, while in these sermons we have met with sentences that perplex us, and with what some might consider contradiction, still, we have found those things which have been powerful demonstrations of the indwelling of TIII-; LI KM A.XU TIII-; LOVE oi’ Tiii’, TKIUXE GOD in the preacher’s heart.
“In thus giving, without reserve, an unbiassed verdict respecting the main drilt ot the sermons contained in ‘J lie New Park Street /V//W, we do not endorse every sentence, nor justify every mode ol expression; our hrst work has been to. search lor that which, in every lieu work that comes to hand, we always search for, — that which we search for in every candidate lor church-membership, — thai is, LIKE1 and il we have not found evidences ol a 1 )ivine life in the ministry at New .Park Street Chapel, we are deceived; yea, we are blind; and the powers of spiritual discernment are not with us.... We beseech all Christian people, v, ho long for a revival in the midst ot our churches, to pray tor this young man, ihoui- we do earnestly hope THE LOUD HAS SENT AMONGST us. Let us not be found lightin<>- against him, lest unhappily we be found lighting against Cod. Let us remember, he has not made himself, he has not qualified himself, he has not sent himself; all that he has, which is good, Godlike;, and gracious, the Lord has given him; — all that he is doing, that is ol real benefit to immortal souls, the Lord is doing by him.”