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Spurgeon Spurned · April 03, 2006

By Hal Mayer

Charles H. Spurgeon, the famous Baptist preacher, became concerned about the liberal direction of the Baptist churches. When he preached against their apostasy, the leaders accused him of creating schism, slandered him and tried to discredit him. The vice-president of the Baptist Union, John Clifford, wrote “It pains me unspeakably to see this eminent winner of souls rousing thousands of Christians to engage in personal wrangling and strife.”

The Baptist Union worked hard to criticize, slander and condemn Spurgeon. They treated him like the scum of creation. But he knew his duty in light of scripture and he fulfilled it faithfully. “His name was lampooned in the press and kicked about the street as a football.” Spurgeon was spurned, “Scarcely a minister looks at us or speaks favourably of us,” he said. His books were condemned. At one point, the only place in England that would sell his books was a grocery store in Cambridge. All the criticism was painful and took its tool on his mind and heart. “The fight is killing me,” he pined.

Yet today Spurgeon is remembered as one of the greatest preachers and writers of all time. His sermons and writings are well known and well appreciated, while his critics are unknown and unremembered. His works are contained in more than 17 volumes the size of the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Over 100 million copies of his sermons, in 23 languages were sold. His set of volumes called, The Treasury of David sold more than 120,000 before his death. His works continue to be an inspiration to many.

Many a messenger whom God sends to preach the truth, and warn the people are despised and rejected by the religious authorities because the reformer calls them to account for their spiritual laxity and apostasy. Their great sin in the eyes of many is that they are “criticizing the church and its leaders.” These false accusations often come from laymen who are trained and conditioned to think that way. Yet it is the very work that God needs to have done. Controversy springs up and the reformer is misrepresented as divisive and a troubler. Yet it is the reformers that are remembered for their work, not their opponents.

When you think back on the stories of the times of Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Wycliffe, Luther, Wesley, Calvin, and a host of others, it is quite difficult to remember the names of their opponents. But it’s not difficult at all to remember the great reformers and what they did. Their work lives on. Their lives continue to be a testimony of God’s faithfulness and power. But here is the catch; while we admire their brilliance, why do we join the multitude in criticizing those doing this same work in our day?

Charles Spurgeon lived at a time when spiritual accountability was very low among the preachers and churches. God used him to oppose the prevailing apostasy and awaken many to their condition and reform their lives. Perhaps the life of Spurgeon is a lesson for us. We live in similar conditions. Again the prevailing apostasy needs to be addressed with biblical clarity. The times call for similar action. Naturally it will raise opposition, slander, criticism of the messenger and other forms of ad hominem. But God’s messengers must press on in Christian charity, and in firmness, appealing to leaders and laymen alike to return to the word of God. We live in the last moments of earth’s history. Shouldn’t we recognize that the same kind of testimony is needed today? Friends, let us be faithful in giving and living the message for these last days.

Reference, The Forgotten Spurgeon, by Iain Murray.

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