This N That

Well, I am in the closing chapters of "The Forgotten Spurgeon" by Iain Murray. What a look at Spurgeon. It shows a side of Spurgeon that you only see hints of in other biographies of his life.

For instance his views of Fundamentalism and Dispensationalism. He saw in these two (aren't they one and the same, though historically Dispyism predates Fundyism) very young movements some alarming trends: Namely the de-emphasis on the need for regeneration, and the resulting change of life that comes about from an encounter with Christ. How prophetic.

Murray goes on to chronical how that Dispensationalism and Fundamentalism found entrance into the Metropolitan Tabernacle through the preaching and counselling influence of A.T. Pierson (no relation), a Presbyterian and Dispensational minister whom Spurgeon befriended late in his life, and D.L. Moody. It was Pierson who filled the MT pulpit in the months after Spurgeon's death. Though Spurgeon resisted and disagreed with Dispensationalism throughout his life, yet he found in Pierson a man who took the scriptures for what they are - THE WORD OF GOD. This was at a time when Spurgeon was in the middle of "The Down-Grade Controversy", a controversy that brought about the new Higher Criticism way of looking at the Bible. During this period of Spurgeon's life there were very few who saw the threat that Higher Criticism would have on the following generations of Evangelicalism. Spurgeon sought to protest this movement by leaving The Baptist Union, a union of independant, evangelical churches. Among those aligned against Spurgeon in this move was Alexander McClaren. The union voted to censure Spurgeon for this act of protest. Many in the union were more interested in preserving the union than they were in preserving the truth of God's word. This move came at a cost to Spurgeon. Even his own brother signed the notice of censure. Spurgeon was all alone, except for A.T. Pierson and D.L. Moody. That was the upside.

The downside was in that Pierson was to bring his Dispensational, Fundamental influences with him into the Tabernacle, and Moody his revival meetings. Over time there was less and less emphasis on the need for regeneration in the preaching. "Decissions for Christ" were counted now instead of changed lives. And so began the Tabernacle's decline. By the 1930's and 40's the congregation had begun to shrink literally by the thousands. By the 60's there were only enough people to fill the front pew.

Enter Doctor Peter Masters in 1970. His views almost mirror Spurgeon's. The Tabernacle is now back into the hundreds. The Tabernacle is once again beginning to radiate the glory of God, with the uncompromising "Doctrins of Grace".

Spurgeon was indeed prophetic in his assessment of Dispensationalism. As I mentioned earlier, he was alarmed by the fact that there was no stress on regeneration and changed lives in that system. How sad. Now regeneration is rarely taught from the pulpit; a changed life may not necessarily happen. What would Paul the apostle say?

Mark D. Pierson