Did Spurgeon Believe In Limited Atonement?

Allan · Aug 6, 2007

Rippon said:

Allan , can you give any evidence that Spurgeon attended any Moody "revivals" ? In general Spurgeon had a great deal of reservations about so-called revivals . He supported Moody and differed with his dear friend John Kennedy on that subject . The "revivals" associated with D.L.M. were not of the depth and quality of the awakening of 1858/59 . And although Spurgeon was an ally of Moody -- Moody's doctrines were closer to Wesley's and Finney's . Moody was not Spurgeonesque .
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Spurgeon was a supporter of Moody
http://www.spurgeon.us/timeline.htm
If you follow down the left hand column (1,2,3,4,5...) you will see at # 21 both Moody and Ira preached at Spurgeons church.
And at # 31 Moody preached again there.

and here are Spurgeons thoughts on Moody and his own over zelious friends:
http://www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/moody75.htm
As you read the above you will note that Spurgeon did in fact help in both word and deed as much as possible because of his own ministry/ministering needs as well.

However, I love this part in the Sword and the Trowel (located in link below) - speaking of Moody:

Having scented his "Calvinistic theology" the Wesleyans would have found reason for.justifying a determined opposition had not the wise counsel of Dr. Punshon led them to adopt an opposite course.
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:laugh:
Though, we know of course his is not referencing Moody as being an ardent Calvinist but that there is a decided Calvinistic view in there.
http://www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/moody.htm
and this at its end:

To Ben. Nicholson, Esq.

WESTWOOD
April 1, 1882.
DEAR FRIEND,—
I am the earnest friend and helper of all who preach the Gospel of Jesus; yet I deem it no unfriendly thing to speak the truth, and what I wrote in 1875 I have never seen any reason to alter. Messrs. Moody & Sankey are two blessed men of God, and if their converts on that occasion vanished, it was no fault of theirs, neither would I have had them refrain for an hour—far from it.
The movement in London had (comparatively) no link with the Churches, and fostered a rival spirit, and hence it did not bring a permanent blessing of increase to the Churches.
Still, it brought a great blessing to the Church universal, and revived and encouraged us all.
I would warn Churches against trusting in spasmodic effort, but at the same time against refusing such special help as the Lord puts in their way. There is a medium.
In any case, I am not against Evangelistic effort, but heartily its advocate.

Yours very truly and gratefully,

C. H. Spurgeon
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With all passoin which Spurgeon wrote about Moody and his revival meetings even in defending him against the tirade of other Calvinists, one can not escape the fact that either Spurgeon actaully did attend some of those meetings or that Spurgeon at best over exagerated the gossip the he only heard.

Rippon · Aug 6, 2007

Allan , I still have not found any evidence from your "proofs" that Spurgeon attended any of Moody's "revivals" . And Spurgeon never used the terminology of "revivals" in a positive sense . The words "revival spirit" are as close as he came . I still am in John Kennedy's camp regarding this matter . Please refer to Spurgeon's remarks about "revivals" which I quoted earlier in this thread for a more full-orbed perspective from the latter .

Allan · Aug 6, 2007

Rippon said:

Allan , I still have not found any evidence from your "proofs" that Spurgeon attended any of Moody's "revivals" . And Spurgeon never used the terminology of "revivals" in a positive sense . I still am in John Kennedy's camp regarding this matter .
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Well if you read the links you will see he does call them such. There is more at the site Spurgeon.org but what I have listed already, shows point of fact he called them revival meetings and used it in the positive sense.

Though I will admit he did not hold ALL so call Revival meetings were true Revivals.

Allan · Aug 6, 2007

Quotes from Spurgeon calling Moody's meetings a Revival from just the links listed (in a positive manner and none have it in the negitive refering to Moody's meetings)

We think not. At the same time we do not feel as Dr. Kennedy does. Had the revival under our American friends been what he thinks it to be, and what most similar ones have been, his remarks would have been timely and useful, although they would even in that case have been fiercely resented.
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Humanly speaking, a more unpromising starting-point could not have been selected. The inhabitants of cathedral cities have never been remarkable for their zeal in the promotion of religious revivals, and this was most emphatically true of the polite churchgoers whose homes clustered around York Minster. Having been used to have everything done in an elegant, orthodox, ecclesiastical manner, they were the less inclined to tolerate an invader of their primly-kept parterre, who had only one aim in life, whose speech was as homely as his illustrations were bold and original, and who, to crown all other disqualifications, was totally unknown to fame. The congregation which first welcomed the evangelists was characteristic of the place and of the times; it assembled "in one of the small rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association," and "eight persons only were in attendance." Learn not to despise the day of small things by remembering that this company of eight was "the first of that long series of revival meetings which were destined to form an era in the history of England, Scotland, and Ireland."
Yet even in aristocratic York an impression of a kind was made before the allotted month of service had expired; although the clergy looked on with lofty disdain, while the Dissenters, according to their denominational bias, timidly shrank from abetting the cause of men who were not of their school. The common people at any rate soon discovered that strangers of no ordinary caliber were among them. The earnestness of the visitors was manifest. The flaming solicitude of the preacher struck numbers with awe, and Mr. Sankey sang for a purpose. The Bible expositions were thoroughly original and effective, so that "people who went to church with no particular religious impressions were often brought under the influence of the truth." The harvest at York was no mean one—many were brought into the Savior's fold, and both singer and preacher rejoiced over the spoil.
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A number of other towns besides Newcastle, York, and Sunderland were visited, the most marvelous results following. In the meantime Scotland was looking on with wonder, and having received unimpeachable testimony that all was orthodox and straightforward, she invited the evangelists to Edinburgh. "What can such a man as! do up there amongst those great Scotch divines?" said Mr. Moody. The answer came when he really went, and when the romantic capital of the north was stirred, as she has probably not been stirred since the Reformation days, when John Knox preached in the cathedral, and Craig in the Cowgate. What was called" the voracity" of the evangelist's faith astonished everybody, while his "use of the Bible was greatly enjoyed." The interest felt in the movement by Edinburgh soon extended to the whole of Scotland; newspapers devoted a large portion of their space to the daily history of the revivals, while the multitudes who thronged the meeting places were largely composed of the elite of a city which calls itself the modern Athens. "In thousands of Christian households," we are told, "the deepest interest was felt by parents for their children, and by masters and mistresses for their servants; and so universal was this that Dr. Horatius Bonar declares his belief that there was scarcely a Christian household in all Edinburgh in which there were not one or more persons converted during this revival." The voice of slander was raised; so was also the cry of heresy; the press poured forth its vituperations, and letters of violent abuse were plentifully received; but still the wave of revival swept forward. The following affords us an insight into the character of the work carried on at this time:—
"Edinburgh is a city of wealth and leisure. Large numbers of persons who have either made or inherited fortunes reside here; and among the very highest classes of Edinburgh society were found the heartiest admirers of, and the most enthusiastic workers with, the evangelists from across the sea. But there are also, in this center of wealth and learning, a good many educated infidels, who have united themselves into clubs for the purpose of preaching their unbelief in much the same way as Christians unite in churches to enjoy the fellowship of faith. Among the notable cases of conversion was the chairman of one of these infidel clubs. He came to a meeting, intending not only to ridicule it, but hoping also to raise a controversy with Mr. Moody, and thus practically break it up. In this, however, he was altogether unsuccessful, and would have been thrust out of the house for his interruption, if the speaker had not interposed in his behalf. He remained for some time after the congregation were dismissed; and Mr. Moody, seeing him, inquired if he wanted to be a Christian. He replied that he did not, and that he had a very poor opinion of Christians. 'Would you like to have us pray for you?' said Mr. Moody. 'Oh yes; I have no objection to your trying your hand on me, if you like; but I think you will find me a match for you.' Mr. Moody kneeled down beside the scoffer, prayed for him earnestly and tenderly, and then left him, promising to pray for him still further at home. It was not long. before he was brought under deep conviction of sin, resigned his presidency of the infidel club, and earnestly and faithfully sought the Savior. At a subsequent meeting in Edinburgh, out of thirty persons seeking the Lord, seventeen were members of this infidel club,—one of them its chairman, the successor of him whose conversion has just been related; and who has since become a successful evangelist."
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So far there isn't one word in the negitive about these "revivals" from Spurgeon but that these 'revivals' are not only genuine but powerful in the Lord.

Rippon · Aug 6, 2007

Yes , Allan , Spurgeon did use the word revival in a positive sense which was rare for him . The line about ..."the revival under our American friends ... " proves your point .

But the next two sections you quoted were probably all written by W.H.Daniels , not Spurgeon .

Allan · Aug 6, 2007

Rippon said:

Yes , Allan , Spurgeon did use the word revival in a positive sense which was rare for him . The line about ..."the revival under our American friends ... " proves your point .

But the next two sections you quoted were probably all written by W.H.Daniels , not Spurgeon .
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Edited>>>
You are write about the one below but the words of Spurgeon are direct quotes

Messrs. Moody and Sankey in Great Britian
by C. H. Spurgeon
From the February 1876 Sword and Trowel

Note on the above article:

Quoted sections are excerpted from D. L. Moody and His Work. by W. H. Daniels, A.M., Chicago. (With Portraits and Illustrations. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1875). The comments interspersed between the quotations are thought to be Mr. Spurgeon's. A letter written six years later from Mr. Spurgeon to "Ben. Nicholson, Esq." is reproduced below. The letter is included here because of its relevance to the subject. It was not part of the original Sword and Trowel article.
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But on the other Spurgeon did write them specifically and are just quotes

Spurgeon on the Moody-Sankey Campaigns, 1875
by C. H. Spurgeon
From the March-July 1875 Sword and Trowel

Note on the above articles:

The comments below are excerpted from the NOTES sections of The Sword and the Trowel, March-July of 1875. Spurgeon himself wrote these notes. Seven years later, he reflected again on these remarks in reply to a letter from someone who complained that the results of Moody's ministry had not lasted long. In his reply to that correspondent, Mr. Spurgeon stood by and reaffirmed the positive evaluation of Moody's ministry he had published in 1875.
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Did Spurgeon Believe In Limited Atonement?

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