Did Spurgeon...

Bryan, I've never really thought of Spurgeon as a successionist. But I happened across this quote posted on www.reformedreader.org:

This sounds quite successionist, but I don't know the source or context of the quote.

 

yeah, sounds like sucessionist to me too!

 

This sounds quite successionist, but I don't know the source or context of the quote.</font>[/QUOTE]from http://www.gospelguardian.org/gg/bh0497.htm

The famed "Metropolitian Tabernacle," known to many as "Spurgeon's
Tabernacle," was opened in London on March 18, 1861, and dedicatory
services extended into April as church members and London residents
united in praising God for His blessings! On April 2 a public meeting
was held for the Baptist brethren of London, and on April 3 Spurgeon
greeted the general public of the various denominations from the city as
they attended a service to rejoice in the goodness of God to the church
pastored by Spurgeon. This is surely evidence that Baptists have never
claimed a monopoly on truth. Tragically, however, in the twentieth
century, Baptists have seemingly lost their realization of historical
continuity, and we do well to ask the question, "Who are the Baptists?"

Consider the words of greeting of Spurgeon on April 2, 1861, as he
welcomed the area Baptist brethren to the new building. He said:

----------

We believe that the Baptists are the original Christians. We did not
commence our existence at the reformation, we were reformers before
Luther and Calvin were born; we never etc .....

also in The Baptist Standard Bearer
http://www.standardbearer.org/default_040902.asp

and from the
Landmark Independant Baptist Church web site:-
http://members.aol.com/dwibclc/propagat.htm

What is clear is that Spurgeon held to the historic view of the nature and origin of Baptist churches. In 1860 he said:

"I am not ashamed of the denomination to which I belong, sprung as we are, direct from the loins of Christ, having never passed through the turbid stream of Romanism, and having an origin apart from all dissent or Protestantism, because we have existed before all other sects . . ." (C. H. S., New Park Street Pulpit, Vol. 16, 1860, Pasadena, TX., Pilgrim Publ., p. 66).
During the next year, 1861, after moving to the new Tabernacle, Spurgeon proclaimed:
"We believe that the Baptists are the original Christians. We did not commence our existence at the reformation, we were reformers before Luther or Calvin were born; we never came from the church of Rome, for we were never in it, but we have an unbroken line up to the apostles themselves. We have always existed from the very days of Christ . . ." (C. H. S., Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol. 7, 1861, Pasadena, TX, Pilgrim Publ., p. 225).
Later that same year Spurgeon boldly proclaimed for all the world to hear:
". . . we are the old apostolic Church that have never bowed to the yoke of princes yet; we, known among men, in all ages, by various names, such as Donatists, Novatians [sic], Paulicians, Petrobrussians, Cathari, Arnoldists, Hussites, Waldenses, Lollards, and Anabaptists, have always contended for the purity of the Church, and her distinctness and separation from human government. Our fathers . . . present to us, their children, an unbroken line which comes legitimately from the apostles, not through the filth of Rome, not by the manipulations of prelates, but by the Divine life . . ." (C.H.S., ibid., Vol. 7, p. 613).

regards
Bob

 

I just want to say thank you for such good replys to the question from Bro rlvaughn and Bro Bob Farnaby. You know one of the strangest things about this board is getting imput from other Baptist in other countries that are still Baptist. thanks Ya'll