Germany fueled the Reformation that returned "Justification by faith...alone" back to the people. America is the primary reason that 20th century Fascism and Communism were halted enabling the gospel to be spread throughout much of the world, but it was England that took the baton from Germany and eventually gave birth to America. My book collection has as many British authors as American.
I have visited England a couple of times and walked the halls of Cambridge and Westminster. What I remember and value most was Easter Sunday 2001 and the Lord's Day service at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Elephant and Castle in South London. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was the most well known and influential pastor in the world in the 19th century. I mentioned his conversion story in a previous blog (Friday.....America.....1st Day Of The Week Dec. 26, 08) Spurgeon's sermons were wired to America and read throughout the United States. Even today, you often hear a pastor reference the London Baptist preacher. He preached to throngs in London at Exeter Hall and Surrey Gardens Music Hall. He preached to Prime Ministers and the poor, the influential and the curious. He was not seminary trained but his pastor's college sent many ministers to congregations throughout England and beyond.
Today's Christian bookstores are filled with collectibles. jewelry, window ornaments, music and an assortment of books that are written for the modern evangelical tastes, but of the strong literature that might be there, there will be Spurgeon. In 1861 Spurgeon's congregation built the Metropolitan Tabernacle that I visited. Much of it had been destroyed by fire and war but the portico remains and the sanctuary was rebuilt. Spurgeon was embroiled in what became known as the "Downgrade Controversy" in his later years. Liberalism was creeping into English Christianity and Spurgeon fought this right up to his death in 1892. The Baptist Union, of which was filled with ministers that were trained in Spurgeon's school voted to censor his efforts. This is not unusual in Christian history as Jonathon Edwards was dismissed by his own congregation and J. Gresham Machen was defrocked by his denomination for defending scriptural truths.
A small but good read on Spurgeon would be Spurgeon, A New Biography by Arnold Dallimore (isbn 0 85151 451 0.) A very good book, more on the "Downgrade" would be Ashamed Of The Gospel by John MacArthur. (isbn 1583242888.) A verse in the book of Jeremiah leads us to look to the old paths in times of confusion and error (Jer. 6:16) "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls." Spurgeon, Luther, Edwards, Machen and the Puritans are all part of the "old paths" for us today, and maybe John MacArthur, Michael Horton, R. C. Sproul and others will be the "old paths", should the Lord tarry, for many tomorrow.
I have visited England a couple of times and walked the halls of Cambridge and Westminster. What I remember and value most was Easter Sunday 2001 and the Lord's Day service at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in Elephant and Castle in South London. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was the most well known and influential pastor in the world in the 19th century. I mentioned his conversion story in a previous blog (Friday.....America.....1st Day Of The Week Dec. 26, 08) Spurgeon's sermons were wired to America and read throughout the United States. Even today, you often hear a pastor reference the London Baptist preacher. He preached to throngs in London at Exeter Hall and Surrey Gardens Music Hall. He preached to Prime Ministers and the poor, the influential and the curious. He was not seminary trained but his pastor's college sent many ministers to congregations throughout England and beyond.
Today's Christian bookstores are filled with collectibles. jewelry, window ornaments, music and an assortment of books that are written for the modern evangelical tastes, but of the strong literature that might be there, there will be Spurgeon. In 1861 Spurgeon's congregation built the Metropolitan Tabernacle that I visited. Much of it had been destroyed by fire and war but the portico remains and the sanctuary was rebuilt. Spurgeon was embroiled in what became known as the "Downgrade Controversy" in his later years. Liberalism was creeping into English Christianity and Spurgeon fought this right up to his death in 1892. The Baptist Union, of which was filled with ministers that were trained in Spurgeon's school voted to censor his efforts. This is not unusual in Christian history as Jonathon Edwards was dismissed by his own congregation and J. Gresham Machen was defrocked by his denomination for defending scriptural truths.
A small but good read on Spurgeon would be Spurgeon, A New Biography by Arnold Dallimore (isbn 0 85151 451 0.) A very good book, more on the "Downgrade" would be Ashamed Of The Gospel by John MacArthur. (isbn 1583242888.) A verse in the book of Jeremiah leads us to look to the old paths in times of confusion and error (Jer. 6:16) "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls." Spurgeon, Luther, Edwards, Machen and the Puritans are all part of the "old paths" for us today, and maybe John MacArthur, Michael Horton, R. C. Sproul and others will be the "old paths", should the Lord tarry, for many tomorrow.
