Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-03-15
THE REV. &. III. SPURGEON ON THE
DECADENCE OF THE CHURCHES.


OK SUNDAY, December 10th, at the
metropolitan Tabernacle, London the Rev.
Z. Ill. Spurge0n aH1ressed his overwhelming
congregation on the decadence during the
year 1866 of the Protestant Churches, and
the extraordinary and alarming increase of
rItuailsm. lie selected for his text Habak-
kuS NJ 20 Lord | have heard thy
speech, and was afraid: q Lord, revive thy
work IN the midst Of the years in the midst
OF the years make known; Ia wrath remem-
Der mercy. He said it was known to be a
fact, and one that could not be denied. that
during the last twelve months the Church of
the living God had not made the slightest
approach to an advance, and he believed
that for many years past no advance in il
had been made. The Baptist denomination
was, upon the whole, in as sound and heal
thy state as any Christian community; in
ordinary respects, perhaps, il was more
sound ana healthy than any other; but then
mad there not been some increase 10 London
and Glamorganshire, there would have been
a decrease upon the year Of the entire de-
nomination IN England, Scotland, and Ire
land. In the greater part of Wales and fif-
teen counties IN England there certainly
would have been a decrease, ard theyshoul III
have lost numbers, while to coUuterbalance
these losses the entire increase in London
would not amount to more than 4, 600 ,ouls
Ii was true the statistics were not very ac-
curate, but II they were more correct he was
AFRAID that even worse results would be an
parent. If the other Churches had iDcres-
ed far less than the Baptist Denomination.
and he believed they had, then be was iusti-
fed in saying that the Church of God. in
stead OF making any advance in proportion
to the increase of the population. had abso-
lutely gone back In 1865 Il would apDear
too, that If a census We're taken that dav of
the numbers attending places of worship
they would be found to be fewer than on the
corresponding day last year: and as respected
missions to foreign lands, the success was
so trifing that the Christian public ought
to be bowed down into the dust when tbev
reflected on it. Where now was there a
nation born in a day? Where were the
kings Of the earth who had bowed before
King Augustus? Was there a tribe how
ever Insignificant that had honored Christ
during the past year? Not one. The army
of the living God had rather suffered re-
pulse rather than obtained victory, and it
seemed at the best that the Church had
stood still What kind of an age had this
been in which we lived? Had We been liv-
ing In one Of the dark ages in which mind
was rocked TO sleep, and in which there was
a somnOlency of tie human iateIlects?
Nothing Of the kind The year had been
one OF the most wakeful in the annals Of
this generation. There had been stirs
everywhere, including political stirs. from
which truth had nothing to dread. The only
dread he had being that arising from a
sleepy audience Men had agitated this
year Tor what they believed their rights, and
on that agitation the human mind had been
He believed not, aud ia proof of that asser.
| tlOn he begged the congregation to look at
| the progress Of error. Evangelical truth had
made 10 advance; but that could not be said
of RtuallSm, for It's advance had been as
! founding. Had an angel from Heaven tod
| them that it should have succeeded as it
! had, he would not have been believed
| England, they had been often told. was
| Protestant, SO S9uadIy Protestant that the
/ people would never bear TO have incense
smoking under their noses, or the millinery
of the Church of Rome Haunting before
| their eyes But they had borne il. Where
now were the greatest crowds Of them to be
seen? Were they not 10 be found kneeling
at the feet Of the Priest ni Baal, where their
| senses we're dehl hted, while their souls were
deludedz lc>; there had been an advance
but not an advance III truth: and while error
was spreading oye, the land and men were
perishing 6aily, and multitudes were going
astray, the Church was folding her arms,
allowing the banner Of Christ to become
moth eaten, and suffering the advocates of
Ritualism TO have their way. He feared
that God would send judgments upon the
Churches of Britain for this neglect, and
perhaps take away the candlestick. He
feared lest these Churches should have a
name to live and be dead, lest they should
be treated as others were treated, lest they
should become like Rome when she was
made an apostacy and an abomination in the
face Of angels and OF men.