Charles Spurgeon - Heretical Freemason?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Filter

Puritan Board Freshman
I have a friend from a previous church whom I stay in contact with via social media. I have noticed that over the past months he has been sharing many posts which quote Charles Spurgeon and teach how he was a free mason false teacher who taught new age spirituality, preaching sermons which had underlying themes such as the consciousness of earth, the all seeing eye, and that men are gods. He always uses the same source, a Facebook page called Charles Spurgeon Uncensored which is apparently run by a couple who have a website called to Liberty to the Captives.

My main Bible is the CSB Spurgeon Study Bible, I have listened to/read many of his sermons, and have read a few of his books, and I have never perceived anything such as they are accusing him of. A quick internet search didn’t turn up much besides these guys - has anyone else heard of these charges against Spurgeon? Is this a thing thing that people have brought against him? I have truly been angered that such things are said about a man whose ministry has impacted me so greatly.
 
I have a friend from a previous church whom I stay in contact with via social media. I have noticed that over the past months he has been sharing many posts which quote Charles Spurgeon and teach how he was a free mason false teacher who taught new age spirituality, preaching sermons which had underlying themes such as the consciousness of earth, the all seeing eye, and that men are gods. He always uses the same source, a Facebook page called Charles Spurgeon Uncensored which is apparently run by a couple who have a website called to Liberty to the Captives.

My main Bible is the CSB Spurgeon Study Bible, I have listened to/read many of his sermons, and have read a few of his books, and I have never perceived at wodox viewslly Orthould indicate that he held to less than fu greates Christian preachers in history, and have NEVER read anything tthing such as they are accusing him of. A quick internet search didn’t turn up much besides these guys - has anyone else heard of these charges against Spurgeon? Is this a thing thing that people have brought against him? I have truly been angered that such things are said about a man whose ministry has impacted me so greatly.
Spurgeon was one of the greatest Preachers who ever lived, and was fully Orthodox in his theology, as he always upheld the 1689 LBCF!
 
It's pretty clear Spurgeon was familiar with freemasonry and their terminology. After all 19th century England was a bastion of freemasonry. However, that in no way at all indicates that he was a member or somehow amenable to the sect.

Most claims that he was, that I have seen, are merely based on the fallacy of association. For example, the following connection has been forwarded as "proof" of where his loyalties really lay:

Spurgeon: “In that time before all time, when there was no day but “The Ancient of Days,” when matter and created mind were alike unborn, and even space was not, God, the great I Am, was as perfect, glorious, and blessed as he is now. There was no sun, and yet Jehovah dwelt in light ineffable; there was no earth, and yet his throne stood fast and firm; there were no heavens, and yet his glory was unbounded.”

Freemasonry text: “May all Elect Masons, like the Elect of God, put on charity, which is the bond of perfection. May our loins be girt about with the girdle of truth ; and finally, having been faithful in all our course, may we be brought to behold the light ineffable, and admitted into that sacred place where the sun shall no more give light by day"
The same kind of "proofs" have been used to link Spurgeon to the cult of Theosophy:

Spurgeon: “This is spoken of as one of the results of the coming of the Lord: he would test and try all things, destroy the false and the evil, and make those pure whom he permitted to remain. Behold, the Promised One has come!”

Theosophic writing: "Baha Ulah, his life thus spared, was exiled with his family and some of his followers to the Turkish dominions. There is Bagdad he declared to his followers, what they had already suspected, that he was the Promised One, foretold by the Bab, the great Manifestation of God come for all the religions of the world.”
It doesn't take much to immediately see that these are utterly ridiculous cases of claiming that because both used the same (common) terminology they must be linked.
Insofar as Spurgeon did employ popular freemasonic or other occultic terms, it seems to me he did so not as a means of promoting or commending them, but rather with the intent of expropriating them. In other words, he would demonstrate that the spiritual claims they would make, or desirable traits they were claiming for themselves actually have their true and authentic fulfillment in Christianity. In this he was a master at turning such groups' very concepts against them. Consider these statements invoking freemasonry itself:

"The life of a Christian is an entirely different thing from the life of other men, entirely different from his own life before his conversion. And when people try to counterfeit it, they cannot accomplish the task. A person writes you a letter and wants to make you think he is a believer, but within about half-a-dozen sentences there occurs a line which betrays the lie. The hypocrite has very nearly copied our expressions, but not quite! There is a Freemason among us, and the outside world watches us a bit, and by-and-by they pick up certain of our signs. But there is a private sign which they can never imitate, and therefore at a certain point, they break down. A godless man may pray as much as a Christian, read as much of the Bible as a Christian, and even go beyond us in externals—but there is a secret which he knows not and cannot counterfeit!" (Sermon, October 30, 1881)

"If any railing accusation is raised against any brother in Christ, reckon that his character is as dear to you as your own! Let a sacred Freemasonry be maintained among us, if I may liken a far higher and more spiritual union to anything which belongs to common life. You are members, one of another—see that you fervently love each other with a pure heart." (Christ and His Table Companions)​

One must also consider this extremely unflattering comment that Spurgeon made regarding the influence of freemasonary:

We are ourselves acquainted with many who have been ruined by bad company, — such were C , who became a reprobate through spending his Sabbaths in excursions and amusement; F, who was led into peculation and ultimate embezzlement through his friends of the billiardtable; He, who was never worth a penny-piece after he had found his heaven in the banquets of the Freemasons; and J, who went from bad to worse through the company of those who laugh at purity, and call vice pleasure. Indeed, the list is endless; and we shall be conceited to no ordinary degree if we imagine that we shall be safe where so many have fallen, never to rise again.
(The Sword and the Trowel, December, 1884)
 
I have a friend from a previous church whom I stay in contact with via social media. I have noticed that over the past months he has been sharing many posts which quote Charles Spurgeon and teach how he was a free mason false teacher who taught new age spirituality, preaching sermons which had underlying themes such as the consciousness of earth, the all seeing eye, and that men are gods. He always uses the same source, a Facebook page called Charles Spurgeon Uncensored which is apparently run by a couple who have a website called to Liberty to the Captives.

My main Bible is the CSB Spurgeon Study Bible, I have listened to/read many of his sermons, and have read a few of his books, and I have never perceived anything such as they are accusing him of. A quick internet search didn’t turn up much besides these guys - has anyone else heard of these charges against Spurgeon? Is this a thing thing that people have brought against him? I have truly been angered that such things are said about a man whose ministry has impacted me so greatly.
I don't think it's too strong of language to say that your friend is an idiot.

I referred to God as the great Architect once in a sermon (I was speaking about his handiwork manifest in creation). Does that make me a Freemason?
 
He always uses the same source, a Facebook page called Charles Spurgeon Uncensored which is apparently run by a couple who have a website called to Liberty to the Captives.
I dug around some on their website.
Here's what I found:
Those who are following men such as John Calvin, Jacobus Arminius, John Wesley, Martin Luther, or whoever need to repent. You are being led by doctrines and not by the Holy Spirit. Many of the religious institutions of today are based upon what men (such as the above) believed, taught and wrote about rather than Christ – and they will argue endlessly about it (strife between denominations). God’s truth is revealed through His Spirit and His Word. You may have truth, but if you do not have the Spirit, your in error. Open God’s Word and seek the Spirit’s guidance. All these competing doctrines and confusion could be cleared up if you will put your eyes upon Jesus and submit to His Holy Spirit.

All these groups who have named themselves and set up distinctions (of man) only prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are being led of man and not the Holy Spirit.
The website is run by sectarian, biblicistic heretics who are trying to convince Christians that all organized churches are run by Satanists.
 
Last edited:
I dug around some on their website.
Here's what I found:
Those who are following men such as John Calvin, Jacobus Arminius, John Wesley, Martin Luther, or whoever need to repent. You are being led by doctrines and not by the Holy Spirit. Many of the religious institutions of today are based upon what men (such as the above) believed, taught and wrote about rather than Christ – and they will argue endlessly about it (strife between denominations). God’s truth is revealed through His Spirit and His Word. You may have truth, but if you do not have the Spirit, your in error. Open God’s Word and seek the Spirit’s guidance. All these competing doctrines and confusion could be cleared up if you will put your eyes upon Jesus and submit to His Holy Spirit.

All these groups who have named themselves and set up distinctions (of man) only prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are being led of man and not the Holy Spirit.
The website is run by sectarian, biblicistic heretics who are trying to convince Christians that all organized churches are run by Satanists.

They don't even know their Grammar. It's "you're in error" not "your in error". They did this twice! Tell them they are in error in numerous ways.
 
The website is run by sectarian, biblicistic heretics who are trying to convince Christians that all organized churches are run by Satanists.

Yeah I did notice this on their website at well:

“God's word teaches that believers who assemble together must "speak the same thing," have no divisions between them and be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." See 1 Cor. 1:10.) Due to the fact that we have not found a body of believers who are likeminded, we assemble together at home as a family. We read the Bible as well as sermons and books written by godly men and often sing hymns and pray together.”

In other words, “We haven’t found anyone who shares our beliefs”. Shouldn’t that raise an alarm in their mind?
 
Yeah I did notice this on their website at well:

“God's word teaches that believers who assemble together must "speak the same thing," have no divisions between them and be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." See 1 Cor. 1:10.) Due to the fact that we have not found a body of believers who are likeminded, we assemble together at home as a family. We read the Bible as well as sermons and books written by godly men and often sing hymns and pray together.”

In other words, “We haven’t found anyone who shares our beliefs”. Shouldn’t that raise an alarm in their mind?
It should be further noted that it's just one man and his wife. Talk about unity.
 
Here's another tidbit from the heretical couple's website:
We are a couple who have covenanted with God to obey Him completely and without reservation. As we keep our covenant, He will guide our steps now and in the perilous times to come. We are committed to share with those who have "ears to hear" what we have learned and are continuing to learn that is especially relevant in these latter days. Of particular concern is the fact that Luciferians have gained leadership positions in the church and in every institution that calls itself Christian, and are bringing in doctrines that are bringing about the falling away of the church from the faith of Jesus.
They also note that "God has given Gary messages to share."
 
If I couldn't prove that a hermetic occultist like GWF Hegel was a Freemason (and I can't make that proof), then I think Spurgeon is fairly safe.
 
It doesn't sound like Spurgeon was very interested in joining secret societies of any kind:

"Connected with this, I may say that a name that is written among the living in Zion is a good name. Oh, there is nothing like it. Some men are very anxious to get their names upon the roll of this club or of that, or of some wonderful secret society,—or to get their names into the peerage. It is thought to be a wonderful thing to be a nobleman, though it is better far to be a noble man. But the best list of names on earth seems to me to be the list of the people of God. I should count it a higher honour to be inscribed on the church book of a humble company of baptized believers meeting in a barn than to wear a name imported by the Conqueror, and written in the roll of Battle Abbey. The pedigree of saintship confers honour such as angels recognize; all else they think little of. Are you one of God’s believing people? Have you taken up your cross, resolved to follow Jesus? Do you, as a servant, and as a soldier, bear his name as your Master and Captain? Then you have a good name, and there is a sweetness about it better than the perfume of precious ointment."

C. H. Spurgeon, “The Believer’s Deathday Better than His Birthday,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 27 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1881), 146–147.

People who want to read between the lines generally find a way to do so, even at the cost of ignoring or contradicting the lines themselves. Spurgeon's preaching and doctrine should be judged based on what he said in comparison with God's word.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top