Spurgeonism by C. H. Spurgeon From the March 1866 Sword and Trowel

MR. M. COIT TYLER writes to the New York Independent as follows:—"One word about Spurgeonism in general. Silently, but rapidly, within the pale of this great Baptist sect in England, and covering all the land with its network of moral power, there is being formed a distinct body of Spurgeonite preachers,—energetic young men trained in Spurgeon's college, imbued with it Spurgeon's intense spirit, copying with an unconscious but ludicrous fidelity even the minutiae of Spurgeon's manner of speech, proud of their connection with Spurgeon's name, and in constant communication with the 'Head Centre' in London. More and more is Spurgeon separating himself, from the general organization of the religious world, and even of the Baptist denomination, and concentrating his work upon his immense Church, his College, and the Churches throughout the kingdom that have taken his pupils for pastors. If this goes on another twenty years, Spurgeonism will be a vast organic and wondrously vitalized body; and, should circumstances warrant, this body may, as many intelligent Baptist ministers think probable, assume the name of its founder, and Spurgeon follow the example of Wesley, by founding a sect. He is certainly showing much of Wesley's executive and organizing capacity."
The paragraph shows how little Mr. Tyler knows of us, and how greatly "many intelligent Baptist ministers" defame us. There is no word in the world so hateful to our heart as that word Spurgeonism, and no thought further from our soul than that of forming a new sect. Our course has been, and we hope ever will be, an independent one; but to charge us with it from the general organization of the religious world, and even of the Baptist denomination, is to perpetrate an unfounded libel. We preach no new gospel, we desire no new objects, and follow them in no novel spirit. We love Christ better than a sect, and truth better than a party, and so far are not denominational, but we are in open union with the Baptists for the very reason that we cannot endure isolation. He who searches all hearts knows that our aim and object is not to gather a band around self, but to unite a company around the Savior. "Let my name perish, but let Christ's name last for ever," said George Whitefield, and so has Charles Spurgeon said a hundred times. We aid and assist the Baptist Churches to the full extent of our power, although we do not restrict our energies to them alone, and in this those Churches are far enough from blaming us. Our joy and rejoicing is great in the fellowship of all believers, and the forming of a fresh sect; is work which we leave to the devil, whom it befits far more than ourselves. It is true that it has long been in our power to commence a new denomination, but it is not true that it has ever been contemplated by us or our friends. We desire as much as possible to work with the existing agencies, and when we commence new ones our friends must believe that it is with no idea of organizing a fresh community.