When Charles Spurgeon took on slavery and Billy Graham took on segregation

[Michie]

English Baptist minister, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892). | Getty Images/Hulton Archive

Without a doubt, Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) and Billy Graham (1918-2018) were Gospel preachers rather than social justice warriors. Yet both of them addressed some of the greatest social evils of their day without for a moment diluting their Jesus-centered messages. To be sure, they lost some of their audiences because of the stands they took. But they never took their eyes off the ultimate goal: lifting up the risen Savior and pointing all people to Him.

As for Spurgeon, slavery and the slave trade had already been abolished in 1807 in England, more than a quarter of a century before he was born. So when he spoke out against slavery, he was addressing America rather than his homeland.

An article on the Spurgeon.org website gives the background, along with one of Spurgeon’s best-known anti-slavery quotes:

Continued below.

When Charles Spurgeon took on slavery and Billy Graham took on segregation

Without a doubt, Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892 and Billy Graham 1918-2018 were Gospel preachers rather than social justice warriors

www.christianpost.com

 

[RDKirk]

English Baptist minister, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892). | Getty Images/Hulton Archive

Without a doubt, Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) and Billy Graham (1918-2018) were Gospel preachers rather than social justice warriors. Yet both of them addressed some of the greatest social evils of their day without for a moment diluting their Jesus-centered messages. To be sure, they lost some of their audiences because of the stands they took. But they never took their eyes off the ultimate goal: lifting up the risen Savior and pointing all people to Him.

As for Spurgeon, slavery and the slave trade had already been abolished in 1807 in England, more than a quarter of a century before he was born. So when he spoke out against slavery, he was addressing America rather than his homeland.

An article on the Spurgeon.org website gives the background, along with one of Spurgeon’s best-known anti-slavery quotes:

Continued below.

When Charles Spurgeon took on slavery and Billy Graham took on segregation

Without a doubt, Charles Spurgeon 1834-1892 and Billy Graham 1918-2018 were Gospel preachers rather than social justice warriors

www.christianpost.com

This is why I'm particularly critical of slavery in America and will not be deflected by "Well, there was slavery in Africa, too." But those Africans and Muslims and such weren't Christian.

In the case of slavery in America, there was Christian outcry against it from the very start. Even slaveholders like Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that they were in sin. They knew they were in sin and did it anyway. By the words of the One they called their Savior:

That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.

 

[RileyG]

This is why I'm particularly critical of slavery in America and will not be deflected by "Well, there was slavery in Africa, too." But those Africans and Muslims and such weren't Christian.

In the case of slavery in America, there was Christian outcry against it from the very start. Even slaveholders like Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that they were in sin. They knew they were in sin and did it anyway. By the words of the One they called their Savior:

That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.

Also, there were some Christians who used the Bible to justify slavery. I'm sure God would not be proud of them.

 

[RDKirk]

Also, there were some Christians who used the Bible to justify slavery. I'm sure God would not be proud of them.

The only ones who did that as a matter of theology was that relatively small group in the southeast US during the 1800s. Although there was a pope who permitted slavery as a right of kings under Romans 13, nobody else had attempted a theological excuse for slavery. And one pope prohibited slavery for Catholics in the early 1800s.

And a strange thing had happened even in the US southeast: Up until about the year 1800, there hadn't even been attempted a theological excuse for slavery even there. Until 1800, even southern slaveholders had acknowledged that slavery was a sin. Then that sentiment abruptly changed just after 1800. You can see the change in the writings of Thomas Jefferson. If you ask me, I think an unclean spiritual principality came to rest over that area of the US, and is still there.

 

[RileyG]

The only ones who did that as a matter of theology was that relatively small group in the southeast US during the 1800s. Although there was a pope who permitted slavery as a right of kings under Romans 13, nobody else had attempted a theological excuse for slavery. And one pope prohibited slavery for Catholics in the early 1800s.

And a strange thing had happened even in the US southeast: Up until about the year 1800, there hadn't even been attempted a theological excuse for slavery even there. Until 1800, even southern slaveholders had acknowledged that slavery was a sin. Then that sentiment abruptly changed just after 1800. You can see the change in the writings of Thomas Jefferson. If you ask me, I think an unclean spiritual principality came to rest over that area of the US, and is still there.

Thanks for the info!

It's my understanding there was even a schism between the North Baptist (present day American Baptist Church) and Southern Baptist Church over the issue of slavery? The SBC used to support it?

I was aware of the RCC forbidding slavery, which doesn't surprise me. I assume most the South was Protestant and didn't like the Catholic Church.

 

[RDKirk]

Thanks for the info!

It's my understanding there was even a schism between the North Baptist (present day American Baptist Church) and Southern Baptist Church over the issue of slavery? The SBC used to support it?

Yes. The American Baptist Convention was anti-slavery to the point of prohibiting its members from even having hired servants. The Southern Baptist Convention was organized for the specific purpose of allowing its members to hold slaves.

I was aware of the RCC forbidding slavery, which doesn't surprise me. I assume most the South was Protestant and didn't like the Catholic Church.

The sad thing is that predominantly Catholic Louisiana, which was also a slave state, rejected that pope's declaration.

 

[RileyG]

Yes. The American Baptist Convention was anti-slavery to the point of prohibiting its members from even having hired servants. The Southern Baptist Convention was organized for the specific purpose of allowing its members to hold slaves.

The sad thing is that predominantly Catholic Louisiana, which was also a slave state, rejected that pope's declaration.

Ah, thanks for the information. It's always good to learn more and be informed about our country's past.

God bless

 

[Diamond72]

In the case of slavery in America, there was Christian outcry against it from the very start.

There is talk in our church that we were a part of the underground railroad and that escaped slaves could hide in the basement there. Although I can not imagine them chasing them this far to get them back. This is a cross roads though. If you go north, south, east or west you pass through this area.

 

[RDKirk]

There is talk in our church that we were a part of the underground railroad and that escaped slaves could hide in the basement there. Although I can not imagine them chasing them this far to get them back. This is a cross roads though. If you go north, south, east or west you pass through this area.

After passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, slave catchers went as far as the Canadian border.

 

[Diamond72]

After passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, slave catchers went as far as the Canadian border.

The value of a runaway slave varied, but in 1850, the average value of a slave was around $377. This value could be higher for certain individuals, such as male field hands or women of childbearing age, who could be worth significantly more.

I actually did some work on John Brown's house. His carriage house actually .

John Brown was a fervent abolitionist. He believed in using militant action to end slavery and is best known for his 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, an attempt to incite a slave rebellion. His actions and subsequent execution made him a martyr for the abolitionist cause and heightened tensions leading up to the Civil War.

 

[Michael Snow]

Prof. Thomas Kidd's lecture at the Spurgeon Library Conference, highlighted Surgeon's stand against American slavery (Wilfberforce had ended it in Britain) And the American Christian reaction of slaveholders. They made a bonfire of his printed sermons. My Question at the Spurgeon Library Conference