WARNING! Spurgeon Abuse from Tom Ascol and Roy Hargrave!
If it were not for Brother Bob Ross, Tom Ascol and his "Flounder Friends" would completely remake Spurgeon in their own inept image. Brother Bob has found another example of "Spurgeon abuse" to share with Flyswatter readers.On many occasions The Flyswatter has found fault with the reporting of Baptist history by Tom and his friends, especially in regards to Spurgeon. Also, I have asked whether Brother Tom should be awarded the title of The King of Hypocrisy. Anyone can make mistakes but the sheer number of errors coming from Brother Tom and his Flounder Friends seems to be more than mere ignorance.
Charles
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ABUSE OF SPURGEON GOES ON
Bob to Charles:
It appears that there has recently been a fresh outbreak of "Hybriditis" in Florida, Charles. Tom Ascol has featured it on his blog, and Pastor Roy Hargrave of Ormond Beach, Florida (where Scott Morgan used to roost), has entered the fray with what amounts to a small "book."
Hargrave seems to be of the anti-public invitation variety of "Reformed" preachers inasmuch as he has fallen into the common Hybrid Calvinist malpractice of trying to enlist C. H. Spurgeon on his side.
Hargrave alleges that "Spurgeon explicitly warned against such practices as the altar call." http://www.graceworx.com/anticalvinismFBC.html
This only demonstrates Hargrave's lack of knowledge about Spurgeon, or is he deliberately misusing Spurgeon? What Hargrave presents in his article does not properly represent Spurgeon at all.
As you know, we have several times vindicated Spurgeon of such abuse by Hybrid Calvinists both here and to our own email list, as well on our website: http://www.pilgrimpublications.com/invite1.htm
Some of my articles are also available at this website: http://writingsofbobross.tripod.com/1toc1.html
Spurgeon advised his students that "we must give the invitation," and one of the methods was to "hold numerous inquirers meetings" (Lectures to My Students, pages 186, 187, 190). Spurgeon used the Enquiry Room method, and so did the Evangelists he sponsored in the Tabernacle Evangelistic Association. Spurgeon also commended the methods used by Evangelist D. L. Moody, and had Moody hold services at the Tabernacle. Spurgeon also used the "Sinner's Prayer" method seeking a profession of faith http://writingsofbobross.tripod.com/0108.htm
These are items of information you never get from the Hybrid Calvinist anti-public invitation camp.
Tom Ascol is loud for what he calls "integrity," but do you know, Charles, that despite my refutation of quite a number of Hybrid Calvinists who have vainly tried to enlist Spurgeon for their cause against invitations, not a single one of them has demonstrated enough integrity to admit that they have not properly represented Spurgeon. So much for the "integrity" of such Hybrid Calvinists.
posted by Charles @ 8:18 AM
8 Comments:
Charles, hello!
Have no fear - the day of Reckoning Approaches!
Finally there will be an open and public meeting that will silence these Hybrid-Campbellite-Neo Rabid-Hyper-Hardshell-Berkoff Wanna-Be-Spurgeonite Born-Again-Before-Faith White-Lightning-Distillers. Whew. That's right, Tom Ascol announced this morning that the so-called Founders will be co-sponsoring a meeting with the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (bypassing that pesky ole' Al Mohler thank goodness) called
"Building Bridges: Southern Baptists and Calvinism". It will be held Nov 26-28 at Ridgecrest!
I don't know about you, but I can hardly wait! I really hope you and Bob can make it - this might be your best chance to silence them once and for all, I mean with the declining readership here at the Flyswatter and all (by the way, sorry about those numbers - it seems there are fewer and fewer comments here each month). Despite this, I think we've got 'em on the ropes! Keep it up!
UNCLAIMED $100 REWARD
Some who read the Flyswatter may not know about the reward we have been offering on our website in regard to Spurgeon and public invitations.
http://www.pilgrimpublications.com/invite1.htm#_REWARD
I will repeat it here for the benefit of any who are not aware of this "opportunity" to collect $100:
>>
I am offering a $100.00 REWARD to the first person who can present a statement by C. H. Spurgeon where he ever stated opposition to "the invitation system," as alleged by the writer of an article on "The Altar Call" (appears on various websites). This offer also applies to articles by other writers who have alleged that Spurgeon was opposed to the use of "public invitations." — Bob L. Ross (May 2004), EMAIL: pilgrimpub@aol.com
>>
You will notice, Charles, that this was over three years ago. Not only have we not had to pay any money, we have not even had any attempts from anyone offering any information from Spurgeon on this matter!
The reason is simple: Spurgeon never spoke a word against public invitations or altar calls.
ASCOL'S ACCUSATIONS
Bob to Charles:
I was rather startled, Charles, to read the following remarks by Tom Ascol on his blog, excoriating unnamed "Calvinist" proponents. Would you have any idea to whom he is referring? Is he vicariously making "confession" for some among the "Flounders," or are the "Flounders" excluded from his critical remarks?
>>
Among the proponents of Calvinism there are some who seem to be more interested in winning theological debates than in advancing the Kingdom of God by preaching Jesus Christ. Others allow their commitment to God's sovereignty in salvation to excuse their lack of evangelistic passion or to justify a pugilistic spirit.
Now, who on earth could Brother Tom have in mind? Debate promoter James White, perhaps? Or perhaps Gene Bridges, who seems always ready to strike up a long quarrel about any Calvinistic doctrinal issue? Or maybe some of the blogging zealots on the Internet? Why didn't Tom "name names"? Who are these of the "pugilistic spirit" who are lacking in "evangelistic passion"?
Roy's last name is Hargrave, gentlemen. No "s" on the end. Quite an amateur mistake. Not all that surprising, though.
Mark, Hello!
You wrote, Roy's last name is Hargrave, gentlemen. No "s" on the end.
Thank you. The mistake is now corrected.
Quite an amateur mistake. Not all that surprising, though.
I'm not sure I would complain so vigorously about the misspelling of a name when the subject under discussion is Hargrave's gross misrepresentation of Spurgeon. Which is worse?
If you believe Hargrave to be correct, why not apply for Brother Bob Ross' $100 REWARD? Or better yet, ask Hargrave himself to claim it.
Charles
HARGRAVE CONCEDES SPURGEON USED THE INIQUIRY ROOM
Bob to Charles:
I had an email from Pastor Roy Hargrave in which he concedes that
C. H. Spurgeon used the Inquiry Room.
He says, "The enquiry rooms were the general means that were used in the mid to late 1800’s, (especially in England) but Spurgeon himself, though he apparently used it for a period of time came to doubt it’s validity."
No evidence is offered by Brother Hargrave for the idea that Spurgeon came to "doubt" the validity of using the Inquiry Room.
This is simply "wishful thinking."
As we have noted, Spurgeon urged his students at the Pastors College to "hold numerous inquirers' meetings" (Lectures to My Students, pages 186-190).
The notion that Spurgeon may have changed his mind on this is similar to the efforts of others I have read who make assertions about Spurgeon's "changing" on something but they offer no evidence of such changes.
The only thing Spurgeon ever opposed about Inquiry Rooms was the abuse of them, just as he often opposed the absuse of some other things, such as baptism, for instance. His warnings against the abuse of baptism, however, did not mean that he had come to "doubts its validity."
Even when he warned against the abuse of this method, he did not oppose a method which he himself used. For instance, he said, "Enquiry rooms are all very well . . . ," and "Sometimes shut up that enquiry room . . ." (The Soul Winner, page 15; An All-Round Ministry, page 372).
Those statements do not constitute a rejection of the Inquiry Room, but rather the abuse of it.
For more articles refuting "anti-invitationism," go to this link:
http://writingsofbobross.tripod.com/1toc1.html
CORRECTION
Bob to Charles:
>>
Charles said...
Mark, Hello!
You wrote, Roy's last name is Hargrave, gentlemen. No "s" on the end.
Thank you. The mistake is now corrected.
>>
I apologize, Charles, for this was my mistake.
I'm just happy, however, that I was not cited for any mistake about Spurgeon and his use of the Inquiry Room. I have had that $100 posted on our website for a good while, and no one has yet pointed out that I am mistaken on this matter. If anyone can do so, the $100 will be your reward.
http://www.pilgrimpublications.com/invite1.htm#_REWARD
Folks, let us not forget Spurgeon was merely a man, lived and died. He is not Christ and he had his faults as do you and I. Look to Christ and put your stock in him, not in some man. I have hear Hargrave and he is biblical. Anytime you start to analyze the preacher more than the word of God you are going to get into trouble. As far as I'm concerned he is a Godly/Biblical preacher and has much less error than most. Quit trying to agree on dotting of I's and crossing of T's, its never going to happen. Besides Spurgeon was clearly a 5 point Calvanist!
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