Charles H. Spurgeon's Thoughts on Baptist History
Big Bear Creek Missionary Baptist Association. AL/TN
On Baptist HistorySpurgeon said, "History has hitherto been written by our enemies, who never would have kept a single fact about us upon the record if they could have helped it, and yet it leaks out every now and then that certain poor people call Anabaptist (Anabaptist was the name given to Baptists before the 16th century. "Ana" means "again," but the entire name, Anabaptists, was applied to those who believed and practiced what Bible believing, separatist Baptists do today) were brought up for condemnation. From the days of Henry II to those of Elizabeth, we hear of certain unhappy heretics who were hated of all men for the truth's sake that was in them. We read of poor men and women, with their garments cut short, turned out into the fields to perish in the cold, and anon of others who were burnt at Newington for the crime of being Anabaptist. Long before your Protestants were known of, those horrible Anabaptists, as they were unjustly called, were protesting for the 'one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.' No sooner did the visible church begin to depart from the Gospel and these men arose to keep fast by the good old way. The priest and monks wished for peace and slumber, but there was always a Baptist or a Lollard tickling men's ears with Holy Scriptures, and calling their attention to the errors of the times. They were a poor persecuted tribe. The halter was thought to be too good for them. At times, ill-written history would have us think that they died out, so well had the wolf done his work on the sheep. Yet here we are, blessed and multiplied; and Newington sees other scenes from Sunday to Sunday. As I think of the multitudes of your numbers and efforts, I can only say and wonder, what a growth! As I think of the multitudes of our brethren in America, I can only say, 'What hath God wrought!' Our history forbids discouragement."
(Edited by the Late B. Myron Cedarholm, D.D.) via The Baptist Vision
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