A chat with Charles Spurgeon about some Log College Press commentaries

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For today’s post, we have decided to consult with renowned English Reformed Baptist minister Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) to seek his opinions regarding some of the commentaries available to be read at Log College Press. He is the author of a book published in 1876 which is a most helpful evaluation of Bible expositions [from which his responses are given] covering a full spectrum of writers from different backgrounds. The scope and depth of his knowledge in this area is respected by all, and so we present his remarks for consideration to our readers.

Log College Press: Thank you for joining us today. We have high regard for your love of God’s Word, and the faithful exposition of it. We know with what high esteem you hold such expositors as John Calvin, Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Trapp, John Gill and others. We too value standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us in regards to our understanding of what the Bible teaches. Our focus at Log College Press is on American Presbyterians who have labored to expound upon the Bible or portions thereof. We wanted to seek your opinion regarding particular authors. We begin with some Princeton expositors. How would you rate Joseph Addison Alexander on the Psalms?

Charles H. Spurgeon: Occupies a first place among expositions. It is a clear and judicious explanation of the text, and cannot be dispensed with.

LCP: That is high praise. It seems that Charles Hodge also thought highly of J.A. Alexander as a Biblical commentator. What did he have to say about Alexander on Isaiah?

CHS: Dr. Hodge says of the author: "I regard Dr. Joseph Addison Alexander as incomparably the greatest man I ever knew—as incomparably the greatest man our Church has ever produced." He wastes no space, but gives the essence of exposition.

LCP: And your thoughts on J.A. Alexander’s commentary on the Gospel of Matthew?

CHS: Dr. Alexander's last work. He died before it was quite finished. It is complete to Chapter XVI. Its value is great.

LCP: What about his commentary on the Book of Acts?

CHS: In all respects a work of the highest merit.

LCP: Turning to Dr. Charles Hodge himself, what are your thoughts on his commentary on Romans?

CHS: Hodge's method and matter make him doubly useful in commenting. He is singularly clear, and a great promoter of thought.

LCP: As we continue down the list of New Testament expositions by Hodge, what about First and Second Corinthians?

CHS: The more we use Hodge, the mare we value him. This applies to all his commentaries.

LCP: And Hodge on Ephesians?

CHS: Most valuable. With no writer do we more fully agree.

LCP: What is your opinion of another LCP author who served as pastor of the Presbyterian church in Princeton, New Jersey, James Madison MacDonald, who wrote on Ecclesiastes?

CHS: Thoroughly exegetical, with excellent "scopes of argument" following each division: to be purchased if it can be met with.

LCP: What are your thoughts on John Miller’s exposition of Proverbs?

CHS: This author's interpretations are new, and in our judgment very far removed from accuracy. Certainly the old interpretations are better in many ways. His theory that the' Proverbs are spiritual and not secular will not hold water. He needs reading with very great discrimination: if read at all "Too great innovation" is the author's own suspicion of his work, and we quite agree with him, only we go beyond mere suspicion.

LCP: Here is a controversial name. Albert Barnes. What do you think of him?

CHS: Albert Barnes, say you, "What, do you think of Albert Barnes?" Albert Barnes is a learned and able divine, but his productions are unequal in value, the gospels are of comparatively little worth, but his other comments are extremely useful for Sunday School teachers and persons with a narrow range of reading, endowed with enough good sense to discriminate between good and evil. If a controversial eye had been turned upon Barnes's Notes years ago, and his inaccuracies shown up by some unsparing hand, he would never have had the popularity which at one time set rival publishers advertising him in every direction. His Old Testament volumes are to be greatly commended as learned and laborious, and the epistles are useful as a valuable collection of the various opinions of learned men. Placed by the side of the great masters, Barnes is a lesser light, but taking his work for what it is and professes to be, no minister can afford to be without it, and this is no small praise for works which were only intended for Sunday School teachers.

LCP: Thank you for those thoughts. What would you say about Barnes on the Psalms, specifically?

CHS: Thoroughly good. Using these notes constantly, we are more and.more struck with their value. For the general run of preachers this is probably the best commentary extant.

LCP: And Barnes on Job?

CHS: Exceedingly good. One of the best of this author's generally valuable productions. The student should purchase this work at once. as it is absolutely necessary to his library.

LCP: There are also some Southern Presbyterian expositors to consider. What is your opinion of T.V. Moore on Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi?

CHS: A capital book. Most useful to ministers.

LCP: What about William Swan Plumer on Romans?

CHS: Plumer is a laborious compiler, and to most men his works will be of more use than those of a more learned writer.

LCP: And your thoughts on Plumer’s commentary on the Psalms?

CHS: A huge volume, compiled from such works as were accessible to the author in the United States. Full of instructive comment, but not very original, or remarkably learned.

LCP: What is your opinion of Francis Smith Sampson’s commentary on Hebrews?

CHS: A respectable production, but we know many which we value far more. As a set of lectures to a college class these comments would be of great value, but the author did well not to print them, although it was natural and fitting that his surviving colleague [Robert Lewis Dabney] should do so.

LCP: A. Moody Stuart has given an opinion of George Burrowes on the Song of Solomon. Can you remind us of what he had to say?

CHS: Mr. Moody Stuart says — “The excellent work of Dr. Burrowes is specially fitted to remove the prejudices of men of taste against the Song of Solomon, as the medium of spiritual communion between the soul and Christ. We welcome it as a valuable contribution to us from our transatlantic brethren.”

LCP: Thank you, sir, for your time and valued opinions. To our readers, we would add that we have a number of additional commentaries to consult here. The love of the God’s Word leads to an appreciation of faithful expositions thereof, and while not all commentaries are equal in value, we are pleased to continue building this page as one of many resources for students of the Scriptures here at Log College Press.

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At the Feet of Christ and His Church

In an earlier blog post, James Madison McDonald's histories of the First Presbyterian Church of Jamaica, Long Island, New York were highlighted. That church was founded in 1662, and was represented as the first Presbyterian Church in America. The story of that church is a fascinating one, well worth reading, but further digging has identified (what is not news to scholars, but may be of interest to amateur church historians such as this writer) an additional eight Presbyterian congregations in America, which preceded the 1662 Jamaica congregation. 

The earlier Presbyterian congregations, almost all of which were planted on Long Island, include those founded in Southampton (1640); Southold (1640); Hempstead (1643); East Hampton (1648); New Castle, Delaware (1651); Newtown (1652); Huntington (1658); and Setauket (1660).

Interestingly, in the early days of these Long Island congregations, the first pastors and members were of British, not Scotch-Irish, heritage. In the case of Southampton, it was a Puritan group of settlers who left Lynn, Massachusetts in the spring of 1640 to settle Long Island. Before their departure, colonists prepared a "Declaration of the Company" (a little-known document, which merits comparison with the Mayflower Compact) in which the signers stated that "Our true interest and meaning is that when our Plantation is laid out by those appointed that there shall be a Church gathered and constituted according to the mind of Christ, that there we do freely lay down our power of ordering and disposing of the Plantation and of receiving inhabitants thereof or any other thing that may tend to the good and welfare of the inhabitants at the feet of Christ and His Church."

After the Dutch pushed this group out of the west side of the island, they landed at Conscience Point, on the east side, where they founded the first English settlement in the state of New York, in June 1640. Although the founding of the church dates to that event, its first pastor, Abraham Pierson, Sr. (c. 1611-1678), did not arrive until November 1640. The story of this church is told by Randall Lee Saxon, At the Ffeete of Christe and His Church: An Historical Sketch of the First Presbyterian Church in America.

Meanwhile, Founders Landing in Southold commemorates the October 1640 landing of a group of Puritans from New Haven, Connecticut, led by the British-born Rev. John Youngs. The timing of these two events has led to a dispute over which church is properly considered to be "the first Presbyterian church in America." 

Regardless, the Puritan origins of Long Island Presbyterianism (the first American presbytery was the Presbytery of Philadelphia, but the Long Island Presbytery was constituted as part of the Synod of Philadelphia by 1717) is an important aspect of early American Presbyterianism that is worthy of our study. 

The Happy Man's Pedigree

William Mills (1739-1774) was a graduate of Princeton, who became pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Jamaica, Long Island, New York, one of the first Presbyterian churches in America. As part of his ministry, he wrote tracts, such as the Bunyan-like one below, which can be found in James Madison McDonald, Two Centuries in the History of the Presbyterian Church, Jamaica, L.I.; The Oldest Existing Church, of the Presbyterian Name, in America (1862), pp. 182-183.

The Happy Man's Pedigree

The HAPPY MAN, was born in the City of Regeneration — in the parish of Repentance unto Life: he was educated at the School of Obedience, and lives now in Perseverance: he works at the trade of Diligence, notwithstanding he has a large estate in the county of Christian Contentment; and many times does jobs of Self-Denial; he wears the plain garment of Humility, and has a better suit to put on when he goes to Court, called the Robe of Christ’s Righteousness; he often walks in the valley of Self-Abasement, and sometimes climbs the mountain of Spiritual-Mindedness; he breakfasts every morning upon Spiritual Prayer, and sups every evening on the same; he has Meat to eat that the world knows not of, and his Drink is the sincere Milk of the Word: — Thus, happy he lives, and happy he dies. Happy is he who has Gospel Submission in his will — due order in his affection — sound peace in his conscience — Sanctifying Grace in his soul-real Divinity in his breast — true Humility in his heart — the Redeemer’s yoke on his neck — a vain world under his feet — and a crown of Glory over his head. Happy is the life of such an one: — In order to attain which — Pray frequently — Believe firmly wait patiently — work abundantly — live Holily — die daily — watch your hearts — guide your senses — redeem your time — love Christ — and long for Glory.