Immersion and Its Consequences—A Battle of Conscience

Chapter 14, 1893-1896

It would be difficult for any conscientious man, who was earnestly seeking to “fulfill all righteousness” as well as to preach it, to minister for two years to such a congregation as that which met in the Metropolitan Tabernacle, without being deeply influenced in his own life and character. When we consider that Dr. Pierson, in his London ministry, found himself face to face with a large body of people who listened eagerly to his messages and learned to love him deeply and yet differed from him radically in regard to one of the principal sacraments of the Christian Church, it is not to be wondered at that he was led to investigate again the teachings of Scripture and to review his reasons for belief and practice as to baptism.

The first time that he met Charles H. Spurgeon they talked in a friendly way on the subject of believer’s baptism; then during his Tabernacle ministry many communications appeared in the press and hundreds of personal letters on the subject came to Dr. Pierson. In this way the matter was brought frequently before him and he was urged by Dr. James Spurgeon and others to join the Baptist ranks and to allow his name to be presented for election as pastor. He was not unwilling to submit to immersion, if his influence would thereby be increased, but few can realize the struggle that must take place before a man sixty years of age