Geese in Their Hoods (Spurgeon on Romanism)

Following the recent news about Pope Benedict's invitation to disaffected Anglicans to join the Church of Rome, I bring to mind the writings of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92) that touch on the tendency (even in his day) of some in the Church of England to drift back towards Romanism.

His article, Geese in Their Hoods is well worth reading, not only for his observations during his travels in Europe but also for his candour in confronting the errors of Rome.

The nineteenth of the Church of England's Thirty-nine Articles is mild in comparison with Spurgeon's treatment of such "too-hot-to-handle" issues today. viz.

XIX. Of the Church.
The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred, so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith.

You can still obtain the 1997 reprint, edited by Timothy F. Kauffman, published by White Horse Publications.