This English entrepreneur, civil engineer and railway developer was also an MP for many years. At one time he was the biggest employer of labour in the world. He managed the construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London, including The Reform Club, The Lyceum, Nelson's Column and the then new Houses of Parliament. He also became one of the major contractors in the building of the rapidly expanding railways of the time. Of special interest to Baptists is his role in the building of Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, where he became a deacon and the fact that he laid a foundation stone for the Metropolitan Tabernacle.
Speech at the Metropolitan Tabernacle
We begin by quoting at some length a speech he gave on Tuesday April 2, 1861, one of a series of meetings marking the opening of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, to which Peto had contributed the first £5000.
When invited to lay the first stone of this building, I deemed it a high honour and privilege ... to preside tonight at the meeting of the Baptist Brethren of the metropolis, I deem also ... an honour and a privilege. Let me say ... how much I sympathise with all of you in meeting in this magnificent building ... under circumstances of the most gratifying character .... I recollect having said when the first stone was laid, that I saw no reason why this building should not be opened free from debt ... that anticipation has been abundantly realised! ... My thoughts naturally recur for a moment to the past. Mr Spurgeon has spoken of .. . the sufferings of our forefathers. They have laboured; we have entered into their labours. The result ... is shown in the ability of God's people connected with our denomination to raise a temple like this to his praise; and we have to acknowledge how much we owe to our forefathers in the opportunity we have of giving as a privilege, not as an exaction, and in seeing such a result of giving as this edifice displays.
There are many grounds on which we rejoice ... first …. that which was referred to ... on the evening of the opening day - Christ is preached and therein do I rejoice; yes, and I will rejoice. ... your pastor said that with all the misconceptions entertained with regard to his ministry, there was one point about which there could be no misconception - he thanked God he could say from his heart he had simply preached Christ. Now I believe the evidence we have in this building is no mean one that he has preached Christ - because if ministers have recourse to … any other than that of preaching Christ, we soon find … empty pews show the result! There is an underlying stratum in the deep feelings and hearts of our countrymen of reverence and love for the old Gospel which nothing else can supplant. The great strength of this country is that ... the people at once refer to the Law and to the Testimony, and that which is not found written there has no place in their reverence or their esteem!
... next ... the feeling that the privilege we have of worshipping God according to our consciences in this and every other edifice connected with His praise is to be traced to the result of the sufferings of our forefathers. But that privilege has entailed on us an adequate responsibility. In reading ... the Puritan Fathers, I am struck to see how deeply they were impressed with the principles on which they acted. They were not Nonconformists because their fathers were; they would themselves have gone to the stake to assert the principles connected with the Headship and the position of the Great Head of the Church in the sole right of sovereignty within that Church. In the present day there is entailed on us a great responsibility in guarding … these privileges. There is not only a desire on the part of the State to keep the Church so-called allied to the State, but to … intermeddle with other denominations. If we find the Church as we understand it, in the slightest degree interfered with, we must as one man arise and say we will never allow the privilege of the Headship of the Great Head of the Church to be interfered with by any State … No one can say more fervently than the Baptists, "God save the Queen," but while we render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, we must have respect to the commandment which enforces that nothing of Caesar's shall touch that which is God's.
We ... congratulate ... the pastor, deacons, and members ... on the accomplishment of this great work, without any feeling excepting that of devout thankfulness to God for what He has enabled them to achieve! And we desire that abundant success may attend the proclamation of the Gospel in this building. Long may the pastor be spared to minister to a devoted, loving and affectionate people! Long may he be surrounded by deacons ... able and willing to take the stroke oar … long may he have the power of the Holy Spirit attending an effective ministry and witnessing every month in that baptistery to the result of his labours! ...
Among Evangelical bodies … there may be slight differences, and will be among men who think for themselves - yet in the great fundamental and vital Truths of godliness, there exists no difference ... and we only rejoice in so far as our ministry is made effectual in the way I have mentioned. Look at the influences which will go forth from this Church - … schools brought together … children instructed in the knowledge of God and Christ! Look at the evangelical labours of the Brethren who constitute the Church in the surrounding districts, teaching and preaching Christ! Mr. Spurgeon will not conceive that his members, when they have simply attended …. have done their duty, but will feel that they must become living Epistles of Christ, known and read of all men! And then, while we shall no doubt consistently maintain that great Truth which we feel has been committed to us, we shall live in harmony with all those who hold the great, vital truths of godliness. One cannot but feel a most anxious desire and hope that long after our Brother is called to the upper sanctuary, his place may be filled ... by those who, like he, will lead their hearers constantly to Christ, and that this will not only be a monument to the praise of God in our own generation, but in many generations following! ...
We do rejoice with you ... I have told you the grounds ... not a mere sentiment, a mere effervescent feeling, but that true bond of brotherhood kindled in the heart by love to the same Saviour, by adopting as we do from sincere conviction those Truths which we hold to be vital and necessary. It is to the assertion of those Truths that we desire to see not only this, but every edifice in connection with our denomination, so that in regard to all our churches and their pastors, there may be no doubt that they act from one principle - a love to Christ and a desire to follow Him - for it is in following Him, alone, that they honour Him!
In a little booklet on Peto, Leslie Chown says that 'Peto was among the first
to recognise the genius of Spurgeon' and sent him a reading lamp of his own
design for use on train journeys.
The article appeared in Reformation Today
