Charles Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, commonly C.H. Spurgeon, (June 19, 1834 – January 31, 1892) was a British Baptist preacher.

Related Topics:
June 19 - 1834 - January 31 - 1892

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Born in Kelvedon, Essex, Spurgeon's conversion to Christianity came in January 1850 at the age of fifteen. On his way to a scheduled appointment, a snow storm forced him to cut short his intended journey and turn in to a Primitive Methodist chapel in Colchester where, in his own words: "God opened his heart to the salvation message."

Related Topics:
Kelvedon - Essex - Christianity - 1850 - Primitive Methodist - Colchester

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He preached his first sermon in 1851 and, from the beginning of his ministry, his style and ability were considered to be far above average.

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In 1852 he became pastor of the small Baptist church at Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, and in 1854, after preaching three months on probation and just four years after his conversion, Spurgeon, then only 20, was called to the pastorate of London's famed New Park Street Chapel, Southwark (formerly pastored by the Particular Baptist theologian John Gill). Within a few months of his call his powers as a preacher made him famous.

Related Topics:
1852 - Baptist - Cambridgeshire - 1854 - New Park Street Chapel - Southwark - Particular Baptist - John Gill

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The congregation quickly outgrew their building, moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall. In these venues Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000 — all in the days before electronic amplification. At twenty-two Spurgeon was the most popular preacher of the day.

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In 1861 the congregation moved permanently to the newly constructed purpose-built Metropolitan Tabernacle at Elephant and Castle, seating five thousand people with standing room for another thousand. Some say that the Metropolitan Tabernacle is considered the first modern "megachurch."

Related Topics:
1861 - Metropolitan Tabernacle - Elephant and Castle - Megachurch

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Spurgeon was a Baptist and a Calvinist, but is still known to non-conformists of many denominations as the "Prince of Preachers" in the tradition of the Puritans and especially highly regarded amongst Presbyterians and Congregationalists, although he differed with them over the issue of baptism (in 1862, Spurgeon alienated many evangelicals when he preached against infant baptism, even though he was a staunch Calvinist).

Related Topics:
Baptist - Calvinist - Non-conformist - Denomination - Puritan - Presbyterian - Congregationalist - Baptism

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Spurgeon's sermons were published in printed form every week, and enjoyed a high circulation. By the time of his death in 1892, he had preached almost thirty-six hundred sermons and published forty-nine volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations, and devotions.

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It is said that on the death of missionary Dr. David Livingstone, a discolored and much used copy of one of Spurgeon's printed sermons was found among his few possessions, along with the handwritten comment at the top of the first page "Very good, D.L." He had carried it with him throughout his travels in Africa.

Related Topics:
David Livingstone - Africa

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In 1856, Spurgeon married Susannah, daughter of Robert Thompson of Falcon Square, London, by whom he had twin sons, Charles and Thomas. His widow and sons survived him. He suffered ill health towards the end of his life, afflicted by a combination of rheumatism, gout and Bright's disease. He often recuperated at Mentone, near Nice, France, where he eventually died in 1892.

Related Topics:
1856 - Rheumatism - Gout - Bright's disease - Mentone - Nice - France

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In addition to his church, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Spurgeon promoted two major projects:

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• The Pastors' College, opened in 1857, and renamed Spurgeon's College in 1923 when it moved to its present building in South Norwood Hill, London; see

::History page on Spurgeon's College official site

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• The Stockwell Orphanage, which opened for boys in 1867 and for girls in 1879 and continued in London until it was bombed in the Second World War; see

::History page on official Spurgeon's Child Care site

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::Birchington History page, which looks at the orphanage and one of its successor homes in Kent

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::Vauxhall Society Stockwell Orphanage history page

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Charles Spurgeon: Some of Spurgeon's written works ►