Charles Haddon Spurgeon

(June 19, 1834 January 31, 1892) was England's best-known and most-loved preacher for most of the second half of the nineteenth century. Born in Kelvedon , Essex, his 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.”

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

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 famous Reformed Baptist theologian John Gill ). Within a few months of his call his powers as a preacher made him famous.

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.

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.

Spurgeon was a Baptist, 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.

Spurgeon married, in 1856, 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, suffering from a combination of rheumatism, gout and Bright's disease, often recuperating at Mentone, near Nice, France, where he died in 1892.

 

Index

 

A History of Baptists

Authors

Christian Poetry

Church Covenant

Churches of Like Faith

Daily Devotional

Home

Music

Old Landmarkism

Quick Reads

Sermons

Statement of Faith

 

INDEX of Sermons
Bible
Christ Crucified
Comforter
Consolation Proportionate to Spiritual Sufferings
David's Dying Song
Immutability of God
Joseph Attacked by the Archers
Kingly Priesthood of the Saints
Paul's First Prayer
Peculiar Sleep of the Beloved
People's Christ
Personality of the Holy Ghost
Remembrance of Christ
Romans 8:28
Sin of Unbelief
Spiritual Liberty
Sweet Comfort for Feeble Saints
Tomb of Jesus
Victory of Faith
"We know that all things work together for good to them that love God."—Romans 8:28.

PON some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid." He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children."

 

"Say not my soul, 'From whence can God relieve my care?
Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere.
His method is sublime, His heart profoundly kind,
God never is before His time, and never is behind.'"

Index