19 Jun 1834 – 31 Jan 1892
Charles SPURGEON
English Particular Baptist preacher
When he was 15 years old Spurgeon made a personal commitment to follow Jesus. As soon as the possibility of ice and frost had passed, he was baptised on the 3 May in the river Lark, at Isleham. He began helping as a Sunday school teacher but preached his first sermon the following winter and was asked to pastor a small local Baptist church.
When he was 19, he was called tp London’s famed New Park Street Chapel in Southwark. He was mentored by William Garrett Lewis who was pastor of Westbourne Grove Church. Together they founded the London Baptist Association.
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=499466
The Church Grows
Garrett Lewis and his friend Charles H Spurgeon formed the “London Association of Baptist Ministers Holding Evangelical Sentiments, and the Churches Under their Care” – later renamed as the London Baptist Association.
In 1866 Westbourne Grove Church was enlarged as it had outgrown the original building. The major extensions to the building filled in the site and increased the capacity from 800 to 1500 seats. The new building was opened by London’s most famous Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon – it was packed full to overflowing with people out on the street who could not fit in.
He preached here at Westbourne Grove Church a number of times but also had even more links through the formation of community groups and charities that both his church and Westbourne Grove supported.
In the years 1858, 1860, 1866, 1890 Westbourne Grove enjoyed preaching visits from Charles Spurgeon to a congregation of 2,500 plus hundreds outside unable to obtain admittance.
Five volumes of Spurgeon’s Sermons bound in leather books. Image: Wikipedia
Spurgeon’s Legacy
Spurgeon was also a good friend of Hudson Taylor who was a long-term member of Westbourne Grove Church (then known as Westbourne Grove Chapel) He worked on a book with Hudson Taylor without words that could be used across language and cultural barriers. His strong opposition to all forms of slavery led to him being threatened and insulted in person and through letters.
Spurgeon founded a Pastor’s college in 1857 which was renamed Spurgeon’s college after his death.
Spurgeon died when he was only 57 years old leaving nearly 3,600 published sermons, 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions and countless hymns.
The following is sadly now a familiar story
Spurgeon was an enthusiastic supporter of the Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund. Saying it was not just all Christian’s duty but all people’s duty to give:
“We must have more hospitals. I do not know whether we shall not be obliged to make the Government spend something in this direction. I don’t believe in the Government doing anything well.
I” generally feel sorry when anything has to be left to the Government. I don’t mean this Government in particular, but any Government which may be in office for the time being. It is six of one and half-a-dozen of the other. I have a very small opinion of the whole lot.
“There are some things which we should try ourselves to do as long as ever we can…. Bones must be set, and the sick must be cared for; the poor must not be left to die, in order not to have to go to the Government for help. So let us all try to give what we can.”
Metropolitan Almshouse. Image source: Wikipedia
Hear his sermons online:
“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness”
CHARLES SPURGEON
