CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON was a remarkable man.  He was born in 1834 and died in 1892.  He was England’s most well-known preacher in the second half of the nineteenth century.  Four years after his conversion in 1854 at the young age of just 20, he became pastor of London’s famed New Park Street Church which was formerly pastored by the renowned Baptist theologian John Gill.  Many people came to hear young Spurgeon and the congregation quickly outgrew their building.  They moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall.  Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000.  In 1861, the congregation moved to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle.  The building was debt-free.

While there are many wonderful books chronicling the life and work of C.H. Spurgeon in print today, my favorite is THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CHARLES H. SPURGEON.  The work was complied from memoranda left by Mr. Spurgeon himself and edited by his wife Susannah and his personal secretary, Mr. Harrold.  This four-volume set unabridged was published posthumously after his death.  My former pastor who is in his nineties recently gave me his own set as a gift.  It is full of gems and jewels! 

The books have been republished by Banner of Truth Trust in a two-volume set which is abridged but rich in content for the modern reader, entitled C. H. SPURGEON AUTOBIOGRAPHY/THE EARLY YEARS (Volume I) and C.H. SPURGEON AUTOBIOGRAPHY/THE FULL HARVEST  (Volume II).

Spurgeon’s printed works are voluminous, and include his magnum opus, THE TREASURY OF DAVID.  Nearly all of Spurgeon’s published works (sermons, letters, articles, books) are still in print today from ministries who have preserved the history of the “prince of preachers.”

THERE WERE THREE THINGS God used to form the life and work of Charles Haddon Spurgeon:  The Son of God and the Scriptures; the shadow of the broad brim–many of the Puritans were known for wearing broad-brimmed hats in those days and he was the heir of Puritan preachers; and the life and influence of Susannah Thompson of Westwood.

Charles was born at Kelvedon, Essex on June 19, 1834, the first of many siblings.  He was sent to live with his grandparents at Stambourne in 1835.  We will soon see God had a Divine purpose for Charles to spend his childhood days there.

(To be continued. . .)