Charles Haddon Spurgeon, (June 19, 1834 - January 31, 1892) was an English Baptist pastor. He is still known to people as the Prince of Preachers.
He received his early education at Colchester, and also spent a year in the Agricultural College at Maidstone, where he obtained some knowledge of the sciences.
He then engaged as usher in a school at Newmarket, after which he moved to Cambridge and served in a similar capacity in a day school, all the while employing his leisure in improving his own mind.
He began, while at Newmarket, to make Sunday-school addresses, and it is said that he did it in a manner to attract older persons. At Cambridge he continued the custom, and also began to give Sunday-school sermons in surrounding villages.
A small Baptist church at Waterbeach extended the young preacher a call, to be its pastor. He accepted the invitation, and during a short ministry the church was doubled. In January, 1854, when Mr. Spurgeon was but twenty years old, he was invited to accept the pastorate of New Park Street Chapel in London.
He immediately began a career of Christian endeavor in that city which surpasses the record of almost any modem apostle we could name.
Coming to the busy city fresh from quiet fields of study, observation and thought, with a vigor and power of expression, startling in their novelty, he at once arrested the attention of the people.
Throngs came out to hear him. The church must be enlarged, and in order to accommodate the eager multitudes, he preached many sermons In the open air to fifteen thousand persons, and often in Exeter Hall to more than that number.
Beginning his public career thus early in life, public interest in him has not for a moment waned. He is a preacher of the Gospel In its simplicity, and an orator of wonderful power.
His pulpit work is supplemented by vast philanthropic and charitable enterprises, asylums, orphanages and schools. His published works are many, among which are “John Ploughman’s Talks,” “John Ploughman’s Pictures,” “Commenting and Commentaries,” “Gleanings among the Sheaves,” beside ten volumes of sermons. Perhaps the best known and most highly valued literary work of Mr. Spurgeon is his “Treasury of David,” an exhaustive and helpful treatise on the Psalms.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s career has been phenomenal from his youthful entrance into the ministry until to-day. The work he has done for the Master in bringing souls to know Christ, and in strengthening believers in the faith will never be fully known until eternity.
The sermons of Charles Spurgeon have been translated into several languages and today, there are more books and writings of Spurgeon than any other Christian writer.
Spurgeon was pastor of the Baptist Church called Metropolitan Tabernacule, of London for 38 years
