Charles H. Spurgeon

Born on June 19th, 1834, in Kelvedon, Essex, to John and Eliza Spurgeon, he was the firstborn of seventeen children, although unfortunately only eight survived adolescence. A boy who loved books, he quickly became fascinated with John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. However, Charles did not lose his own burden at the foot of the cross until January 6th, 1850. Soon thereafter he moved to Cambridge, joined St. Andrews Street Baptist Church, and began his ministry as an itinerant preacher.

In October of 1851 Charles was called to preach in first church, Waterbeach Chapel, and soon thereafter accepted the pastorate of New Park Street Chapel in Southwark, London in April of 1854. In 1861 the Metropolitan Tabernacle opened and his ministry exploded resulting in the founding of 66 parachurch ministries. His remarkable ministry in London would last 38 years before his death on January 31st, 1892 in Menton, France.

Source | The Spurgeon Center