Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born in Kelvedon, Essex, England on June 19, 1834. His father and his grandfather were both pastors and at the age of twenty, he became the pastor of the New Park Street Church in London. The congregation quickly grew out of the building and moved to Exeter Hall. In 1861, the congregation moved to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle. During his lifetime, he published over thirty-five hundred sermons that filled 63 volumes. His series stands as the largest set of books by a single author in the history of Christianity. He also wrote Ploughman's Talk and The Treasury of David. During his last years, he suffered severe physical pain from a gout attack. He was growing increasing ill and died on January 31, 1892.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was born in Kelvedon, England. He came from a strong Christian family and he developed a love for reading books. At fifteen, a stormy day changed his plans and he went to a Methodist chapel in Colchester, where the service was almost given up for low attendance. At this service the message was look to Jesus to be saved, and he became a Christian. He never went to college, but he became a scholar through self-study. His parents were Congregationalists but he saw the need for Baptism after he read the Bible. He preached his first sermon at Teversham in Cambridgeshire and people began to respect him. The New Park Street Chapel in London was deserted and the young man from Cambridge was recommended. Spurgeon thought it a mistake and that he would not be fit for London. He was "borne down with a sense of weakness." His preaching was blessed with great success of effect and attendance. Soon the need of a much larger building was needed and the Metropolitan Tabernacle was built in 1861. He became a well-known preacher and is regarded as the "Prince of Preachers."
