Spurgeon

Spurgeon, REV. CHARLES HADDON (1834-1892), eminent Baptist preacher, was born at Kelvedon, in Essex, where his father was a clergyman. He received most of his education at Colchester, and on its termination was for a time tutor at Newmarket. Commencing evangelical work at Cambridge whilst a mere boy, he won a reputation as "The Boy Preacher," and was only seventeen when he was appointed to the charge of a Baptist chapel. In the same year he came to London, and held a pastorate at Southwark with such success that his chapel was always needing enlarging. Meanwhile his fame grew steadily, and he not only preached often, but wrote considerably. In 1861 the Metropolitan Tabernacle, with which his name will be always connected, was opened, and he drew enormous congregations, slowly extending its work until it possessed almshouses, a college for pastors, orphanages, and other institutions. His sermons were constantly and extensively published and were widely read, and are collected into many volumes. Many of them first appeared in a small publication edited by Spurgeon, and called The Sword and Trowel. His jubilee was celebrated in 1884.