Introduction to C H Spurgeon (1834-1892)

"The best preacher is the man who charges his gun with all he knows, and then - before he fires - puts himself in." (from W. Y. Fullerton's Biography of Spurgeon - page 197)

C. H. Spurgeon's blessed ministry was grounded in the holy scripture of 1st Corinthians 1:23-24 "But we preach CHRIST CRUCIFIED, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

Based on the Biblical declaration of John 3:14, "And As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up," the striking emblem was his motto and appeared on the cloth-binding spines of the original New Park Street and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermon Series volumes.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a noted British Baptist minister who preached to throngs of souls at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England (which held a total capacity of 6000 people, including Standing Room only). Greatly blessed by the Holy Spirit, his success and worldwide popularity were due in large measure to a genius intellect, natural gift of oratory, thoroughly biblical expository messages, along with the fervant prayers of his congregational Tabernacle members. In 1854, just four years after his conversion, Spurgeon, then only 20, became pastor of London’s famed New Park Street Church. The congregation quickly outgrew their building, moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall. In these venues Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000—all in the days before electronic amplification. In 1861 the congregation moved permanently to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle. Spurgeon's many writings and brilliant sermons are still widely published today, testifying to his timeless appeal.

Who is on the Lord's side? Who?  Wounded on the battlefield, I raise myself on my arm and cry to those around me, and urge them to espouse my Master's cause, for if we were wounded or dead for His sake all would be gain. By the splendour of redeeming love, I charge each believer to confess his Lord, and live wholly to him. Yours for Christ's sake, - C.H. SPURGEON

B. H. Carroll, the founder of Southwestern Theological Seminary (Fort Worth TX) delivered a Memorial Address on Spurgeon one week after the death of the "Prince of Preachers" in 1892. Here is an excerpt:

"Never since Paul died has so much work and so much success been crowded into so small a space of time... His pulpit power derived no aid from adventicious circumstances. He dealt in no tricks of elocution. You cannot conceive of Mr Spurgeon attitudinizing before a mirror to learn graceful gesticulation. Mr Spurgeon's pulpit power consisted largely in his convictions. He spake because he believed. He realized that he carried a message from God. A message of life to the lost. It was his business to deliver the message, not vindicate it. He did not feel authorized to minify, dilute, or change it."

"He believed in God. He believed in the personality of the devil. He believed the Bible doctrines of heaven and hell. He believed in the eternity of future happiness or woe for every man; in the power of the Holy Ghost; in the divinity of Jesus and the reality of vicarious expiation. He believed that Jesus Christ founded the church. He believed that a Christian congregation should be as a lighthouse on a rock-bound coast, or a chandelier of grouped lights revealing the dangerous pathway to hell and illuminating the narrow way to heaven. That the mission of the church was not to amuse and entertain, but to save the world."

"His ministry has demonstrated and illustrated the truth of the scripture: And I, If I Be Lifted Up, Will Draw All Men Unto Me. That the preaching of "Christ and him crucifed," "the glorying only in the cross," "the knowing nothing but the cross," out-draws in attractive power ALL other themes."

C. H. Spurgeon's last words at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, June 7, 1891 -- "If you wear the livery of Christ, you will find him so meek and lowly of heart that you will find rest unto your souls. He is the most magnanimous of captains. There never was his like the choicest of princes. He is always to be found in the thickest part of the battle. When the wind blows cold he always takes the bleak side of the hill. The heaviest end of the cross lies ever on his shoulders. If he bids us carry a burden, he carries it also. If there is anything that is gracious, generous, kind, and tender, yea lavish and superabundant in love, you always find it in him. His service is life, peace, and joy. Oh, that you would enter on it at once! God help you to enlist under the banner of JESUS CHRIST!"

"The man who never reads will never be read;
he who never quotes will never be quoted.
He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains,
proves that he has no brains of his own." - C. H. SPURGEON