The story continues…Charles Spurgeon

Spurgeon: A New Biography
Chapter 5: “A Great Door and Effectual Is Opened”
Chapter 6: Spurgeon’s Marriage—This One Truly Made in Heaven

Arnold Dallimore uses Chapter 5 to explain how Spurgeon began preaching at New Park Street in London at the age of 19. On his first intimidating sermon try-out:

All feelings of depression vanished from his mind before the responsibility that was now his—that of preaching the Word. The people saw a man strong in confidence in God, and they listened to a voice the like of which they had never heard before.

Bottom line? They were encouraged by him. They offered him the job. He stayed for a lifetime.

Spurgeon’s incredible sense of mission there was obvious from the start. He urged the people to hold him up in prayer so he could be sustained under “the awesome spirituality responsibility of this task.” He later answered that the secret to his success was, “My people pray for me.”

His humility was also obvious from the start. When the people called for an ordination service, Spurgeon was uncomfortable with it. He believed it neither scriptural nor necessary to validate his ministry. He also spurned the use of a title for as long as he could.

But what he did want was for the people to learn to pray, really pray.

Oh for a living groan! One sigh of the soul has more power in it than half an hour’s recitation of pretty pious words. Oh! For a sob from the soul, or a tear from the heart!

Shortly after arriving in London, he met Susannah Thompson, who later became his wife. His first gift to her? A copy of Pilgrim’s Progress.

Early on Susannah recognized and respected that Charles first love would always be God, so she tried to never to hinder his service to Him. They married on January 8, 1856, when Spurgeon was 21. Their love would last a lifetime. 

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Next week:
Chapter 7: Conflict
Chapter 8: Revival in London

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