Digital Logos Edition
All of Spurgeon’s works are deeply personal, yet the volumes of his autobiography retell the story of his life from start to finish with more detail than his sermons, lectures, articles, and volumes of his other writings. Charles H. Spurgeon's Autobiography, Compiled from His Diary, Letters, and Records is devoted to the complete biographical account of his life and mission. Some of the content is reproduced from Spurgeon’s sermons, manuscripts, books, and other content, while the rest contains explanatory remarks from the editors, including Spurgeon’s wife. This 4-volume biography tells the story of Spurgeon’s childhood, his life at Stambourne, his education and upbringing, and his historic preaching career. It includes hundreds of illustrations, letters, poetry, and other material, making it the first and most detailed complete biographical account of Charles Spurgeon. The Logos Bible Software edition of Charles H. Spurgeon's Autobiography was originally published in London by Passmore and Alabaster in 1898. Volume 2 of Spurgeon's Autobiography covers the years of 1854–1860.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born in Kelvedon, Essex, England on June 19, 1834. He converted to Christianity in 1850 at a small Methodist chapel, to which he detoured during a snowstorm. While there, he heard a sermon on Isaiah 45:22 and was saved—“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else.” He began his own ministry of preaching and teaching immediately, and preached more than 500 sermons by the age of twenty.
In 1854, at nineteen years of age, Spurgeon began preaching at the New Park Street Chapel in London. He was appointed to a six month trial position, which he requested be cut to three months should the congregation dislike his preaching. He gained instant fame, however, and the church grew from 232 members to more than five thousand at the end of his pastorate. Many of his sermons were published each week and regularly sold more than 25,000 copies in twenty languages. Throughout his ministry, Spurgeon estimated that he preached to more than 10,000,000 people. Dwight L. Moody was deeply influenced by Spurgeon’s preaching, and founded the Moody Bible Institute after seeing Spurgeon’s work at the Pastor’s College in London.
Spurgeon read six books per week during his adult life, and read Pilgrim’s Progress more than 100 times. In addition to his studying and preaching, Spurgeon also founded the Pastor’s College (now Spurgeon’s College), various orphanages and schools, mission chapels, and numerous other social institutions.
Charles Spurgeon suffered from poor health throughout his life. He died on January 31, 1892, and was buried in London.
“The doctrine which I preach is that of the Puritans: it is the doctrine of Calvin, the doctrine of Augustine, the doctrine of Paul, the doctrine of the Holy Ghost. The Author and Finisher of our faith Himself taught most blessed truth which well agreed with Paul’s declaration, ‘By grace are ye saved.’ The doctrine of grace is the substance of the testimony of Jesus.” (Page 87)
“I preach the doctrines of grace because I believe them to be true; because I see them in the Scriptures; because my experience endears them to me; and because I see the holy result of them in the lives of believers.” (Page 87)
“I love those five points as being the angles of the gospel, but then I love the centre between the angles better still.” (Page 328)
“He lived. Other men seem to be only half-alive; but Whitefield was all life, fire, wing, force. My own model, if I may have such a thing in due subordination to my Lord, is George Whitefield; but with unequal footsteps must I follow in his glorious track.’” (Page 66)
“You have strong faith, and, as the result, intense earnestness. In this lies, as in the hair of Samson, the secret of your power. Go on, my brother, and may God give you a still larger amount of ministerial success!” (Page 79)