Spurgeon a New Biography #2 — C.H. Spurgeon

Spurgeon's Early Ministry at Waterbeach

Because of his youth he was known as the boy preacher, but it must be pointed out He had in no way referred to himself under this term or used it as a kind of gimmick to draw a crowd. Nevertheless he soon preached to a crowd and did so each Sunday.

When he went to Water Beach the congregation numbered about 40, but it grew with great rapidity. People came not only from the village itself But also from the surrounding countryside till the attendance mounted regularly to 400 and more.

Of course they could not all get into the little building. But doors and windows were left open and people stood outside listening to a preacher such as they had never heard before. During his days at Water Beach Spurgeon manifested a gift for which he was to be preeminent throughout his later ministry the gift of understanding and influencing people.

Evangelism and Conversion in the Village

He talked to men and women on the street, and he visited them in in their homes. He knew them and their teenagers and their children by name. He recognized sin and it was everywhere. He witnessed the people's manner of life.

He prayed by the sick Comforted the suffering and watched the dying. In public and in private he ever Presented the gospel and great was his joy when he heard the news of the first convert. This was a woman who came to tell him that under his preaching she had been brought into a deep conviction of sin but that she had received the Savior and was now rejoicing a Great.

Many others followed till Water Beach was virtually transformed. Quote. Did you ever walk through a village notorious for its drunkenness and profanity? Did you ever see poor wretched beings that once were men?

Standing or had a leaning against the posts of the ale house or staggering along the street. Have you ever looked into the houses of the people and beheld them as dens of iniquity at which your soul stood aghast.

Have you ever seen the poverty and degradation and misery of the inhabitants and sighed over it? Yes, you say we have. But was it ever your privilege to walk through that village again in after years when the gospel had been preached there.

It has been mine. I Once knew such a village as I have pictured perhaps in some respects one of the worst in England where many an illicit still was yielding its noxious liquor and Where in connection with that evil all manner of riot and iniquity was rife.

There went into that village a lad who had no great scholarship, but who was earnest in seeking the souls of men. He began to preach there and it pleased God to turn the whole place upside down. In a short time that little thatched chapel was crammed.

The biggest vagabonds in the village were weeping floods of tears and those who had been the curse of the parish became its blessing. Where there had been robberies and villainies of every kind all around the neighborhood.

There were none because the men who used to do the mischief were themselves in the house of God. Rejoicing to hear of Jesus crucified. I am not telling an exaggerated story nor a thing I do not know for it was my delight to labor for the Lord in that village.

It was a pleasant thing to walk through that place when drunkenness had almost ceased where Debauchery in the case of many was dead when men and women went forth to labor with joyful hearts singing the praises of the ever-living God and When at sunset the humble cottager called his children together.

Read them some portion of the book of truth and then together they bent their knees in prayer to God. I Can say with joy and happiness that almost from one end of the village to the other at the hour of eventide One might have heard the voice of song coming from nearly every roof tree.

I Do testify to the praise of God's grace that it pleased the Lord to work wonders in our midst. He showed the power of Jesus name and made me a witness of that gospel which can win souls draw reluctant hearts and mold afresh the life and conduct of sinful men and Spurgeon's pastorate at Waterbeach continued until he was 19.

Spurgeon's Sermon Preparation and Doctrinal Depth

During that period although he manifested a rare maturity He had also much to learn about the day-by-day Conducting of the ministry. That experience was evident for instance in his sermon preparation.

He sought to be led by God to some passage of scripture Endeavoring in prayer and study to understand it thoroughly. After filling his soul with its message. He marshaled its truths into organized form in readiness for delivery.

He found the main points and then the secondary points that the scripture Contained wrote them out in two or three pages of notes and carried those into the pulpit with him. Some 200 or so Waterbeach sermon outlines are still extant and they manifest the nature of his early preaching.

He did not like most men during their first few years in the ministry merrily touch the surface of gospel truths. On the contrary the great system of doctrine that he had been weighing in his mind since childhood and that had largely constituted the body of his study.

Underlay virtually all he said and provided the strength of his ministry. Spurgeon's experience also grew in his handling of people during those days. When the town scourge unloosed her tongue upon him one day.

He replied as though he had barely heard her and incorrectly understood her words. After two or three outbursts she hurried away saying the man is as deaf as a post. A certain minister who invited him to come and preach upon seeing how boyish he looked treated him with contempt.

But Spurgeon in his sermon replied by quoting a verse from Proverbs that rebuked the man's uncivil behavior and. Then he went on to preach so powerfully that when the service was over the man patted him on the back and said You're the sauciest dog that ever barked in the pulpit.

The Occasion marked the beginning of a warm friendship between them. There was a woman who though a true saint constantly lacked Christian confidence. She told Spurgeon. She was such a hypocrite that she ought not to attend a church and that she had no Christian Hope whatsoever.

Knowing her true earnestness and desiring to help her he offered to buy her hope for five pounds. To which she exclaimed. Oh, I would not sell my hope in Christ for a thousand worlds. During those teenage days at in Waterbeach Spurgeon revealed much of the character that later shown in him so prominently.

Spurgeon's Character, Discipline, and Call to Ministry

Admittedly, he was audacious and fearless and any who saw this feature alone could well assume that he was impudent. But he was also very real. He had not the slightest element of pretense and in both his public ministry and his pastoral Relationships his unrelenting earnestness was manifest to all his extraordinary preaching powers were also evident a voice of tremendous strength together with the sweetest moving tones and all under Constant control.

Spurgeon exercised an unyielding Self-discipline. To him the Christian life must be fully governed and he put that ideal into stern practice. Rising early. He filled the day with labor studying and visiting praying and Preaching.

He gave no attention to sports and had no personal friendships with members of the opposite sex. But all his time and thought were given to the Lord. In many senses though yet so young. He was far ahead of many older ministers in knowing and doing the work of that office as his brother James Expressed it.

He has a marvelous example of a preacher leaping out of bound full-grown into the pulpit. Charles's extraordinary advancement in the work of the ministry was not understood. However by his father John Spurgeon wanting the best for his son made plans to put him into Stepney College the Baptist ministerial training school.

The universities had long been closed to all who were not members of the Church of England. Charles was not happy about his father's idea. But he was willing to go along with it if necessary and he agreed to meet the college principal. Dr. Joseph Angus.

The interview was to take place at a home in Cambridge that of Daniel Macmillan the prominent publisher. Charles arrived at the appointed hour and was shown by a maid into a sitting room and there he waited for dr. Angus to arrive.

But at the end of two hours He called for the maid only to discover she had shown the gentleman into a room at the other side of the house. He too had waited all that time, but having to catch a train.

He had left the house some moments earlier. Later that day Spurgeon was walking through the fields on his way to a village service. As He thought of the strange event of the afternoon there came an overwhelming Impression in his mind almost as though he actually heard a voice that said very distinctly Seekest thou great things for thyself?

Seek them not. He immediately rejoiced in this counsel and then and there he determined not to enter the college. He already knew God had already made him a minister and he purposed to continue the manner of life that had been his for the past two years.

The decision allowed no room for earthly ambition. It marked another step forward in the mortification of self. And in the growth of his soul's devotion to the Lord in later years Spurgeon referred to the event of his missing. Dr. Angus as the Lord's hand behind the maids mistake.

The college gave its students valuable knowledge of the Bible and of general theological subjects. It provided classroom instruction and how to prepare sermons and how to deliver them and It endeavored to lead the young men into a well-ordered and disciplined manner of life.

But those things were hardly necessary to Spurgeon. He was already far beyond the college's students and undoubtedly beyond most of its faculty in Theological knowledge and preaching ability and he already possessed a wide pastoral experience.

Moreover though strictly Subject to all that was righteous and true. He was in some senses a free spirit without fear of man and entirely unfettered by human conventions he had received in birth a unique genius of spirit and That would surely have suffered had he entered an environment where efforts would have been made to force it into the mold of ordinary individuals.

He had been prepared for a divinely ordered ministry and did not need the usual shaping by the hands of man. After Spurgeon had been in Waterbeach two years an event took place which in the plan of God drew his ministry there to its close.

The Cambridge Controversy and the Call to London

In November of 1853 he spoke at a meeting of the Cambridge Sunday School Union. He was followed by two other ministers each of whom referred belittlingly to his youthfulness. One in fact was particularly nasty and stated it is a pity boys Do not adopt the scriptural practice of tarrying at Jericho till their beards are grown before they try to instruct their seniors.

When the speaker had concluded a Spurgeon secured the chairman's permission and made a reply. I reminded the audience he says That those who were bidden to remain at Jericho were not boys But full-grown men whose beards had been shaved off by their enemies as the greatest indignity.

They could be made to suffer and who were therefore ashamed to return home until their beards had grown again. I added that the true parallel to their case could be found in a minister who Through falling into open sin had disgraced his calling and needed to go into seclusion.

Till his character had to some extent been restored. Spurgeon knew nothing of the man who had attacked him, but he had unwittingly described his condition. The poor man had fallen into sin and since his behavior was known to the people one can but imagine his embarrassment.

This meeting however though of no special importance in itself proved of pivotal significance in Spurgeon's life. It led in an indirect way to the placing before him of the supreme opportunity of his career.

The opening of a great door and effectual a call to the pastorate of the New Park Street Baptist Church in London. Now we begin another subsection of the book the first years in London 1855 to 1864 and This section begins with chapter 5 a great door and effectual is opened and It begins with a quote from the Prince of Preachers written in 1894 by James Douglas.

Here's the quote. To what then was a Spurgeon's swift and decisive promotion due? We infer it was due to this fact that there was nothing in him necessitating delay. He could be placed in the seat of honor for he had the spiritual grounding requisite.

He could serve the relative end for the basis of it had been laid in his own heart. The light was there it needed but a stand adequate to its power of illumination and Specially should be instanced this point that he had the true Christian foil in respect of honor namely Humility he had as we have just seen Forsworn the search of great things for himself and what is this in the economy of grace, but the forerunner of promotion?

He had no great stalking ambition. The role of a cut a country village pastor was as ample as his heart's desire. London might make him greater it could hardly make him happier. And now chapter 5 a great door and effectual is Opened.

A man named George Gould was present at that meeting in Cambridge. He was deeply impressed by Spurgeon's ministry and gave a London friend William Olney a glowing report of the young Waterbeach preacher.

Olney was a deacon of the New Park Street Baptist Church and since it was without a pastor at the time Gould urged that it seriously considered this remarkable youth. The New Park Street Church invited Spurgeon to supply its pulpit for a Sunday.

He was amazed at the request and replied to their letter saying they must have the wrong Spurgeon. For he was merrily a lad of 19. They replied that he was the one they had intended so he agreed to spend Sunday December 18 1853 with them Reaching London on Saturday.

He went as they had arranged to a boarding house in the Bloomsbury district. Several young gentlemen lived at this house and as they looked upon the visitor his clothes anything but stylish his hair Unkempt and his whole appearance Countryfied they were much amused.

At the supper table, they told him of the extraordinary abilities of many of the London preachers men they said of thorough scholarship and rare oratorical powers and. The suggestion was that Spurgeon was entirely out of place in one of the city's most prominent non-conformist churches.

Spurgeon felt that much would be expected of him in this pulpit. Especially because of the personal greatness and lengthy ministries of three of the men who had filled it. The first of those was Benjamin Keech an Outstanding preacher and author who had suffered in the pillory for his faith during the 17th century.

The second was John Gill a man of tremendous learning the author of ponderous volumes of theology and biblical commentary. Who had exercised his ministry there for? 51 years. The third John Rippon had proved himself an able preacher and had edited a widely used Hymnbook and his ministry and this pulpit had lasted for the amazing length of 63 years.

These men were yet highly revered especially by Baptists throughout England and their greatness Served all the more to discourage Spurgeon as he came now to spend the Sunday in their pulpit. After having supper with the young gentleman Spurgeon went to his room.

It was not actually a room merely a kind of cupboard over the stairs and so small he could barely kneel beside the bed. Throughout the night there was almost constant noise from horses and carriages on the street below and he found it difficult to sleep as He awoke in the morning.

He felt lonely and friendless. The great city seemed forbidding and He longed for his flock in Waterbeach who would be that day meeting without him. Nor were matters improved when he made his way to the church.

The building had been a rather grand place. It was of stone and brick construction now much blackened by the city's grime. Nevertheless it remained one of the largest Baptist chapels in Britain and he says that upon first viewing it I Felt for a moment amazed at my own temerity for it seemed to my eyes to be a large ornate and imposing structure suggesting an audience wealthy and critical and Far removed from the humble folk to whom my ministry had been sweetness and light.

But although the building was imposing the location was Deplorable. It lay south of the Thames and the only immediate access from the other side of the river was by a toll bridge. The area was low and flooded easily and smoke and soot were everywhere.

Around the chapel stood a brewery warehouses and factories. The only homes close by were impoverished hovels. Among the members of the church however were several very earnest Christians. Some were men of professional status and others operated their own businesses and in general the congregation was composed of very respectable middle-class people.

During the months without a pastor the church had heard several supposedly capable men. But they had never asked one of them twice for they gave them such philosophical or dry-learned sermons that once was enough.

As result Attendances had decreased the work was at a low ebb and the people were discouraged as Spurgeon entered the pulpit that morning though the church had seats for 1 ,200 he saw a congregation estimated by some as high as 200 and by others as low as 80.

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 like that of which they had never heard before taking as his text every good and perfect gift is from above and Cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.

He spoke of God as described in the term the father of lights. He enlarged upon the divine attributes, especially God's unchangeableness and Closed by declaring his giving of gifts even the gift of his son the Lord Jesus.

The sermon was not in any way an effort to produce something profound to win the favor of a London audience. It was simply the kind of sermon he would have delivered to his rustic congregation in Waterbeach but the result was extraordinary.

A Few hearers knew not what to think of him for he was so young yet seemed so mature. And he was entirely different from any preacher. They had ever heard. But most were excited and could hardly find words to express their delight.

During the afternoon several of them called on members who had been absent in the morning and on various neighbors and friends telling them of the marvelous youth from the country and Declaring they must come and hear him in the evening.

Accordingly the evening congregation was much larger than that of the morning. Spurgeon was more at home in his surroundings as well. And as he preached on They are without fault before the throne of God.

The people were lifted to new heights of understanding and to new raptures of feeling. When the service closed most were unwilling to leave the church. They stood around in clusters greatly moved Overwhelmed by the glory of what they had heard and urged the deacons to make sure this amazing preacher returned.

The deacons were equally enthusiastic. They asked Spurgeon to set dates to minister to them again. And they declared that if he were in the pulpit for three Sundays, the building would be filled. They were spiritually so starved that a morsel of gospel was a treat for them.

Deeply affected by the need and assured that this door was being divinely opened. He agreed to return on three Sundays the following month January of 1854. During the conversation. He informed the deacons that he was not a college man.

But they had heard so many college graduates and had been wearied with their preaching that they replied That is to us a special recommendation for you would not have much savor or unction if you came from college.

Spurgeon walked back to the boarding house a different man. I Wanted no pity from anyone. He says I did not care a penny for the young gentlemen lodgers and their miraculous ministers. Nor for the grind of the calves nor for anything else under the Sun.

God had anointed his ministry. The people had been delighted and he was to come again. After two weeks, he again spent a Sunday at New Park Street. He returned immediately to Waterbeach, but the London Church would not wait for him to fulfill the arrangement he had made with them.

The deacons wrote immediately expressing the people's unbounded satisfaction with his ministry and Extending him a call to become their pastor right away. The Sunday school superintendent wrote separately and told of him.

I never saw such a desire toward a minister as there is at the present time toward you. You will find a great many faithful friends and should the Holy Spirit lead you to decide for New Park Street I hope and pray you will prove a blessing to Thousands.

Spurgeon had apparently mentioned his sense of the awesome spiritual responsibility of this task. The letter from the deacons suggested that he might want to accept the pastorate on a trial basis. They added that at the end of six months he might reconsider the matter and If he then felt it necessary but he would but he replied that he would come on three months trial and Concluded by stating his urgent request that all the people pray for him.

One thing is due. He declared namely that in private as well as public. They must all wrestle in prayer that I might be sustained in the great work. His parting from his people in Waterbeach was sad for him and sad for them.

Some had realized they could not Long hope to keep such a man in so small a place. But now that the removal was imminent though they rejoiced in the prospect for him. They shed many tears at the thought of seeing him go.

He had loved them and they had loved him and the bonds of affection could not easily be broken. Throughout the rest of his life some of the warmest friends he had anywhere Were to be found in the Baptist Chapel at Waterbeach.

Spurgeon's London Pastorate and the Question of Ordination

In February 1854 at the age of 19 Spurgeon entered his ministry in London. He came on three months trial, but his labor there was to last till his death. Nearly 40 years later as the people had expected the new Park Street attendance jumped immediately.

Within a month the chapel was crowded with the seats filled the aisles packed and the people sitting in the windows and standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the Sunday school area. All manner of reports about this ministry spread across London.

In the midst of this happy situation the deacons brought up the matter of ordination. During his days at Waterbeach Spurgeon had been unordained, but he was assured he was ordained of God and as far as he was concerned That was all that mattered.

But human ordination was everywhere practiced by Baptists and among the new Park Street People there were several who felt the church should now call an ordination service. Spurgeon told them he did not believe this was a scriptural practice and that he did not need it to validate his ministry.

The blessing of God he declared was the divine seal upon his holding of the office. Man could add nothing to it. Nevertheless he was willing to go through with a ceremony if the church thought it necessary.

And although it would do him no harm neither would it do him any good and there the matter rested. Similarly Spurgeon rejected the title reverend. He said it was a remnant of Romanism that the Reformers ought to have dropped.

But his publishers inserted it before his name at the head of his printed sermons and the fact that for some years He did not forbid it was probably a concession to those who felt they were honoring him by using it.

Finally in 1865 He had the practice stopped. He urged his students to use instead the scriptural term pastor. The lack of the title however did not hinder it probably helped Spurgeon's acceptance by the common man.

Prayer as the Foundation of Spurgeon's Ministry

The crowd came every time he preached and for this reason he was constantly spoken of as a second Whitfield. But like Whitfield Spurgeon did not make the gathering of a crowd his first interest. In view of the spiritual warfare in which the Christian is placed He was concerned first of all that his people learn truly to pray.

Of course during previous months the new Park Street people had prayed. But their prayers were a little more than nicely worded phrases unctionless petitions uttered in a rather formal manner. To Spurgeon prayer was something far superior to mere service activity.

He talked with God in reverence, but with freedom and familiarity. In his prayers there were none of the tired expressions many minutes ministers use but he spoke as a child coming to a loving parent.

A Fellow minister declared prayer was the instinct of his soul and the atmosphere of his life. It was his vital breath and native air. He sped on eagle wings into the heaven of God as he prayed. So real was Spurgeon's praying that the formal effort showed in glaring contrast beside it.

I Can readily tell he stated when a brother is praying or when he is only performing or playing at prayer. 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. And He was equally opposed to the hallelujah or praise the Lord. That was only a formality and arose not from the inner man. Spurgeon truly expected to see God answer prayer both in the individual life.

And in the life of the church He recognized unanswered prayer beyond human understanding. But he also experienced numerous instances in which God moved in response to his cry. He knew that God's power was manifested in the services in proportion as God's people truly prayed and That in such proportion also souls were brought under conviction and drawn to Christ.

Spurgeon's own praying proved of great influence upon his people. Deeply moved by the reality of his intercession many of them became ashamed of their own pretty pious words. Some of them undoubtedly had a difficult struggle to overcome the formal practices of previous years.

But they persisted and little by little they began to wrestle with God in true prayer. Quote. I Can never forget how earnestly they prayed? Sometimes they seemed to plead as though they could really see the angel of the covenant present with them.

More than once we were all so awestruck with the solemnity of the meeting that we sat silent for some moments. While the Lord's power appeared to overshadow us. We had prayer meetings in New Park Street that moved our very souls.

Each man seemed like a crusader besieging the New Jerusalem each one appeared determined to storm the Celestial City by the might of intercession and Soon the blessing came down upon us in such abundance that we had not room to receive it.

End quote as We go on to consider the rest of Spurgeon's life. We must bear in mind the manner in which his people prayed. Numerous men and women were converted several institutions developed various buildings were erected and Their work had its effect to the ends of the earth all the time true prayer rose to God.

When someone once asked Spurgeon the secret of his success he replied my people pray for me. He meant not prayer in the usual formal and unexpected manner But wrestling with God in living faith that he would answer.

The arrangement under which Spurgeon had come to London was soon overruled by the members of the church. Well before that period had elapsed a business meeting was held and the people urged him to receive the pastorate on a permanent basis.

He replied There is but one answer to so loving and cordial an invitation. I accept it but he continued I Entreat of you to remember me in prayer that I may realize the solemn responsibility of my trust.

Remember my youth and inexperience and pray that these may not hinder my usefulness. I trust also that the remembrance of these will lead you to forgive mistakes. I may make or Unguarded words I may utter.

Oh that I may make no injury to you, but be a lasting benefit. In April 1854 at the age of 19 Spurgeon fully undertook the pastorate in London. The crowds soon created a problem. Sunday by Sunday morning and evening every foot of space in the chapel was filled.

Overcrowded Worship and the Move to Exeter Hall

In turn the place became unbearably hot and the oxygen was used up. Yet there was no possibility of fresh air for the windows had not been constructed to open. Spurgeon Repeatedly suggested to the deacons at the small upper panes of glass be removed, but they did nothing about it.

One morning it was discovered that the panes had been smashed out. Spurgeon was delighted and Proposed that a reward of five pounds should be offered for the discovery of the offender who when found should receive the amount as a present of Course he had removed the glass himself.

I Have walked with the stick which let the oxygen into that stifling structure. Thus he made it a bit of a game in doing what the deacons ought to have engaged a workman to do. The additional air was a help, but it was evident a much larger seating capacity was needed.

After the church had put up with the difficulty of the overcrowding for a few more months Construction operations were begun to enlarge the building. While this work was in progress the services were held at Exeter Hall.

This was a large auditorium in the heart of the city, but despite its 4 ,000 seats and standing room for another 1 ,000 it proved much too small and Hundreds were turned away. Upon completion of the enlargement at New Park Street the services were again held there.

It now seated 1 ,500 and with the filling of the Sunnyschool Hall and other rooms a total of 2 ,000 could be squeezed in. But numerous persons who had heard Spurgeon at Exeter Hall Now came to hear him at the chapel and the crowding was worse than ever.

The only recourse was to move the evening service to the hall again and try to make do with a chapel in the morning. Thereafter evening by evening the hall was crowded to its utmost capacity. Thousands who arrived hoping to get in failed to do so and remained outside a noisy milling multitude that blocked the movement of traffic on the street.

News of this activity spread throughout London and even to much of the British Isles. Exeter Hall was normally used for musical concerts and educational lectures. But it was almost unheard of for such a place to be used for religious services.

Many persons looked on the whole procedure with strong disapproval and knowing that Spurgeon was not a college graduate and That he was unordained they quickly assumed he must be a charlatan a man who knew how to attract and sway an audience and Get them to give their money.

Spurgeon's Ministry During the Cholera Epidemic

But circumstances arose in which Spurgeon gave evidence of his love of mankind and of his willingness to devote himself to comforting those in need. An Epidemic of Asiatic Cholera at that time began to rage in London.

Particularly in the area south of the Thames. Spurgeon cancelled all out-of-town engagements and gave his time to visiting the sick. The D disease entered numerous homes almost everywhere. There was suffering and often there was death.

Family after family he says summoned me to the bedside of the smitten and almost every day I was called to visit the grave. With loving-kindness to the sick and in heartfelt sympathy with a bereaved.

He conducted this labor and at any hour of the night He might be awakened with an urgent request to come and pray with someone who seemed about to pass into eternity Under this unremitting labor. He soon became utterly exhausted.

He was not only tired, but was becoming sick himself. In this condition as he returned one day from a funeral He noticed a piece of paper pasted up in a shoemaker's window. To his delight he found it carried a verse of Scripture.

Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the most high thy habitation there shall no evil befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. As Spurgeon read this verse his outlook was suddenly lifted.

Faith appropriated the passage as her own. He says I felt secure refreshed girt with immortality. I went on with my visitation of the dying in a calm and peaceful spirit and I suffered no harm. Thus passed Spurgeon's first year in London and as month succeeded month his fame increased.

Public Acclaim and the Temptation of Pride

Although he was cruelly attacked in much of the press he was greatly loved by his own people and had a host of admirers among the population at large. A former actor Sheridan Knowles Had been converted at Bloomsbury Baptist Church, and his life had been changed.

He was asked to speak at the Stepney College and a student wrote quote. Immediately upon entering mr. Knowles exclaimed boys. Have you heard the Cambridge sure lad? Go and hear him at once if you want to know how to preach.

His name is Charles Spurgeon. He is only a boy, but he is the most wonderful preacher in the world. He is absolutely perfect in his oratory and beside that a master in the art of acting He has nothing to learn from me or anyone else.

I was once lisi of Drury Lane Theatre and Where I still in that position I would offer him a fortune to play for one season on the boards of that house. Why boys he can do anything he pleases with his audience.

He can make them laugh and cry and laugh again in five minutes. His power was never equaled. Now mark my words boys that young man will live to be the greatest preacher of this or any other age end quote.

Statements equally praiseful from many other persons raised the question as to what effect such admiration had upon him. Many a man has been ruined by a mere fraction of the adulation Spurgeon received and he was conscious of the temptation to self-esteem it provoked.

He paid a visit to Scotland and although he won the favor of numerous ministers there Some of the Scottish divines thought his strong confidence manifested a somewhat proud spirit in England he was more than once spoken of as Impudent and there were occasions when he conducted himself with a boldness and an authority that seemed to support that view.

Nevertheless we must remember that he was merrily 20 and 21. During such immaturity some measure of overconfidence was to be expected. Yet the very reason for the praise lay to some extent in his humility.

More than most men he knew a deadness to self and was concerned above all things with bringing glory to God. What he was at heart is manifest in a statement that he wrote later quote. When I first became a pastor in London my success appalled me and the thought of the career Which it seemed to open up so far from elating me cast me into the lowest depths.

Who was I that I should continue to lead so great a multitude. I would be take myself to my village obscurity or Emigrate to America and find a solitary nest in the backwoods where I might be sufficient for the things Which would be demanded of me.