By Arnold A. Dallimore
This biography of Spurgeon was outstanding. Though it is simple, it is well-written and well represents Spurgeon – so much so, that I would rank it as one of my top five or ten biographies ever.
Spurgeon lived a remarkable life. The son and the grandson of pastors, without any formal college education, but a voracious reader of challenging books from his boyhood, he began pastoring when he was only 17 years old in a small country church. The church quickly grew and transformed the town. By age 19 he had been called to pastor a significant church in London. Crowds of people thronged to hear him and countless people were converted. There were times in which he would preach, while still a very young man, at large public halls and gathering places and throngs would come.
Spurgeon would remain as the pastor of Metropolitan Church for the next 40 years until his early death at age 58 in 1892.
His ministry and life were remarkable in so many ways. He was, arguably, the greatest preacher since the New Testament. If anyone could be said to have the anointing of God upon his ministry, it would be Spurgeon. I would rate him with his fellow Calvinist George Whitefield, in terms of his preaching gifts and anointing from God.
What strikes me the most about Spurgeon was probably his humility. How can you have so much success at such a young age, and have so much fame, and yet still walk in such profound and genuine humility! Only by the grace of God! Spurgeon had the gift of humility his entire life.
Spurgeon was brilliant. He was a voracious reader, and his library would end up with 12,000 volumes.
How Spurgeon loved the Word and knew the Word! He was a master wordsmith! He had a prodigious memory! He was a man of deep prayer and deep faith.
He loved people and he loved winning people to Christ. Spurgeon had so many gifts.
He was indefatigable in his work. He would preach continually at his church and other churches in London and throughout England. He personally answered about 500 letters a week. He edited a significant newsletter, The Sword and the Trowel. He wrote 140 books during his brief lifetime. He started 66 ministries, including a pastors college, a significant orphanage, and houses for the poor.
He himself was exceedingly generous and his church generously supported worthwhile ministries.
Moreover, he did all of this while battling sickness and pain throughout his life. He especially struggled with gout and at times he struggled terribly with depression. He often would travel to the south of France to escape the cold London air for the sake of his health. No doubt God shaped him and molded him through all the suffering he experienced.
It is fascinating that Charles Spurgeon, George Müller and Hudson Taylor all lived in England at the same time – though Hudson Taylor was mostly in China. But here are three giants of the faith, living in Britain, who knew each other and had a warm affection and admiration for each other, living at the same time. Moreover, Spurgeon’s church supported financially both the ministries of Hudson Taylor and George Müller. They were giants in the land!