Charles Spurgeon: England's “Prince of Preachers” Issue 29 | 1991 Purchase this issue

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1834: Charles Haddon Spurgeon born June 19 at Kelvedon, Essex (1st of 17 children).

1835: Taken to Stambourne to live with grandparents.

1841: Moves back home to Colchester.

1849: First book, the 295-page Popery Unmasked [Popery Unmasked] , wins prize in writing contest.

1850: Converted to Christ on January 6. Baptized at Isleham Ferry. Joins Baptist church in Cambridge.

1851: Preaches first sermon, at Taversham. Becomes pastor at Waterbeach Chapel in Cambridge.

1854: Begins pastoral ministry at New Park Street Church in London, at age 19. Congregation approximately 200 members.

1855: Publication of sermons begins. First service at Exeter Hall. Works with first ministerial student.

1856: Marries Susannah Thompson. Twin sons Charles and Thomas born. Seven killed in Surrey Gardens disaster; ministry almost ended.

1857: Pastors’ College founded.

1860: Preaches in Calvin’s gown and pulpit at Geneva.

1861: Preaches to largest indoor crowd: 23,654 at Crystal Palace, London. The Metropolitan Tabernacle, with seating for approximately 5,600, opens “debt-free” at cost of just over £31,000.

1864: Preaches controversial sermon on “Baptismal Regeneration” (350,000 copies sold).

1865: Begins publishing a monthly magazine, The Sword and the Trowel.

1866: Founds Metropolitan Tabernacle Colportage Association to distribute Christian literature.

1867: D. L. Moody attends services for first time. Ground breaking for Stockwell Orphanage (boys’ side).

1868: James Spurgeon, his brother, becomes associate pastor at Tabernacle. Wife Susannah becomes an invalid.

1874: Baptizes his twin sons.

1875: Mrs. Spurgeon’s Book Fund inaugurated to provide Christian books for pastors.

1879: Girls’ Orphanage founded.

1880: Moves to new home in Westwood.

1885: Last volume of The Treasury of David (7 vols.).

1887: Commencement of the “Down-Grade Controversy.”

1888: Baptist Union votes to censure Spurgeon.

1891: Last sermon at Tabernacle on June 7.

1892: Dies at Mentone, France, on Jan. 31. Buried at West Norwood Cemetery, London, on Feb. 12.

1894: Son Thomas chosen as pastor at Metropolitan Tabernacle [Metropolitan Tabernacle ] .

1897-1900: Four-volume Autobiography published.

1853: Livingstone treks across Africa.

1854: “Immaculate Conception” dogma.

1854–1856: Florence Nightingale serves in Crimean War.

1856-60 Anglo-Chinese War.

1857: Livingstone’s Missionary Travels. Indian mutiny.

1859: Darwin’s Origin of Species.

1861-65 U.S. Civil War.

1864: “In God We Trust” first put on U.S. coins.

1866: “Black Friday” on London stock exchange.

1867: Russia sells Alaska to U.S.

1868: First U.S. professional baseball team (Cincinnati Reds). Gladstone becomes Prime Minister (until 1874).

1869: First Vatican Council. Suez Canal opens.

1870: Papal infallibility promulgated. Trade unions legalized in England.

1871: Population of Britain hits 26 million; U.S. 39 million.

1875: Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health.

1876: Bell invents telephone.

1878: Electric lights in London.

1881: Population of London: 3.3 million

1884-90 Africa divided by European powers.

1885: First gas-driven auto.

1886: Coca-Cola® invented.

1887: Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.

1890: Cardinal Newman dies.

1895: Freud’s first work on psychoanalysis published.

1896: Church attendance begins decline in London.

Copyright © 1991 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian History magazine.
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