The Kanzas news., 1857-12-26
From Harper's Weekly Magazine.

The Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon was
born at Kelvedon, in Essex, England, June,
| 1928, His father, whose calling as lay
man is not generally known, occupies, on
| Sunday, the position of pastor of small
| Independent Church in Essex; and his
grand father, the Rev. James Spurgeou,
| still oficiates as pastor of Stambourne In
| dependents, near Halstead, in the same
county. This grand father has recently
come before the public as the author of the
biography of his grandson singular re-
versal of the usual practice, by which the
biography is performed by the children of
the father.
Shortly after his birth, young Spurgeon
was removed to the house of this grand-fa-
ther for his education. As boy he was
remarkable for truthfulness, seriousness, and
piety. He ''was often found In the hayrack,
or the manger, reading aloud, talking, or
sometimes preaching, to his brothers and
sisters" He enjoyed the benefit of good
school at Colchester, and subsequently, at
| tended some classes at an agricultural col
lege at Maidstone but his friends could
not persuade him to go to Oxford or Cam
bridge. He was satisfied, he said, that he
ought to do something more useful at his
| time of life than reading Latin or Greek.
In his sixteenth year he entered upon inde-
pendent life by becoming usher in a school.
Within few months afterward he took
bold step. Doubts having arisen in his
mind on the subject of baptismal regenera-
| ton, he resolved to quit the Independent
Church and neither his father nor grand
father being able to controvert his argu-
ments. he made public profession of faith
as a member of the Baptist denomination
On May 8, 1880. His emotion at going
through the ceremony was increased by the
reflection that it was his mothers birth-d
His first sermon was preached a few
months afterward, under the auspices of
the Lady Preachers Association" at a
village near Cambridge. For some months
afterward he preached alternately at some
one of the villages around Cambridge, and
at length received a call as pastor of the
village of Waterbeach. As the number of
church members was only forty, his salary
was nominal, and he was still obliged to
continue his duties as usher of a school to
support himself. He walked every day
from Cambridge to Waterbeach, and back
again and under his administrations the
number of church members doubled, and
people began to hear of the minister.
In 1858, his reputation as a preacher
having spread, he received call to go to
London, and commenced to preach at the
New Park Street. After few Sabbath
ministrations, the London congregation
liked him so well that they invited him to
become their regular preacher; and he ac-
cordingly moved to London in January,
1858.
From this time Mr.. Spurgeon's fame was
established. The New Park Street Chapel
being too small for the crowds that assem-
bled to hear him, he preached III Exeter
Hall, and filed the immense room in that
building to over6owing. In 1856 he went
to Scotland and created .fitrore there
At Aberfeldy the bellman was sent round
to cry, Your auld playmate and auld ac-
quaintance, Shony Carstair the parson of
the parish, wants to see you all at the In
dependent Chapel, to hear my dear friend,
the Rev. G. H. Spurgeon." During the
| fall and winter of 1855 Mr.. Spurgeon's fame
was ever on the increase, and his populari-
ty advanced steadily. His hearers were
counted by the thousands, and his Sunday
School scholars in equal proportion. Mean
while. he was not neglectful of himself
In January, 1856, he married Miss Susan
nah Thompson, of London, in the presence
of thousands of his friends.
His old chapel in Park Street has long
been inadequate to contain the crowds who
have fiocked to hear him. Some fifty to
sixty thousand dollars have been raised to
build larger edifce on the same site it is
calculated that in that locality a steady au-
dience of 5000 can be counted upon
Meanwhile, Mr.. Spurgeon breaches In any
and every building or enclosure where he
can be heard and can be of service. Ma
ny of his most effective discourses have
been delivered in the fields; some IN Exc
ter Hall, and some in the Surrey Musical
Hall. His last great discourse was uttered
in the Crystal Palace.
Of Mr.. Spurgeon's style the most strik
ing peculiarly is his earnestness and home
illness. He is never afraid to say anything,
or of hurting any ones feelings. He tells
the truth straight out, no matter whom it
may offend; and he tells it in the plainest
and most emphatic Saxon. He is at times
humorous and sarcastic. Sometime since,
when preaching before 10000 people in
Surrey Hall, he announced the second les
son, and then paused, observing, eff
make short pause between the lessons, it
viii give an opportunity to those persons
who have their hats On to take them off In
the house Of God"
On another occasion he was preaching on
the contrast between the suferings of the
damned in he'll and the delights of the bless
ed In heaven. When he came to that part
of the discourse in which he draws a picture
of the place of punishment. the orators
voice was raised to the highest pitch, his
tone was sonorous and awful, his manner so
vivid that many of his hearers actually quiV-
cred with horror. In the midst OF one OF
his most terrible periods he suddenly paused.
and, without the least change of manner or
tone, observed, .fF those persons near the