The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-22

Tho most conspicuous figure among the
| living English preachers who stand outside the
| pale of the Established Church is unquestion-
| ably Charles II. Spurgeon. AMI a great many
persons in this country will be glad 10 have
some authentic and detailed Information about
the distinguished pulpit orator and philanthro-
pist A sketch OF his Life and Ls,bojs has been
compiled by GEORGE O. NEEDuAM. and pub
lished in Boston by ID. l.. Guernsey. The ma
tcrials have been drawn partly from Il biog-
raphy by Mr.. Stevenson. and partly from
Mr.. Surgeons letters and writings A some
what indiScriminate tone Of euloGy pervades
the book. and impartial readers will value it
less for the EDITORS comments than for the toll
e,aby full and satisfactory account of Il re-
markable man.
Charles uaddon Spurgeon was born in tho
village OF Kclvenon. in Essex on June 49, 1884.
He WAS Of an old non-eonfornist family which
could trace its descent straight down krom the
Independents who under Cromwell, beaamc the
dominant religious sect ia England. His grand
father was the pastor Of an Independent church
at Ssanbournc. in NsseX, and his father John
Spurseon. who was engaged in business at
Colchester until he had reached the prime OF
life. subsequently, entered the ministry. The
hoy Charles received no college instruction
but ut the ago of eleven. was sent to 4 school Mt
Colchester, whore he spent four years, and is
said 10 havc studied Latin, Greek. and French
by which is meant. we presume, that he lc-
quircd tho rudiment5 Of the classical languages
From lS40, whom he went to live with "A
Mr.. Swinloll ut Newmarket, no may be
said To have been, for tho most part
self-oducatcd, for although three years aftor-
ward there was some talk of sending him to
Stcpney, now Regents Park College nothing
came Of the project Ho was publicly baptized
by Mr.. Cantlow. u Baptist minister, in 1851
beng then in his sixteenth yoar. He at once
became IA member OF lay preachers associa-
ton connected with II Baptist congregation in
Cambridge and before he was II years old
preached his llrst sermon in a round jacket
and broad turned down collar. From that time
al mis- evenings were devoted to preaching in
ono or another of the thirteen village stations
in the neighborhood of the university city Tho
biographor points out that this carly ministry
was not only gratuitous, but often en,ailcd de-
mands on the small stipend which the young
Spur.eon received from his employer What
the nature OF the employment was il for some
reason not mentioned.
Tho first step in tho career by which the young
non-cpnlormist was to emerge from the OBJ
security OF his beginnings was taken in 1853
when he was ID years Old. In that year an
anniversary meeting of tho Cambridge union
OF Sunday schools was held. and an address
delivered by Charles Spurgeon made such an
impression on an influential non-comformist
that no recommended him to tho deacons of
the BaptistChurch OF New Park Street South
wark. as minister likely to recruit their
dwindling congregation. In the autumn Of the
year named Mr.Spurseon first occupied New
Park Street pulpit. the chapel which was
capable OF holding abou. 1920 people, having
only about 200 occupants at the first service.
From the outset his preaching met with
great favor. and in the spring of 1854
no was regularly engaged as pastor.
Before three months hal expired the
name OF tho young minister had become
widely known in the non-conformist circles of
the metropolis and he was soon called upon to
PRINT lis sermons. which obtained Large cir.