Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–92) was an English fundamentalist Baptist preacher and theologian. A popular orator ever since his youth, he was well-known for his spontaneous wit, passionate earnestness, and appeal to the individual conscience.
Born in Kelvedon, Essex, Spurgeon was the descendant of two generations of Independent (Congregationalist) ministers. At age 16, he became a Baptist and preached his first sermon, and, at 20, became pastor of the New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, London.
Although Spurgeon had scarcely any formal education, he demonstrated extraordinary preaching ability. His sermons drew such crowds that a new 6,000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle was constructed for him in 1861; he preached there to crowded congregations until his death.
A staunch Calvinist, Spurgeon was firmly opposed to the philological approach of modern biblical criticism. In 1887, he left the Baptist Union since no action was taken against those accused of fundamental theological errors.
Spurgeon edited a monthly publication and founded a pastors’ training college and an orphanage. In addition to 50 volumes of his sermons, he wrote collections of pithy sayings in John Ploughman’s Talk (1869) and works such as The Saint and his Saviour (1857) and Commenting and Commentaries (1876.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Charles Spurgeon
He who boasts of being perfect is perfect in folly. I never saw a perfect man. Every rose has its thorns, and every day its night. Even the sun shows spots, and the skies are darkened with clouds. And faults of some kind nestle in every bosom.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Perfection
A beggar’s rags may cover as much pride as an alderman’s gown.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Pride
The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Learning, Wisdom
E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Faith
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Wealth, Duty, Joy, Happiness
Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s self. It is no humility for a man to think less of himself than he ought, though it might rather puzzle him to do that.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Humility, Love
The greatest works are done by the ones.—The hundreds do not often do much—the companies never; it is the units—the single individuals, that are the power and the might.—Individual effort is, after all, the grand thing.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Individuality
Giving is true having.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Giving, Charity
Holiness is not the way to Christ, but Christ is the way to holiness.
—Charles Spurgeon
Good thoughts are blessed guests, and should be heartily welcomed, well fed, and much sought after. Like rose leaves, they give out a sweet smell if laid up in the jar of memory.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Thought
It is a great pity when the one who should be the head figure is a mere figure head.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Leaders, Leadership
Stars may be seen from the bottom of a deep well, when they cannot be discerned from the top of a mountain? So are many things learned in adversity which the prosperous man dreams not of?
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Adversity
There are no crown-wearers in heaven that were not cross-bearers here below.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Trials
None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Pride
A countryman is as warm in fustian as a king in velvet, and a truth is as comfortable in homely language as in fine speech. As to the way of dishing up the meat, hungry men leave that to the cook, only let the meat be sweet and substantial.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Language
A child of God should be a visible beatitude for joy and happiness, and a living doxology for gratitude and adoration.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Christian
There is no fatigue so wearisome as that which comes from lack of work.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Laziness
Said will be a little ahead, but done should follow at his heel.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Achievement, Success & Failure
Sometimes we think we are too busy to pray. That is a great mistake, for praying is a saving of time.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Prayer
A vigorous temper is not altogether an evil. Men who are easy as an old shoe are generally of little worth.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Anger
Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the Kingdom.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Prayer
With children we must mix gentleness with firmness.—They must not always have their own way, but they must not always be thwarted.—If we never have headaches through rebuking them, we shall have plenty of heartaches when they grow up.—Be obeyed at all costs; for if you yield up your authority once, you will hardly get it again.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Children
Poverty is hard, but debt is horrible.—A man might as well have a smoky house and a scolding wife, which are said to be the two worst evils of our life.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Debt
Learn to say “No”; it will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Temptation
There is wisdom in generosity, as in everything else.—A friend to everybody is often a friend to nobody; or else, in his simplicity, he robs his family to help strangers, and so becomes brother to a beggar.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Generosity
No one is so miserable as the poor person who maintains the appearance of wealth.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Suffering
The wishing gate opens into nothing.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Wishes
Hundreds would never have known want, if they had not first known waste.
—Charles Spurgeon
Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite.
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Sincerity
He who is surety is never sure himself. Take advice, and never be security for more than you are quite willing to lose. Remember the word of the wise man: “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it; and he that hateth suretyship is sure.”
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Action, Beliefs
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