Charles H. Spurgeon
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.
World Events
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/Christian History magazine. Click here for reprint information on Christian History.
