“Full of Days and of Grace”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon went home to be with the Lord on January 31, 1892. As he had done many times before, Spurgeon traveled to Mentone, France to recuperate from bad health. But this time the Lord had other plans for His faithful, but tired servant. One of his early biographers, W.Y. Fullerton, says that “Spurgeon was fifty-seven when he died, but he was not young, for he began early and he had labored long, and departed full of days and of grace.” Charles H. Spurgeon (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966) p. 270.

That quote gives us an idea of Spurgeon’s “prodigious energy” (Fullerton, p. 9). Saved at the age of 15, he soon began preaching, eventually becoming the pastor of the congregation at New Park Street Chapel, whose previous pastors had included John Gill and Benjamin Keach. Under Spurgeon’s leadership the church grew until a new building was needed. Though the building burned twice (the second time during the blitz in World War II) the Metropolitan Tabernacle still preaches the Gospel and the doctrines of grace.

Spurgeon seemed to live in several worlds at once. He pastored a large church in central London. He founded an orphanage, The Sword and Trowel magazine, and a Bible college. He gave lectures, wrote books, and published his sermons. And he still found time to read a couple of hefty tomes a week. Many of Spurgeon’s books are still in print and some are unmatched classics, like his Morning by Morning and Evening by Evening, probably the best daily devotional books ever written.

In addition to his pastoral ministry, writing, teaching, and frequent Gospel preaching, Spurgeon was also a defender of the faith, though not a proud, self-appointed one. It became necessary for him to engage in controversy when rampant liberalism was tolerated in his denomination. In 1887 Spurgeon published his first article in the Sword and Trowel about the down-grade in the Baptist Union. The ensuing Downgrade Controversy overshadowed the last several years of his life, leading to his withdrawal from the Baptist Union. The controversy probably hastened his failing health, but it never completely broke his spirit. Though he had well-known bouts with depression, he kept a right spirit and proper perspective during these times of trial. In fact “at the height of his controversies Spurgeon preached some of the most fragrant of all his sermons” (Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1986. p. 205).

His health failing, Spurgeon’s last act was to send a thankoffering to his church along with an expression of his love. “Shortly afterwards he became totally unconscious, and remained so until five minutes past eleven on the Sabbath night—January 31, 1892—when, like his namesake, Mr. Valiant-for-truth, ‘he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side’” (C.H. Spurgeon: The Full Harvest. Carlisle PA: Banner of Truth, 1987. p. 504).

I say, “Amen,” to Fullerton’s tribute to his pastor: “I have neither known nor heard of any other, in my time, so many-sided, so commanding, so simple, so humble, so selfless, so entirely Christ’s man. Proudly I stand at the salute!” (Fullerton, p. 283)

“Full of Days and of Grace”