Includes hyperlinks to each book, chapter, & footnote
Works included: -An All-Round Ministry -Advice for Seekers -All of Grace -Around the Wicket Gate -Commenting & Commentaries -A Defense of Calvinsim -Farm Sermons -Faith's Checkbook -The Greatest Fight in the World -Morning & Evening -John Ploughman's Talk -The Soul-Winner -A Puritan Catechism -Till He Come
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was England's best-known preacher for most of the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1854, just four years after his conversion, Spurgeon, then only 20, became pastor of London's famed New Park Street Church (formerly pastored by the famous Baptist theologian, John Gill). The congregation quickly outgrew their building, moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall. In these venues, Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000—all in the days before electronic amplification. In 1861, the congregation moved permanently to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle.
The Essential Charles Spurgeon is a collection of abridged versions of Charles Spurgeon’s books, sermons, and lectures slightly updated into modern English for easier readability. Several books included such as his Autobiography and John Ploughman’s Talks are well worth reading. The strongest aspect of Spurgeon’s work as a whole is its readability. Spurgeon communicates in a clear way which is easy for less educated lay people to grasp. The best example of this is in his John Ploughman’s Talks. The weaker parts of this collection were in the sermons. Sermons on similar topics are placed next to each other, but his views on these topics changed overtime and contradict each other. For example Spurgeon has several sermons on Christmas some being for and some against. Also his eschatological views seems to fluctuate between an optimistic postmillennialism and a pessimistic premillennialism. Overall it is worth reading.
I read this book twice over the years. I could read it over and over. Sturgeon’s sermons touches every facet of my relation to Christ. It made me realise, cry, jump for joy, humble myself, reflect, and fall in love with my wonderful Father, author of all that I know and am.