Spurgeon

It was fitting that Dr. Arnold Dallimore, author of a two-volume Life of George Whitefield (and more recently of The Life of Edward Irving) should then give us a book on Charles Haddon Spurgeon. It was in 1962 that the four-volume Autobiography of Spurgeon was republished in two volumes, with considerable rearrangement, but, even so, the Autobiography is too long to serve as a popular introduction. Accordingly, Dr. Dallimore, using these two volumes and other dependable sources, produced a much more concise narrative of Spurgeon’s life. He also set out ‘to understand and present something of the inner man—Spurgeon in his praying, his sufferings and depressions, his weaknesses and strengths; in his triumphs, humour, joys, and incredible accomplishments’.

It is no easy task to depict ‘so tremendous a personality’ as that of Spurgeon in a brief volume, but in 250 pages it is here accomplished, and with a large measure of success. It will meet the need of those completely ignorant of Spurgeon and his vast achievements, but will stir also the interest of all who value a unique ministry, yielding 62 volumes of ‘deathless’ sermons and many other highly valuable publications.