The Second Coming of Christ

preached his first sermon at age sixteen and became a pastor at age

eighteen. Spurgeon drew large crowds and built the Metropolitan

Tabernacle in London in 1861 to accommodate them. He published over

two thousand sermons; his inspiring and challenging messages comprise

the largest collection of work by a single author. Spurgeon preached to

an estimated ten million people during his lifetime, including notables

such as the prime minister of England, members of the royal family, and

Florence Nightingale. He appealed constantly to his hearers to move on

in the Christian faith, to allow the Lord to minister to them individually,

and to be used of God to win the lost to Christ. In addition to his powerful

preaching, Spurgeon founded and supported charitable outreaches,

including educational institutions. His pastors' college, which is still in

existence today, taught nearly nine hundred students in Spurgeon's time.

He also founded the famous Stockwell Orphanage.