What Did Charles Spurgeon Sound Like?

A recording of his son, Thomas

There was some discussion last week at Calvary Baptist Church about Charles Spurgeon and a Spurgeon sermon Pastor Ron Blough had listened to that was read by an Englishman. That was a treat for him. Sadly, most of the readings of Spurgeon’s sermons, as well as Bunyan’s writings, are read with an American accent.

I had run across this YouTube video some ten years ago. It is from an old Edison-Bell phonograph of Spurgeon’s son, Thomas Spurgeon (1856-1917). In his biography of Thomas Spurgeon, W. Y. Fullerton (1857-1932) states that Thomas’ voice was similar to his father’s, having many of the same characteristics and inflections of speech. Here is that recording…

A Clearer Presentation

If you’d like to hear a clearer presentation of this recording, here’s one from about four years ago that has been reengineered but true to the original recording…

Thomas Spurgeon spent much of his earlier life ministering in Australia and New Zealand because of his health. He returned to London as pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in 1893 and served there until 1908.

Arthur T. Pierson (1837-1911) served as pulpit supply at the Metropolitan Tabernacle from 1891-1893, ministering during Charles Spurgeon’s poor health and for several months following C. H. Spurgeon’s death in 1892.