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Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the world well-known Baptist preacher, had a sister who was additionally a preferred preacher in her day. This is the story…
The Spurgeon Family
The Spurgeon household have been a strongly non-conformist household from Essex in England. Rev John Spurgeon (1810-1902) labored as head clerk in a coal, and transport workplace, while additionally being pastor of Tollesbury Independent church in Essex. He and his spouse Eliza Spurgeon had 17 kids. The eldest baby was Charles Haddon Spurgeon born in Essex in 1832. He was one in all solely two sons to achieve maturity, however six sisters survived into maturity. The eldest daughter was Eliza Rebecca Spurgeon, born nineteenth January 1836. About 1840, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and the household have been dwelling in Colchester.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Visiting completely different church buildings in Colchester, Charles Haddon Spurgeon was transformed after listening to a sermon at Artillery Street Primitive Methodist church (now known as Artillery Street Evangelical church) in Colchester in January 1850. That night he worshipped at Eld Lane Baptist Chapel in Colchester (now known as Colchester Baptist church), the place he was impressed by Rev Robert Langford. He then advisable that church to his household they usually grew to become a part of the fellowship. In 1851, Charles Haddon Spurgeon grew to become pastor of Waterbeach Baptist Church close to Cambridge.
Mrs Jackson
Meanwhile members of the Spurgeon household remained at Eld Lane Baptist church in Colchester. In 1856, when the pastor Rev Robert Langford wanted assist, a co-pastor known as Rev William Jackson, was appointed. During his time on the church, Rev William Jackson grew to become associates with the Spurgeon household and courted Miss Eliza Rebecca Spurgeon. In 1859, Jackson resigned, to pastor Salem Baptist Chapel at Bilston, close to Wolverhampton (now known as Bilston Baptist church). In December 1859, Rev William Jackson married Eliza Rebecca Spurgeon, with the ceremony performed by her brother Charles Haddon Spurgeon, they usually settled at Bilston. In June 1867, Rev William Jackson left Bilston to grew to become pastor of Cambray Baptist Chapel in Cheltenham.
Mrs Jackson – the preacher
In mid 1872, William and Eliza Rebecca Jackson moved to Willingham Baptist church close to St Ives in Cambridgeshire round 12 miles northwest of Cambridge. It was shortly after their arrival that Mrs Jackson began preaching at Willingham and drew nice crowds. Newspapers began to report it in early November 1872. The London Echo reported that “a sister of Mr Spurgeon’s is preaching with nice success at Willingham, in Cambridgeshire, the place her husband is a Baptist minister”.
At this time there have been only a few feminine preachers, then referred to as “girl preachers”. Newspaper experiences from the time present them attracting nice congregations due to the novelty of listening to a lady preach. In the 1870s, a lot of the girl preachers have been from the Primitive Methodists, persevering with a follow allowed by John Wesley, however girl preachers within the Baptist motion have been uncommon, though not unknown, and never forbidden.
Willingham
Following her success talking at Willingham, Mrs Jackson obtained invites to talk at different Baptist church buildings within the Cambridge and Ely space. According to 1 report, “Mrs. Jackson has a mellow voice, which she modulates with ease and charm, with occasional flights of quiet eloquence.” In 1874, some newspaper experiences known as her “the queen of preachers”.
Her brother Charles Haddon Spurgeon knew she was preaching, however his non-public ideas on the thought of his sister being a preacher usually are not clear. Whatever his opinion, it didn’t cease him coming to go to his sister, and he got here as a visitor preacher on the church buildings the place his brother-in-law Rev William Jackson was pastor.
Waltham Cross
In October 1876, William Jackson moved to develop into pastor of the Paradise Row Baptist Chapel in Waltham Abbey (now known as Waltham Abbey Baptist Church) in Essex. Again, Mrs Jackson preached at this church.
Mrs Jackson obtained many requests to evangelise, and he or she was invited to talk at Baptist church buildings throughout England and south Wales. Sometimes she would keep all day and take the morning, afternoon and night providers on the similar church. Crowds got here to listen to her and chapels have been full, drawn by the prospect to see a woman preacher but in addition one who occurred to be Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s sister. As effectively doing expository preaching from the Bible, she additionally had lectures on completely different topics at mid-week conferences and teams. Most of the newspaper experiences are very beneficial.
Moving to London
Rev William Jackson remained pastor at Waltham Abbey, till he died there in 1892, aged 62, and he was buried at Waltham Cross.
Legacy
After being widowed, Mrs Jackson went to reside with one in all her sons in Edmonton, and later moved to Tottenham in north London. She attended Northumberland Park Primitive Methodist church (now Calvary Church of Godin Christ, Tottenham), however continued to evangelise in Baptist church buildings.
She died in Tottenham in 1914 aged 78. During her life, she was related to the British Women’s Temperance Association (now known as the White Ribbon Association), the Sunday School Union and Girls’ Clubs. In one obituary it mentioned she was “an ready speaker and preacher, being well-known within the denomination”. Another paper wrote, “She was the eldest sister of C.H. Spurgeon, and had all his uncommon items of speech and humour and his qualities of coronary heart.”
Whilst Charles Haddon Spurgeon continues to be well-known at present, the story of his sister appears to be little recognized.
