Charles Spurgeon

===Metropolitan Tabernacle Societies and Institutions===
In 1876, 22 years after becoming pastor, Spurgeon published "The Metropolitan Tabernacle: Its History and Work".<ref>The Metropolitan Tabernacle: Its History and Work. Available in Google Books</ref> His intention stated in the preface is to give a 'printed history of the Tabernacle'. The book has 15 chapters and of these 5 are given over to what he called 'Societies and Institutions'.[[File:Metropolitan Tabernacle Almshouse.png|thumb|upright|Metropolitan Tabernacle Almshouse]]

The Five Chapters are:

xi. The Almshouses. Explaining how the New Park Street Chapel site was sold to allow the Tabernacle to build an Almshouse and school.
 [[File:Stockwell Orphanage 1876.png|thumb|upright|Stockwell_Orphanage_1876]]

xiii. The Stockwell Orphanage. This opened for 240 boys in 1867 (and later for girls in 1879). These orphanages continued in London until they were bombed in the [[Second World War]]. The inspiration for starting an orphanage came from a visit with [[George Müller]].<ref>{{Citation | title = Brief history | publisher = Spurgeon's child care | url = http://www.spurgeonschildcare.org/briefhistory.php | access-date = 10 September 2005 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031031060713/http://spurgeonschildcare.org/briefhistory.php | archive-date = 31 October 2003 | url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Birchington history | publisher = The Birchington roundabout | url = http://www.thebirchingtonroundabout.co.uk/BirchingtonHistory.htm | access-date = 10 September 2005 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051103174208/http://www.thebirchingtonroundabout.co.uk/BirchingtonHistory.htm | archive-date = 3 November 2005 | url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title = Orphanage | publisher = Vauxhall Society | url = http://www.vauxhallsociety.org.uk/Orphanage.html | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20060924232415/http://www.vauxhallsociety.org.uk/Orphanage.html | archive-date = 24 September 2006 | df = dmy-all}}</ref> The orphanage changed its name to [[Spurgeon's Child Care]] in 1937,<ref name="ReferenceA">Charity Commission for England and Wales. Charity Number 1081182-1</ref> and again in 2005 to [[Spurgeons]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://spurgeons.org/ |title=Home |website=spurgeons.org}}</ref> Spurgeon was linked more with the Stockwell orphanage than any other Metropolitan Tabernacle endeavour. There are probably four reasons for this:

{{Blockquote | 1. It was a large set of buildings in London occupying four acres.  2. There was an annual fundraiser at which Spurgeon chose to celebrate his birthday,<ref>The Standard 15/6/1883</ref> and often the laying of a foundation stone.<ref>The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post. 21/6/1883</ref> The event was called ‘one of the largest bazaars and fancy fairs ever held in South London’<ref>The Pall Mall Gazette. 4/1/1882</ref> – in one day 1,000 was raised<ref>Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper 25/6/1882</ref> – a lot considering entry was sixpence.<ref>The Standard 14/6/90</ref> Spurgeon accepted money gifts for his birthday, which all went to the orphanage.<ref>Liverpool Mercury 23/6/1881</ref> 3. The Orphanage choir and bell ringers performed concerts to fundraise<ref>The Royal Cornwall Gazette.  6/6/84</ref> 4. It had such a large operating budget compared with other Tabernacle activities.}}

xiv. The Colportage Association. Colporters were employed to take Bibles, good books and periodicals for sale, from  house to house. They also were involved in visiting the sick and holding meetings.

xv. Other Institutions Connected with the Tabernacle. Here Spurgeon describes 21 other 'Institutions'. Two examples are: The Ordinance Poor Fund which distributed money amongst poor members of the church of about £800 annually, and the Ladies' Benevolent Society. This group made clothing for the poor and 'relieved' them, with an income of £105.

Eight years later at Spurgeon's fiftieth birthday celebration an updated list of 'Societies and Institutions' was read out.<ref>Mr Spurgeon's Jubilee. Charles Spurgeon</ref> With Spurgeon's strong encouragement and support the 24 groups listed in 'The Metropolitan Tabernacle: Its History and Work', had become 69. Before they are read out Spurgeon says:  "I think everybody should know what the church has been moved to do, and I beg to say that there are other societies besides those which will be mentioned, but you will be tired before you get to the end of them." and finishes after the list by saying: "We have need to praise God that he enables the church to carry on all these institutions."

Spurgeon's encouragement for members of the Tabernacle to be involved in these ministries was very strong. Spurgeon's own regular contributions to them meant that he left his wife only 2,000 pounds, when he died, despite having earned millions from his published sermons and books.<ref>Nottingham Evening Post 31/3/1892</ref>

He encouraged others to give with comments like these:

On the Green Walk Mission: "Here a good hall must be built. If some generous friend would build a place for this mission, the money would be well laid out",

On colporters: "Mr Charlesworth’s two Bible classes have generously agreed to support a brother with a Bible Carriage in the streets of London. Would not some other communities of young people do well to have their own man at work in the regions where they dwell? THINK OF IT",

On the almshouses: "WE GREATLY NEED AT LEAST £5000 TO ENDOW THE ALMHOUSES, AND PLACE THE INSTITUTION UPON A PROPER FOOTING. Already C. H. Spurgeon, Thomas Olney, and Thomas Greenwood have contributed £200 each towards the fund, and we earnestly trust that either by donations or legacies the rest of the £5000 will be forthcoming."<ref>Metropolitan Tabernacle: Its History and Work. Available in Google Books</ref>

Spurgeon had one infirmary built, at the Stockwell Orphanage. However, he also recognised that the poor had limited access to health care and so was also an enthusiastic supporter of the [[Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund]]. He left us this quote:<ref>The Hospital. 25/6/87. p. 215</ref> [[File:The Stockwell Orphanage Infirmary.png|thumb|The Stockwell Orphanage Infirmary]]
{{Blockquote | We must have more hospitals. I do not know whether we shall not be obliged to make the Government spend something in this direction. I don’t believe in the Government doing anything well. I generally feel sorry when anything has to be left to the Government. I don’t mean this Government in particular, but any Government which may be in office for the time being. It is six of one and half-a-dozen of the other.  I have a very small opinion of the whole lot. There are some things which we should try ourselves to do as long as ever we can; but if we are driven up a corner, it may come to what I fear. Bones must be set, and the sick must be cared for; the poor must not be left to die, in order not to have to go to the Government for help.  So let us all try to give what we can. It is your duty to give, not merely as Christians, but as men. I like the Hospital Sunday movement, for all Christian people can meet, as we are met here to-night, on one platform.}}