At age 19, Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached his first Sunday evening service at London’s New Park Church. It was December 18, 1853. His preaching is described as eloquent with fervent gospel appeal. In the congregation was a young lady named Susannah Thompson. Rather than be impressed with Charles, she found him quite amusing, mainly due to his “countrified” appearance and manner.
Two and a half months after settling in London, Spurgeon sent to Susannah a copy of Pilgrim’s Progress as a gift. The book was inscribed “Miss Thompson, with desires for her progress in the blessed pilgrimage, from C. H. Spurgeon – April 20, 1854.”
Thus began the courtship of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Susannah Thompson.
On June 10 of the same year, Spurgeon asked Susannah whether she prays “for him who is to be your husband”? Susannah demurred to answer but felt her heart being drawn to Charles. On August 2 he proposed to her while walking in her grandfather’s garden.
Years later Susannah said, “I think of that old garden as a sacred place, a paradise of happiness, since there my beloved sought me for his very own, and told me how much he loved me. Though I thought I knew this already, it was a very different matter to hear him say it, and I trembled and was silent for very joy and gladness. To me, it was a time as solemn as it was sweet. With a great awe in my heart, I left my beloved and, hastening to the house and to an upper room, I knelt before God, and praised Him with happy tears, for His great mercy in giving me the love of so good a man” (http://vancechristie.com/2018/08/15/a-sacred-courtship-charles-spurgeon/.)
Charles and Susannah were married on January 8, 1856 at the New Park Street Church.
