- Home
- Speakers
- C.H. Spurgeon
- One Wrong Step—And Down We Go!
C.H. Spurgeon

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892). British Baptist preacher and author born in Kelvedon, Essex, England. Converted at 15 in 1850 after hearing a Methodist lay preacher, he was baptized and began preaching at 16, soon gaining prominence for his oratory. By 1854, he pastored New Park Street Chapel in London, which grew into the 6,000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle, where he preached for 38 years. Known as the "Prince of Preachers," Spurgeon delivered thousands of sermons, published in 63 volumes as The New Park Street Pulpit and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, still widely read. He founded the Pastors’ College in 1856, training over 900 ministers, and established Stockwell Orphanage, housing 500 children. A prolific writer, he penned classics like All of Grace (1886) and edited The Sword and the Trowel magazine. Married to Susannah Thompson in 1856, they had twin sons, both preachers. Despite battling depression and gout, he championed Calvinist theology and social reform, opposing slavery. His sermons reached millions globally through print, and his library of 12,000 books aided his self-education. Spurgeon died in Menton, France, leaving a legacy enduring through his writings and institutions.
Download
Sermon Summary
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the precarious nature of the Christian journey, illustrating how the path to life is both safe and fraught with dangers. He reflects on the ease with which one can stumble without the grace of God, likening believers to infants who require divine support to avoid falling. Spurgeon encourages the faithful to recognize their weaknesses and the lurking dangers that threaten their spiritual walk, while also celebrating God's unwavering protection and ability to keep them from falling. He concludes with a call to praise God for His faithfulness and power in safeguarding His children.
One Wrong Step—and Down We Go!
"How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life!" Matthew 7:14 In some sense, the path to heaven is very safe—but in other respects, there is no road so dangerous! It is beset with difficulties. One wrong step—and down we go! And how easy it is to take that treacherous step—if grace is absent! What a slippery path is that—which some of us have to tread! How many times have we to exclaim with the Psalmist, "But as for me, my feet were slipping—and I was almost gone!" If we were strong, sure-footed mountaineers, this would not matter so much; but in ourselves, how weak we are! Even in the best roads—we soon falter! In the smoothest paths—we quickly stumble! These feeble knees of ours—can scarcely support our tottering weight! A straw may trip us up—and a pebble can wound us! We are mere infants, tremblingly taking our first steps in the walk of faith. Our heavenly Father holds us by the arms—or we would soon tumble down! Oh, if we are kept from falling, how must we bless the patience, power and wisdom of God—who watches over us moment by moment—and day by day! Think— how prone we are to sin, how apt to choose dangerous paths, how strong our tendency to cast ourselves down —and these reflections will make us sing more sweetly than we have ever done, "Glory to Him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to present us before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy!" Jude 24 We have many foes—who try to push us down, and destroy us! The road is rough—and we are weak! But in addition to this, enemies lurk in ambush, who rush out when we least expect them, and labor to trip us up, or hurl us down the nearest deadly precipice! Only an Almighty arm can preserve us from these unseen foes, who are seeking to destroy us at every step! Such an arm is engaged for our defense. He is faithful, who has promised, and He is able to keep us from falling, so that with a deep sense of our utter weakness, we may cherish a firm belief in our perfect safety!
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892). British Baptist preacher and author born in Kelvedon, Essex, England. Converted at 15 in 1850 after hearing a Methodist lay preacher, he was baptized and began preaching at 16, soon gaining prominence for his oratory. By 1854, he pastored New Park Street Chapel in London, which grew into the 6,000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle, where he preached for 38 years. Known as the "Prince of Preachers," Spurgeon delivered thousands of sermons, published in 63 volumes as The New Park Street Pulpit and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, still widely read. He founded the Pastors’ College in 1856, training over 900 ministers, and established Stockwell Orphanage, housing 500 children. A prolific writer, he penned classics like All of Grace (1886) and edited The Sword and the Trowel magazine. Married to Susannah Thompson in 1856, they had twin sons, both preachers. Despite battling depression and gout, he championed Calvinist theology and social reform, opposing slavery. His sermons reached millions globally through print, and his library of 12,000 books aided his self-education. Spurgeon died in Menton, France, leaving a legacy enduring through his writings and institutions.