Famous 19th Century Pastors

Charles Spurgeon was an English Particular Baptist preacher who was a powerful figure in the Reformed Baptist tradition. Hailed as the "Prince of Preachers", he was well respected by Christians of various denominations. He was pastor of the congregation of the New Park Street Chapel for almost four decades. He was the author of several books, sermons, and commentaries. 

Catholic bishop Fulton J. Sheen was also a prominent radio and TV personality. Known for his stint on the NBC radio show The Catholic Hour, he also hosted the popular TV programs Life Is Worth Living and The Bishop Fulton Sheen Show. He also wrote extensively on communism, love, and peace.

Hudson Taylor was one of the most popular Christian missionaries in China. His 51-year stint in China witnessed him baptizing over 50,000 people. Apart from converting people, he also mingled with the Chinese at a personal level, adopting their clothing habits, contrary to what other missionaries practiced.

South African pastor Andrew Murray was the son of a Scottish missionary who was sent to South Africa. A co-founder of the South African General Mission, he had also been involved in the Reveil revival movement. He later transformed his church to an institution for the Afrikaner Volk.

Walter Rauschenbusch was an American Baptist pastor and theologian. He played an important role in the single tax and Social Gospel movements by propagating the importance of theology through his book A Theology for the Social Gospel which he published in 1917. Walter Rauschenbusch's work influenced prominent personalities like Martin Luther King Jr., Norman Thomas, Desmond Tutu, and James McClendon.

Better known as the pioneer of Protestant missionary work in China, Robert Morrison was the first missionary from the London Missionary Society to visit China. Apart from translating the Bible into Chinese, he also enriched Anglo-Chinese literature with his dictionaries and books on Chinese grammar.

Reuben Archer Torrey, a Yale alumnus, also studied theology in Germany before moving to the U.S., where he became a pastor and an evangelist. One of D.L. Moody’s closest aides, he preached in several countries, such as Australia, India, and Japan. He also penned books such as How to Pray.

N. F. S. Grundtvig was a Danish author, pastor, poet, historian, teacher, philosopher, and politician. By the end of the 19th century, Grundtvig's philosophy had given rise to a new sense of nationalism, for which he is often counted among the most influential Danish people of all time. He is also remembered for promoting values like compassion, wisdom, and equality.

Apart from being a Lutheran pastor, Eduard Mörike was also one of Germany’s best-known lyric poets. His Peregrina poems, his sonnets to Luise Raufolk, his poems and tales, such as Das Stuttgarter Hutzelmännlein, along with his novel Maler Nolten, remain significant to German literature to this day.

German political theorist Friedrich Naumann was also a Protestant pastor. He was part of the Reichstag and later also co-founded the Democratic Party of Germany, leading it till his death. He is also remembered for his National-Social Association, which he had co-founded with sociologist Max Weber.

George A. Smith was one of the first leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement which was founded by Joseph Smith. He played an important role in Zion's Camp, which aimed at helping members of the church in Missouri. George A. Smith also played a key role in the events leading up to the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857.

Born into slavery, Allen Allensworth successfully disguised himself in a uniform and marched to freedom, along with the Union soldiers during the Civil War. He later served the U.S. Navy and eventually became a Baptist preacher. The first Black American lieutenant colonel, he also formed the town Allensworth.

Samuel Simon Schmucker was a theologian and Lutheran pastor. He played a key role in the founding of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg as well as Gettysburg College. He also played a major role in the founding of the Evangelical Lutheran General Synod of the United States of America. He was also well-known for his efforts as an abolitionist.

Congregational minister Washington Gladden was a leading advocate of the Social Gospel movement. Initially a small-time journalist, he later worked as a religious editor at the New York Independent. He penned books such as Applied Christianity and the popular hymn O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee.

Recognized as an extraordinary preacher and ardent opponent of slavery, Matthew Simpson began his career with medicine before devoting himself to Methodist Ministry. Mostly self-taught, he spent nine years developing today's DePauw into a leading educational institution, eventually being elected as an editor of  Western Christian Advocate and  bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, concurrently writing and editing several books.