Converting to Christianity when taking communion at the age of twenty, Charles Simeon went on to become a clergyman notable for his evocative speech and understanding of the word of God. He was among the first Christian missionaries who travelled to India; arriving in Calcutta in 1787 and later working with the East India Company chaplaincy service. He followed this pioneering approach with frequent speaking tours, spreading the gospel to churches in Britain and abroad. Simeon worked as vicar in Cambridge; at times rebuffed by the locals, he eventually gained their respect and became popular in the community.

Striking for its well-researched detail, this memoir contains original correspondences written by or to Charles Simeon. These offer a glimpse into his personal and professional life, and how the Church of England was organized more than 200 years ago. Finally we hear of Simeon's later years, his failing health and the enormous funeral service in which tributes to his depth of religious and Biblical knowledge and personality were abundant.