Often referred to as "The Prince of Preachers",[3] he educated himself, became a minister and founded one of the largest Methodist congregations serving the African-American community on the East Coast of the United States.

[5] Never able to attend school, Tindley learned to read by sitting by fire light and sounding out letters and eventually words from pieces of paper with writing that he found.

[6] Without any degree, Tindley was qualified for ordination in the Methodist Episcopal Church by examination, with high ranking scores.

The Tindley Temple United Methodist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

[9] Tindley was acquainted with politicians and business leaders in Philadelphia, including John Wanamaker.

[10] Tindley also solicited donations from businessmen of food for the congregation's ministry of feeding the needy.

Tindley objected to social events that he considered degrading, including the 1912 Cake Walk and Ball, and The Soap Box Minstrels show at the Academy of Music on Broad and Locust Streets.

"[2] Another of his notable hymns is "(Take Your Burden to the Lord and) Leave It There" (1916), which has been included in several hymnals and has been recorded by numerous artists in a variety of styles.

Beams of Heaven: Hymns of Charles Albert Tindley (1851-1933) (2006) restores the full original complement of verses.

[15] Tindley is the subject of a children's picture book by poet Carole Boston Weatherford and artist Bryan Collier.