KANSAS CITY, Mo, (BP) – The Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has announced its recent acquisition of the Heritage Collection from Spurgeon’s College UK. The collection consists of thousands of books, manuscripts, letters, artifacts, newspaper cuttings and more from Charles Spurgeon.
“The Heritage Collection is truly a one-of-a-kind collection and an invaluable stewardship,” said MBTS President Jason Allen. “This is a stewardship we feel well beyond Midwestern Seminary. It’s a stewardship for Southern Baptist pastors and churches. It’s a stewardship for the broader Baptist and evangelical world. And that’s a stewardship I could not be more delighted for Midwestern Seminary to exercise.
“Under God, the Spurgeon Library as we know it would not exist without one couple, Bill and Connie Jenkins,” he continued. “Ten years ago, they singlehandedly funded the beautiful Spurgeon Library which presently houses so much of Spurgeon’s personal library and collection. Now, a decade later, they’ve led the effort to make this new acquisition possible. Rare is the couple who have such resources and generosity, coupled with an awareness of church history and an appreciation for sound doctrine, all moving them to so generously support this acquisition. All who love Spurgeon’s ministry owe a debt of gratitude to this dear couple. That’s certainly a gratitude I feel, and no doubt many, many others will too feel it.”
The Heritage Collection offers an unparalleled glimpse into the life and ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), the legendary preacher and pastor of London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle, and the Pastors’ College that he founded.
Over the years, many documents, papers, and personal items from the Spurgeon family were deposited with the college, now named Spurgeon’s College UK, turning it into a de facto repository for all things related to the Spurgeons. Additional items have been added to the collection as individuals have donated Spurgeon-related memorabilia passed down through the generations.
The collection brings with it the promise of tremendous value for scholars and enthusiasts of Spurgeon’s life and ministry. The collection includes:
- Spurgeon’s Earliest Preaching Notebooks: These 10 original notebooks contain nearly 400 sermons that Spurgeon preached in Waterbeach and surrounding areas as a teenager. While these sermons have been published, the original notebooks themselves have not yet been analyzed by Spurgeon scholars, making them a valuable resource for future research.
- Anti-Christ and Her Brood; Or, Popery Unmasked: This is the original essay penned by Spurgeon as a 15-year-old on the Roman Catholic Church. It has never been published or extensively studied.
- Letters: The collection includes more than 500 original, handwritten letters, mostly from Spurgeon, but also from and to other individuals connected to Spurgeon, including his wife, Susie. These letters touch on a wide range of subjects, offering insights into pastoral ministry, church planting, personal life, and more. Many letters are from the latter part of Spurgeon’s life and are expected to provide fresh insights into the Downgrade Controversy.
- Pulpit Notes: Approximately 700 original, handwritten pulpit notes used by Spurgeon for his sermons and lectures. These notes, often small in size, reveal the meticulous preparation that went into Spurgeon’s preaching and teaching.
- Transcripts and Galley Proofs: More than 10,000 pages of transcripts of Spurgeon’s sermons and approximately 900 pages of galley proofs are included in the collection. These manuscripts offer valuable insights into Spurgeon’s preaching style, homiletics, and editorial approach.
- Newspaper Cuttings: The collection includes around 100 binders and large scrapbooks filled with chronologically arranged newspaper and magazine cuttings related to Spurgeon. These cuttings represent a monumental amount of historical research into Spurgeon’s life and ministry.
- Artifacts: The Heritage Collection boasts numerous artifacts, including Spurgeon’s personal belongings like his shirt collar, handkerchiefs, canes, reading glasses, pocket watch and numerous Bibles with inscriptions and notations. Of particular interest is a sermon pamphlet carried throughout Africa by David Livingstone, which contains Livingstone’s inscription.
- Pastors’ College Minute Books: Three sets of minute books provide new insights into Spurgeon’s ministry with the Pastors’ College, including detailed records of theological discussions, the reconstitution of the Pastors’ College Conference after the Downgrade Controversy, and missionary activities among Pastors’ College graduates.
- Other Significant Items: The collection features several additional items of historical and research value, such as Spurgeon’s personal Bibles, his last letter from Mentone, an essay he wrote at age 11, original manuscripts of his famous works, first edition volumes of his works, and even the original pulpit from Colchester Chapel where Spurgeon was converted in 1850.
The above list is but a fraction of items in the collection.
“Midwestern Seminary’s acquisition of the Heritage Collection makes the Spurgeon Library not only the largest collection of Spurgeon materials in the world but also the premier institution for Spurgeon scholarship in the world,” said Spurgeon Library curator Geoff Chang.
“The value of this collection is priceless. To preserve this collection and make it available and useful to pastors and scholars will prove to have historical significance in the decades to come.”
The acquisition of this collection from Spurgeon’s College UK unites Spurgeon’s personal library with the contents of the Heritage Collection for the first time since the library was sold in 1905.
Midwestern Seminary’s Provost, Jason Duesing said, “Spurgeon’s College UK has been such a wonderful partner through this process. It was their vision to keep this collection together and to find an evangelical institution that will work to preserve Spurgeon’s legacy.
“While Midwestern Seminary is acquiring the collection from them, we see it as a transfer of stewardship and pledge to care for it with the dedication they have shown since 1892. It is a marvel and a testimony to the legacy of Spurgeon’s College in London that the Collection remains intact, well cared for, and accessible for researchers. Our aim is to build upon that archival legacy and thereby honor Spurgeon’s College for their faithfulness.”
The Spurgeon family, including Hilary, Richard, and Susie, also expressed their hopes for this acquisition, saying , “We are encouraged to think that the students at Midwestern Seminary will pour over the numerous sermons, sermon notes, and other writings and not only will they be blessed, but their studies will bless others too. We hope and pray that pastors will be inspired by Spurgeon to preach Jesus to their congregation not just in the United States but across the world.
“We are also confident that Midwestern Seminary will preserve and display the collection at the highest level as they have done with the Spurgeon Library. It is wonderful to think that much of the writings were probably done in his actual library.”
Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber called the acquisition “monumental.”
“Sit in our classrooms, listen to our worship service, or browse our websites and social media accounts and you’ll quickly discover how much Southern Baptists treasure the memory of Charles Spurgeon,” Barber said. “How wonderful that we can also undertake the stewardship of protecting and treasuring the artifacts he left behind.”
To learn more about the Spurgeon Library, visit https://www.spurgeon.org/spurgeon-center/.
