The 2022-23 academic year has begun at Midwestern Seminary, and at the Spurgeon Library, we are excited about the year ahead. As a new feature on spurgeon.org, we would like to provide occasional updates on the work that is happening here.
Recent Publications
In August, we saw the release of Spurgeon the Pastor. My goal for this book was to provide a conversation partner in C. H. Spurgeon for those who serve in church ministry, and it has been encouraging to hear good feedback from pastors and church leaders around the world. If you’re interested in learning more about it, here are a few resources:
- The Secret to Spurgeon’s Success – TGC Review
- Spurgeon the Pastor: An Interview with Geoff Chang
- FTC Podcast Episode 175: Geoff Chang on Spurgeon the Pastor
Also in September, we saw the release of The Lost Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon, Volume 7. With the publication of this volume, this 10-year project of publishing Spurgeon’s earliest sermons has come to an end. Along with the New Park Street Pulpit and the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, we now have 40 years’ worth of sermons from the Prince of Preachers, from his humble beginnings in 1851 as a village preacher to his death in 1892 as the greatest preacher of his generation. Learn more here:
Upcoming Publication
We have a number of projects in the works here at the Spurgeon Library. I want to tell you about our latest one. We have in our collection a one-of-a-kind, handwritten notebook. Like all of our other books, it contains the bookplate confirming it belonged to Spurgeon. But there’s no title page. The only attribution is what is written on the spine: “Poems ~ Spurgeon”
Having researched the content of this notebook, we are convinced that this volume is exactly what the spine says it is: a collection of 186 unpublished poems written by Spurgeon, likely copied and compiled by one of his associates after his death. While Spurgeon was known to be a hymn-writer and poet, these poems are unlike anything else that he published. Rather than being for public consumption, these poems were written as personal reflections and devotional exercises. As such, they reveal something of his private spiritual life in a way that is different from any of his other writings.
This project, then, will be a collection of all of Spurgeon’s poetry, both this notebook and all his published poems and hymns. We’ve tentatively titled it Pilgrim Prayers: The Poems of C. H. Spurgeon. Once again, we have the privilege of partnering with B&H Academic to bring this project to life. Our hope is that this volume will be a helpful devotional resource for the church, pointing Christians to the glory of Christ and the hope of our salvation. Look for it in the spring of 2023.
Digital Library
Last year, we digitized Spurgeon’s complete set of The Sword and the Trowel from 1861-1892 and added them to our digital library.
This fall, the Spurgeon Library assistants are scanning Spurgeon’s seven-volume set of The Treasury of David. This is a particularly interesting set as it once belonged to Spurgeon and so contain his own markings, underlinings, corrections, and marginalia. Be on the lookout for these volumes being available soon on Spurgeon.org!
Visiting the Spurgeon Library
As a reminder, the Spurgeon Library is open Monday through Friday, 11 AM to 4:30 PM, when on-campus classes are in session. This fall, we will be closed on the following dates:
- October 10-14 – Fall Reading Week
- November 21-25 – Thanksgiving Week
What if you were hoping to visit on a day we’re closed? Feel free to contact us, and we’ll see if we can make special arrangements for a visit.
When you come, feel free to ask one of the assistants at the front desk for a brief tour. Be sure to leave some time to look around and explore the various books and artifacts that we have on display. If you love books and church history, there is much for you to see!
Tea Time with Spurgeon
Tea Time with Spurgeon is starting once again! We will be meeting on Thursdays at noon beginning on September 15. Weather permitting, we will meet in the courtyard next to the Spurgeon Library, so feel free to bring food and drinks.
