The Spurgeon Library, housing more than 6,000 books and artefacts from the preacher's personal collection, has been dedicated at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The private collection of C.H. Spurgeon's books and artefacts will be brought to life in this new setting; "It is part museum, part library, party study," President of the College Jason Allen said.
"It is something to be visited; something to be accessed; and something to be engaged in at both the academic and ministerial levels. This collection and space will not only serve as a relic to the past, but as a living instrument to serve the church and to equip pastors and preachers of God's Word."
The collection is housed in a library boasting floor-to-ceiling bookcases, with around eighty displays highlighting particular books or items. There is also a preaching rail, a desk used by Spurgeon and a replica of the pulpit he preached from at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.
Three of Spurgeon's descendants travelled from the UK to witness the dedication; Hilary Spurgeon, the wife of the preacher's late great-grandson, David; as well as great-great-grandchildren Richard Spurgeon and Susanna Spurgeon-Cochrane.
Spurgeon-Cochrane said that her appreciation for her great-great-grandfather has grown over the years.
"For me and for us all, Spurgeon's life of faith and his dedication to proclaiming the gospel should spur us on and encourage us to give our all for the work God has called us to do - no matter who we are or where God has placed us," she said.
"We are the ones who have to carry on the work of pointing people to Christ," she added.
"Our hope and prayer is that the Spurgeon Center [Library] would point many more people to Jesus; that people would see Jesus through Spurgeon and his work; and that Spurgeon's dedication to God and His gospel would inspire the next generation of preachers to give their all to Jesus."
The Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary purchased the collection in 2004, and now more than a decade on, Allen said the vision of how to appropriately house this treasure has been realised.
"The Spurgeon Library is the fulfilment of a vision to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the academy, for the church, and for the glory of God through the preservation and presentation of Charles Spurgeon's personal library and related artefacts," he said.
