Spurgeon's Bible

Being at Southern Seminary has opened up doors for all sorts of unique opportunities.  Two weeks ago, I was assigned to do a speech on some aspect of Southern Seminary.  I decided to do mine on a few of the items that were owned by Charles Spurgeon that the seminary now has possession of.  One of these items is the Bible that he used from 1856 to his death, in 1892.  I was in the Archives room admiring the Bible, which is on display under a glass case.  The man who works in the room saw my fascination with the Bible, and offered to let me change the passage that the Bible was turned to on the first of March.  So, on March 1st, I was in the archives room, practically trembling with excitement at getting to touch and feel the pages of Charles Spurgeon's Bible.

Here are some pictures from that day!

 This picture is the front page of the Bible.  It reads:

“The lamp of my study.

  The light is bright as ever. 1861.

  O that mine eyes were more opened. 1864.

  Being worn to pieces rebound 1870. The lantern mended and

  the light as joyous to mine eyes as ever.”

In the handwriting of his eldest son, Charles Spurgeon:

“Came into my possession on the death of my dear Mother who wrote ‘The Bible -- father’s constantly used Bible, must be for the elder son, to be ever kept with reverent love as a most precious possession. How often my husband’s dear hands have turned these pages! How often his heart burned within him, as he read this sacred volume and prayed and pondered over its pages!’ Incalculably precious to me for father’s sake but even more so for its own.”

October 22, 1903

Charles Spurgeon

Oh, isn't is just a beautiful inscription?  It is such a good reminder that the only reason Charles Spurgeon was who he was is because of the living and true Word of God.  What an encouragement to us!  Shouldn't we hold so fiercely onto the Scriptures as well?  Shouldn't we feel that the Word is "the lamp of our study," and "the light as joyous to our eyes as ever."?  Shouldn't we long that our eyes were more opened to the truth?  

And then, reflect on what Charles' wife says about this Bible-- "How often my husband's dear hands have turned these pages!  How often his heart burned within him, as he read this sacred volume and prayed and pondered over its pages!"  When I die, would that my loved ones would be able to give this testimony about how desperately I relied on the Word of God!

 Here is my hand, touching the Bible.  Yes, I really did touch it.  :-)

This is another page from the beginning of the Bible, showing a small picture of the notes system that Spurgeon used throughout his ministry.  Numbers and letters line the margins of his Bible, corresponding to Scripture references and topics in his sermons.  (I apologize for the sidewaysness of this picture; I couldn't figure out how to turn it.)

 Here is ME with the whole Bible!  I got to change the passage from a chapter in Job to 2 Corinthians 4.

 The Bible was in good condition.  The pages were thick, and slightly brittle-feeling.  There were a good deal of markings and notes in the margins, but less underlining.  Interestingly enough, the Song of Solomon was almost completely underlined, with many notes-- the most marked up book in the Bible by far.

 Here are just a few up close snapshots of the text in 2 Corinthians.

 Just a few more interesting tid-bits on how the Seminary got the Bible:
The paragraph below, in quotes, is what the Archives room has written about the Bible.

"When Dr. Ellis A. Fuller was in England during the summer of 1948, he observed this Bible on one of the public reading desks at Spurgeon’s College. After Dr. Fuller left England, in October of the same year, the Bible was sent to him by G.W. Harte, Secretary of Spurgeon’s College, for the Seminary’s special collections."

However, what they do not include for everyone to read about, is a incident that took place while Dr. Fuller was visiting the Metropolitan Tabernacle.  Apparently, Dr. Fuller asked the people from Spurgeon's college if he could have the columns (if you haven't seen a picture of the Tabernacle, it is adorned with large stone columns in the front) from the Tabernacle to put on the chapel that was being constructed at Southern Seminary.  (The Tabernacle had been pretty much destroyed by the Germans in 1941, so it was probably under construction in 1948....).  Not surprisingly, the officials at Spurgeon's college were not about to give the columns (or the remnants of them) of the Tabernacle to Fuller, but when Fuller returned home, they then sent him Spurgeon's Bible.  

This was a story that has been passed down by word of mouth, as far as I know, so the accuracy is probably not 100%.  The gentleman from the archives room did not have the story on paper... it was just told to him at some point-- he told it to me, and now, I'm telling it to you! 

This last picture is just an interesting one of a piece of stone from the tomb of Spurgeon.  I was telling one of my professors about having the opportunity to touch the Bible, and he brought this jar down.  His sister visited London and got this chip of the tomb (which had already fallen off!).

So, those are my dealings with things related to Charles Spurgeon.  I have been blessed by reading many of his writings, and even just hearing about his life of faithfulness lived before God.  May Spurgeon's life be not an idol to us, but rather a testimony of what God can do by the power of the Holy Spirit through the lives of poor and wretched human beings such as us.

Psalm 119:1-8

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the Lord!

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways!

You have commanded your precepts

to be kept diligently.

Oh that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping your statutes!

Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn your righteous rules.

I will keep your statutes;

do not utterly forsake me!