The main Evangelical Library in London, England, with which the St. Thomas Evangelical Library is affiliated, owes its existence, under God, to the vision of two remarkable men, both now with the Lord. One was Geoffrey Williams (1886-1975), London businessman, the other, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981), the widely known minister of Westminister Chapel, London.
More than seventy years ago Mr. Williams recognised that, due to the increasing popularity of liberal theology, Puritan and Reformed literature was being banished from theological libraries and ministers' studies with alacrity throughout the land. Original works, some very rare, were turning up on barrows in the street markets at rock bottom prices. The danger of a great heritage being lost and forgotten was very real. Determined to do all he could to preserve what remained, Mr. Williams began to collect these old but precious volumes. He started lending out the dozen or so books he possessed to friends from the sitting room of his home at Beddington. In time he established The Beddington Free Grace Library in the little village of that name in Surrey.
In 1938 the knowledge of this large and unique collection of evangelical books came to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He immediately recognised its importance and advocated its being relocated in central London from its semi-rural district. Despite the difficulties of war time conditions this was achieved by 1944. Since 1946 the library has been based in Chiltern street opposite Baker Street Underground Station.
Meanwhile the theological climate was changing. Others were beginning to recognise the value of the older Free Grace publications. The danger of rare volumes being pulped had now passed. By the 1950's good quality reprints were becoming available both in Britain and in the United States. A new generation of writers were producing commentaries and othe rwritings sympathetic to the Reformed faith. Under Dr. Lloyd-Jones the Library began to acquire such books. Many of the older and rarer books can now only be consulted in the Dr. Lloyd-Jones Reference Room and The Puritan Room. However, the growing number of reprints and contemporary works are freely available to loan to members in the United Kingdom or overseas.
