# Not an April Fools Joke - Giving up books



## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 5, 2008)

I'm working on giving up a whole bunch of books. 800-1000.

I'm keeping my puritan books, and those surrounding the reformation and church history.

But I have _loads_ more.

Books by Keil and Delitche, Piper, Sproul, NICNTs, lots of books on cults, individual commentary sets (partial sets too), marriage books, dictionaries, NT and OT surveys, Kittle's set on the NT, lots of philosophy books, and a ton of individual books I'll never read again. I'm even contemplating ridding my shelf of Calvin's 22 volume set which I have on CD. I even have greek and hebrew works, grammars, brand new flash cards, etc., and sets of books I bought because they looked nice but I won't read or use though they ruin in the reformed realm (like Carl Henry's 5 or 6 volume work on Scripture.)

If there is someone in the area who is interested in getting around 800 books or so, I'm open for you to visit with me. The closest school here is knox seminary. Maybe a seminary student wants to start building his library if you know one that needs free books?

In any case, I REALLY don't want to go through the hassle of shipping 800 volumes. Boxes, packing, post office runs, etc. is grusome work.

If I have to, I'll box them up and take them to Whitefield on my next run up there next month. That is a tax writeoff for me, but if someone is close and wants to take what I don't want, I'm GIVING THEM AWAY IF YOU CAN HAUL THEM OFF.

Tomorrow, I have a couple of CHristian friends at work who will get all of Piper's stuff and a few commentaries. But other than that, I'm looking to relinquish quite a few. I want to try and get my library down to 1000 key volumes. 

If you are in the area, this week, let me know.

Email me if you are interested or know someone - [email protected]


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 5, 2008)




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## Semper Fidelis (Oct 5, 2008)

I'm almost tempted to drive down to FL to pick those up.


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## Herald (Oct 5, 2008)

Semper Fidelis said:


> I'm almost tempted to drive down to FL to pick those up.



Me too. Want to split gas?


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## Semper Fidelis (Oct 5, 2008)




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## Pilgrim (Oct 5, 2008)

Wished I lived in the area too, but I barely have room for the 300 or so books I have now. I can definitely identify with not wanting to ship that many books. Last year I sold about 400 books at a bulk price but only because I was moving close to the buyer and he picked them up. Otherwise I would have just donated them instead of going to the trouble of finding individual buyers for them.


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## Barnpreacher (Oct 5, 2008)

I wish it was an April Fool's joke. This thread literally pains me to read wishing I lived in the area.


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## Kevin (Oct 5, 2008)

Brother, if you still have them...

I am working on getting them picked up for the Haddington House Library. Those that can be used here in North America (i.e. Charlottetown PEI) will be shipped to Canada & those that are suitable will be shipped to one of the bible schools in east africa that Dr Whytock teaches at.

This may take me a few days to arange, since Dr Whytock is in Kenya teaching this month, but if they are still available & this seems like a good use of them to you let me know.


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## Southern Presbyterian (Oct 5, 2008)

Barnpreacher said:


> I wish it was an April Fool's joke. This thread literally pains me to read wishing I lived in the area.


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## Kim G (Oct 5, 2008)

Southern Presbyterian said:


> Barnpreacher said:
> 
> 
> > I wish it was an April Fool's joke. This thread literally pains me to read wishing I lived in the area.



 My family lives in Florida. Maybe I could bribe them to drive down and get them.  But I have nowhere to put them.


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## Grymir (Oct 5, 2008)

Kim G said:


> Southern Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > Barnpreacher said:
> ...



 I wished I lived there too! The philosophy books are calling my name.

Southern, do you think we can brainwash Barnpreacher into driving down there and delivering them to us. We could even leave him a few so it would be a win-win situation!


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## Southern Presbyterian (Oct 6, 2008)

Grymir said:


> Kim G said:
> 
> 
> > Southern Presbyterian said:
> ...



Try using your Barthian mind powers on him, Grymir. If it works it would be a win-win-win.


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## Confessor (Oct 6, 2008)

So you don't want to ship any books out? That is, if I were interested in buying just a few of your books, would you care if I received them _via_ mail?


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## Brother John (Oct 6, 2008)

*.*

I live in Georgia and I would be willing to drive down to Florida to pick up the books. I am a seminary student who is trying to grow my library and honestly this sounds like the reformed equivalent to the "lottery". Let me know if this sounds good to you sir.


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## CatechumenPatrick (Oct 6, 2008)

This pains me to read, too! After a house fire last May I lost quite a few books (granted, not 800!) and without the money to buy new, I've been limited to used book fairs and good deals on ebay. Seems like giving them to one of the seminaries would be a good idea, though what do they do with donated books they already own?


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## Barnpreacher (Oct 6, 2008)

Grymir said:


> Kim G said:
> 
> 
> > Southern Presbyterian said:
> ...




Trust me, the thought of driving down there crossed my mind! Mostly for me though. Not necessarily as a delivery boy. I even googled the distance, but 13 hours is just a little too much.


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## Kevin (Oct 6, 2008)

CatechumenPatrick said:


> This pains me to read, too! After a house fire last May I lost quite a few books (granted, not 800!) and without the money to buy new, I've been limited to used book fairs and good deals on ebay. Seems like giving them to one of the seminaries would be a good idea, though what do they do with donated books they already own?



They sell them to dealers.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 6, 2008)

I don't want anyone going way out of their way to drive (that's too painful) and I don't have the time to start dividing them up with those who want them shipped.

I want to dump all of them at once, and as soon as possible. I do have a few inquiries on that note.

Part of the reason to tone down the library is we are remodeling that room and I just don't have the room for that many books anymore. They look pretty, but I don't need them.

I'm thinking a pastor in the area, a serious student, a seminary student, someone who wants a wall of books.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 6, 2008)

Haddington House is looking to take them all if they can arrange it.

Also a pastor in Haiti lost his library and a brother is contacting me to see if they can get some or all of them for him.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 6, 2008)

Some of the works:

All of Sproul's books.
All of Piper's books.
John Murray's Works
Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle (yes that huge 53 volume set)
Calvin's Commentaries
NICNT various volumes
Tyndale Commentaries on the NT
3 Volume Isaiah Set
K & D OT commentary set
All of MacAurthur's Books
A ton of Marriage books
A ton of books on cults
A LOT of AW Pink - on John, on Hebrews, etc.
The Works of Wesley (Big 4 volumes)
and much more!


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## Brother John (Oct 6, 2008)

I spoke with "Bconway52" he is a fellow PBer and seminary student. Bradley is up for a road trip to Florida. The two of us could easily dead head down there to pick them up. 

It sounds like there are many worthy canidates for your collection.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 6, 2008)

I have church in my area right now that would take all the books and give them to a pastor in haiti who lost his library.

That may be the way to go.

I know I have a whole bunch of inquiries, and I appreciate your zeal for getting books (I have that zeal!). But I think that giving the books to a pastor who lost his library would be a really good thing. I know if I lost my library I would want to replenish it, especially if I was in a place like the mission field.

I am torn between a seminary student and a pastor. However, a seminary student has a library at seminary he can use. A pastor in the field who lost his library to flood or fire is in a more desperate situation.


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## Barnpreacher (Oct 6, 2008)

C. Matthew McMahon said:


> I have church in my area right now that would take all the books and give them to a pastor in haiti who lost his library.
> 
> That may be the way to go.
> 
> ...





They're not my books, but I believe you are on the right track with where they should go. I am thrilled for the pastor that needs these books. What a blessing! God bless you for what you're doing, Matt!


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 6, 2008)

Plus, I think that a mission-based pastor would be a good way to go because he will get quite a few reformed books and that (Lord willing) would allow more of the Reformed Gospel to go out.


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## Brother John (Oct 6, 2008)

C. Matthew McMahon said:


> Plus, I think that a mission-based pastor would be a good way to go because he will get quite a few reformed books and that (Lord willing) would allow more of the Reformed Gospel to go out.




As excited as I would be on the entire drive down to Florida. In my humble opinion I do think that the pastor in Hati is the best choice. Especially considering he has lost his entire library. I may be on a tight budget but thankfully I still have the ability to get books.


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## Presbyterian Deacon (Oct 6, 2008)

How sad that Florida is so far away from Connecticut.


Note to self: Thou shalt not covet...


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Oct 6, 2008)

I have packed up 25 boxes of books. 

It was emotionally hard to do that, but I think God will honor that decision.

I am either sending them to Haddington House if they can come and pick them up, or to Haiti if the church in the area can come and pick them up. I have to have a little surgery on my leg on Wednesday and will not be able to move 1200 pounds of books.

If those two fall through, I'll repost a new thread and go from there.

Thanks for your prayers and your inquiries.


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