The Bishop William Burt Collection is an excellent documentary on the life and work of a pioneer minister within the Methodist Episcopal Church. In this collection we see the pathos and commitment Burt and his family brought to the work of the church, especially in Europe. These records illuminate his varying roles as clergyperson, presiding elder, bishop, and family member. Well liked by most, Burt was an influential person within the denomination throughout his career.

Records from his wife, Helen, and daughter Edith are located here, as well. The collection shows the historical and sociological involvement Burt had with the life, events, and politics of Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world. This involvement covered society from its lowest common denominator all the way through and including the very top of the social ladder. Burt was a world traveler and the collection sheds light on Methodist Episcopal work around the globe. This is especially true in the correspondence, diaries, and photograph series. Besides reflecting Burt's ministry in Europe, there are significant records concerning his work in the United States. Other notable personalities are also included

Early missionaries to Europe, especially to Russia, have primary documents located here as well. Many of Italy's leading Methodists such as the Taglialatela family have both published and handwritten materials within the collection. Records by other bishops such as Vincent and Bast are interspersed throughout the first section. Another area which is documented is Burt's commitment to the ongoing work of the Jerusalem Home which was started by Bishop J. P. Newman. There is a sizeable amount of records pertaining to the Crandon Institute in Rome, as well.

The Dora Amelia Wagner Papers contain graduate certificates as well as documents from Wagner’s time spent in Japan. Three certificates of degree are enclosed from Kingman High School in Kansas, Northwestern University in Evanston-Chicago, and Baker University in Kansas. A letter documenting her experience in Japan in 1936, including meeting Emperor Hirohito, a newspaper from Iai Jo Gakko Girls’ School in Hakodate chronicling Helen Keller’s visit to the school amongst other school activities, and a photograph of the Emperor in his car, are also included in the collection. Of the three large documents with currently unknown Japanese characters, one appears to be a Testimonial of Gratitude to Miss Wagner from the mayor of Hakodate, and one is the “Fifth Order of Sacred Treasure,” granted by Emperor Hirohito.

This collection contains papers related to John Balmer Showers. The bulk of this material includes writings by Showers. There are three folders of short typed pages. Some are on selected topics such as faith, Pentecost, stewardship and service, evangelism, the home, and the preacher. Other writings are greetings, welcomings, or dedications prepared by Showers on special occasions such as anniversaries, dedications, and conference meetings. The remaining writings are tributes or memorials to A. B. Statton, Elizabeth Ann Powell, Harold C. Urschel, Sam Stanrod, and Walther Murth.

Also included is a booklet kept by Showers when he was a student at Berlin University. It contains a listing of courses in German. There is a certificate of appreciation present to Showers from Otterbein Press in 1946 and an honorary degree diploma presented to him from Indiana Central College in 1947 are part of this collection. An essay Showers wrote on his father-in-law, Edmund S. Lorenz, is part of these papers. Some work Lorenz did on the hymnal book questionnaire can be found in the same folder. Finally, there is a scrapbook entitled, "Memories of My Years at Otterbein Press." This contains photographs of Showers and staff members, as well as articles written by Showers.

The Marion Lane Conrow Papers document Conrow's life as a missionary and educator in Korea. In addition to detailing her professional and personal life, these papers also describe the history of women's education in Korea and of Ewha Woman's University. The papers have been divided into twenty-two series.

The Matilda Saxton Winn Collection is comprised of informational files, a journal from her college days, awards, certificates, and family photographs, dating from the late 19th century to 1996. This collection reflects the personal life of Matilda Amelia Saxton Winn and her family.

The largest component of the collection consists of photographs. These photographs are of Matilda, her husband Harvey, and their families. There are photographs that date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These photographs are of Matilda’s side of the family, and depict people like her parents, her maternal grandmother, and her siblings. Using both evidence from the collection, as well as photograph information found online from the Old State House Museum in Arkansas, the people in some of these photographs can be named. The photograph by Dawson in Little Rock, Arkansas of a man sitting in a plaid jacket is of Uncle Duke Freeman. The photograph by Dawson in Little Rock, Arkansas of a man standing with his arm leaning on a fence is of George T. Saxton Sr. The photograph by M. C. Davies and T. B. Rayburn in Little Rock, Arkansas is of Elizabeth Freeman. The photograph with a oval opening of a young man is of George T. Saxton Jr. In the photograph of three woman, the woman sitting is Mrs. Millie Freeman, Matilda’s maternal grandmother. The two photographs of women and children taken in 1897 and 1899 are from George T. Saxton Sr.’s time at Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta. In the two kinds of family portraits found in the collection, the children are positioned in the following order from left to right: Matilda, George Jr., and Mary Myrtle Lois.

The other photographs found in the collection range from the early 20th century to about 1985. These photographs are of various events in Matilda’s life, including her college graduation and her marriage to Harvey in 1950. In the file folder “Matilda and Harvey Winn and Friends” is a letter written to Matilda by her mother-in-law found in the folder with the photographs. In addition to the photographs found in the file folders, there are photographs held in a scrapbook put together by Matilda. While most photographs are still attached, and were reattached in areas, there were a few photographs that seem to have been shoved into random pages. These have been taken out of the pages in which they were found and places in an envelope in the back of the scrapbook. There is also a photograph of Miss Rosa Hale in the back of the scrapbook, as well as a few papers pertaining to Lois Saxton and a handwritten note.

Another item of note is her yearbook. There were two items shoved in the pages of the yearbook. On the page that holds Matilda’s Senior Portrait is the program from graduation. On the page that contains a blurb about the Bit and Bridle Club (2 pages prior to the Kansas State Sweetheart winners section) is a photograph in a sleeve that had been interleaved into the book. This photograph depicts three people, one woman and two men, standing outside of a building.

The Sherertz Family Papers cover the time period from about 1870 to 1970. These documents were created by several generations of missionaries assigned to China and Africa.

The focus of the collection is divided between China and Africa. China constitutes the earlier period from about 1855 to 1945. The Sherertz' activity in Southern Rhodesia begins in 1953 and ends in their retirement in 1958. Of particular interest is the first Methodist deaconess from Southern Rhodesia, Mai Mhlanga (1007-2-7:04).

Because of D. L. Sherertz's propensity for documentation, the bulk of the collection directly reflects his life and career. Two highlights include his role in the national government of the Republic of China and his internment in Pootung by the Japanese. He also preserved family genealogies and memoirs.

The Park family is represented by William Hector Park's memoirs, several photographs, and a few letters by his wife, Nora Lambuth Park, which were written during the years after her husband's death.

The Lambuths' papers include one letter from Mary McClellan Lambuth in Chinese and English as well as a number of photographs from this early period.

Upon reviewing the entire collection, it becomes apparent that Margarita Park Sherertz played the central role in the family's development. Her papers are not as voluminous as those belonging to her husband, but it is clear that she was a charismatic and intelligent individual. Margarita's strength reveals itself when her husband was interned by the Japanese in China after Pearl Harbor. Her letters written during this period and those she wrote shortly before she left China illustrate her cognizance of political and social events which occurred locally and internationally.

Margarita's mother, Nora Lambuth Park, similarly remarks in a few of her letters about local political developments as they relate to the welfare and fate of the missionary community. Nora's experience as a seasoned missionary in China during several periods of social upheaval is demonstrated in her comments about the events in Soochow leading up to Pearl Harbor. Her work was indispensable to her husband's career as wife, mother, caretaker, nurse, teacher, cook and social secretary. She was equally revered by the Chinese community.

Nora's mother, Mary McClellan Lambuth was an extremely intelligent individual who mastered written and spoken Chinese during her tenure as a missionary (see 1005-6-1:18). She also provided the means for her children's education and was an active and vital force in the Chinese community according to her daughter and granddaughter.

Nora Lambuth Park and Mary McClellan Lambuth are two figures who deserve further illumination because of their pivotal role in family development and stabilization, community work and religious dedication.

Diaries and journals belonging to Mary Isabella McClellan Lambuth and Walter R. Lambuth can be found at the J.B. Cain Archives, Millsaps-Wilson Library, Millsaps College, Jackson, Mississippi.

The lives of William Hector Park and Dwight Lamar Sherertz illustrate the more public and well known series of events among missionaries in China. Their letters, memoirs, diaries and public statements give a broad view of events in China before and during World War II. As a whole, this collection provides a valuable glimpse of their private family life as well. Specifically, the lives of Margarita Park Sherertz, Nora Lambuth Park and Mary McClellan Lambuth come into focus as "the thread which binds" generation to generation.