The material in this series comes from the General Welfare Division of the General Board of Church and Society. The series contains administrative records, newsletters and scrapbooks from the Geneal Board of Temperance, the predecessor to the General Welfare Division. There are also records pertaining to the Department of of Alcohol Problems and Drug Abuse, the Depart of Population Problems, and the Department of Law, Justice and Community Relations. Each of these departments had wide-ranging portfolios and were active in a variety of issues. Some of the issues relate to United Methodism's historic stance on drug and alcohol abuse, as well as issues surrounding population and hunger in the 1970s and the division's involvement in Kent State slayings legal defense, Wounded Knee and other societal issues of the 1960s and 1970s.
United Methodist Church (U.S.). General Board of Church and SocietyThe Papers of Anne E. Herbert is a varied collection which contains correspondence, programs, and articles. The correspondence consists of "Dear Friends" letters from 1950-1958 from a variety of missionaries and mission stations. There is a folder of information on mission work in Bolivia that contains articles and correspondence from 1955-1958. An ecumenical chart from 1967 is included. Program materials from the " Twentieth Conference on New and Furloughed Missionaries" held at DePauw University in Indiana from June 14-20, 1956, are part of this collection. There is a copy of an April 1946 report prepared by Frank T. Cartwright entitled Report on the Special Mission to China. A news clipping from the Alta Advocate (Dinuba, California) dated March 28, 1968, contains a biographical sketch of Ann Harder who was associated with Herbert while both were in Hong Kong. Additional miscellaneous unrelated items are also included in this material.
Herbert, Anne E.Leontine Turpeau Current Kelly's personal papers include materials pertaining to her election as bishop to the California-Nevada Conference and her activities before and after her election. The collection includes a large number of correspondences related to speaking engagements, social concerns, and a variety of other topics including her election to be the first African American female bishop, personal correspondences, and awards. Also included in this collection are clippings, publications, awards, sermon materials and sheet music.
Kelly, Leontine Turpeau CurrentThe 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.
Burt, WilliamThe papers of Catherine Ezell contain a variety of articles and materials on deaconesses. There are several annual reports from the Commission on Deaconess Work (1951-1970). A copy of the 1976 annual report from the National Division of the Board of Global Ministries is contained in these papers. Magazine articles and photographs concerning US-2s are included. This material dates from 1951 to 1989. Several articles about deaconesses and about rural work (1941- 1983) are part of this collection. Most of the articles in this collection pertain to what is now known as Church and Community Work which is part of the National Division of the General Board of Global Ministries. In addition, there are copies of the Deaconess Home Missionary News and View Newsletter from 1956-1980. Material from deaconesses' conferences and convocations from 1951-1976 have also been included in her papers.
Ezell, CatherineThis collection contains sermons, lectures, a manuscript, correspondence, and biographical materials related to Charles B. Mitchell. The bulk of this collection is sermons. There are approximately four hundred sermons prepared by Mitchell between 1875 and 1941. All the sermons are handwritten. They were folded length- wise in envelopes which provide the date and location the sermon was given. Many of the sermons had news clippings accompanying them. His sermons were often published by The Inter Ocean newspaper, but a few clippings are from other papers. The clippings have been photocopied and are joined with the sermon and the envelope in an acid free mini folder. Additional clippings or short articles that supplemented the sermon or were used in its preparation have been kept with the sermon as well.
Mitchell's sermons are oriented to the Social Gospel, as he speaks of contemporary issues and challenges. He is particularly concerned with the spiritual and moral well being of young men and women. All the sermons have been arranged by text reference, except those that were given as part of a series. There are thirteen sets of sermons prepared as series. These series sermons contained several sermons on a particular topic such as temperance, gambling, the danger of cities, temptations, and the Christian life. One folder contains a sermon Mitchell gave on the death of Ulysses S. Grant. A news clipping of this sermon is from the Leavenworth Times. Another folder contains photocopies of four news clippings to sermons that had no handwritten copy. In addition, there is a folder of fragmented sermons.
Two folders contain prayer meeting materials prepared by Mitchell. There are forty-four prayer meeting talks in one folder. These are short notations on note cards or small pieces of paper. This material is dated 1897 to 1909, although not every piece is dated. These talks have been arranged by text reference. Talks with no text reference are separated from talks with text reference by an acid free sheet of paper. In addition, there are seven prayer meeting addresses which may have been part of a series. These addresses were given between 1901 and 1912. An envelope contains the date and location of each address.
Lectures and addresses given by Mitchell are the second major part of this collection. There are approximately ninety-five addresses given between 1882 and 1933. The lectures were also folded length-wise and placed in envelopes with the date and location of the presentation. Mitchell lectured to a variety of groups including the Y.M.C.A., college commencements, conferences, conventions, Mason meetings, women's clubs, community organizations and civic groups. Topics that Mitchell addressed in his lectures include peace, women's suffrage, missions, teachers, education, citizenship, Memorial Day, revivals, Abraham Lincoln, Sunday school, and youth. Mitchell also spoke at several universities including Hamline, Dakota Wesleyan, Allegheny College, and Nebraska Wesleyan. The lectures also include five travel accounts. The most extensive account is on the Bible lands. Other countries covered are Holland, Italy, Norway, and Russia.
A typed manuscript Mitchell prepared entitled "Questions to Modern Youth" is part of this collection. There are also three letters addressed to Mitchell. Biographical materials include a handwritten copy of a characterization of Mitchell by Reverend J. S. Daney; two short articles on Mitchell; an article on Mitchell's father, Revered Daniel Patrick Mitchell by S. J. Heaton; and an application for membership in the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. This application contains some ancestry information.
Mitchell, Charles BayardThe personal papers of Gertrude Feely include three internment notebooks. There are articles, letters and general writings concerning her internment and also a copy of her book, Five Years in the Philippines, written in 1946. Included in her internment papers is a map of the Los Banos Camp. There are several black and white photos, mostly of Mission Meetings and two color photos, one of Gertrude Feely herself and one of James W. Lambuths' grave. There are two pamphlets published by the internees of Santo Tomas during their imprisonment, a leaflet advertising The Christian Youth Center in Kobe, Japan and a booklet titled The Church in the War Years
The Oral History Collection of Gertrude Feely contains three audio cassette tapes from an oral history interview conducted by June Fothergill on January 16-17, 1985. A tape index, release forms, several magazine articles about Feely, and two black and white photographs are included. The tapes are located at 6029-1-1:23-26.
Feely, Gertrude M.This collection contains the personal papers of Grace and Charles Braden. Included in this collection are diaries, correspondence, writings, bulletins, publications, photographs and negatives. The original diaries the Bradens began on the day they left to serve as missionaries in Cochabamba, Bolivia, are part of these papers. Charles Braden's diary began on July 27, 1912, and ended on August 28, 1912. Grace Braden's diary began on July 27, 1912, but was kept until October 5, 1912. These diaries have been transcribed into typewritten copy by Grace Braden Gibas. Correspondence written by the Bradens from 1912 to 1919 is included in these papers. Several letters are undated. There are also a few letters received by the Bradens from 1961 to 1970. A folder of mission related materials contains programs from church related activities in Bolivia and Chile, a pictorial listing of missionaries from The Epworth Hearld of November 9, 1912, a student paper written by Charles Braden in 1926, and a report on religion in Chile. There is a folder of writings by Grace Braden. This contains descriptive accounts and notations related to mission work. A list of students interviewed in various colleges regarding missionary service is another part of this collection. This list contains individual names, school affiliation, and date of interview. Most occurred in 1923 and 1924. Also included are church bulletins from 1911-1912 from the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York. There is a 1967 copy of The Literary Harvest of a Half-Century, a bibliography of Charles Braden's writings. Braden served as editor of World Christianity, a 1939 copy of this periodical is part of these papers. Additional printed material includes two works in Spanish. One examines the English Methodist Church in Chile, and the other is entitled, "La Expansion Protestante En Chile." This work was written by Cristian Lative d'Epinay and is twenty-seven typed pages. Finally, there are several photographs related to the Bradens. A photographic souvenir booklet from Santiago, Chile, is part of this collection. A series of photographs with a script are located in these papers. There are also twenty-eight black and white photographs. Most have some notations on the back.
Braden, Charles SamuelThe papers of Bishop Ivan Lee Holt chiefly reflect his work while pastoring the St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Saint Louis, Missouri. However, other areas of Holt's service to the church are documented as well. There is a small number of records that pertain directly to his episcopacy. Holt was an intellectual who mastered many areas within the study of theology. More often than not he would make both broad and minute applications of his various learning experiences and apply them in praxis from the local church level all the way up to and including his work with the World Council of Churches.
The effects of twentieth century wars on the Christian faith and the subsequent role of ecumenicism as related to these wars were primary in Holt's thoughts. Methodism and its placement in conjunction with other denominations during his lifetime is well represented. This is especially true of his sermons. The first and largest series within the collection is entitled Discourses. Here the researcher will find sermons, addresses, prayers, meditations, and quotes. The first sub-series, sermons, make up the bulk of the series. It is here that the diversity of Holt's ministry is best illuminated. However, it should be noted that the standard identifying tags that distinguish between sermons, addresses, and manuscripts are at times blurred. The second series is comprised of manuscripts. Subjects such as Methodism in South America, the Old Testament account of the military campaign against Biblical Sihon, and Bishops Quayle and Selecman are covered. Correspondence is the next series. This series contains letters relating to pastoral appointments, speaking engagements, and various conference cabinets.
Other professional activities include correspondence dealing with Bishop Holt's teaching career, episcopacy, and the various honorary degrees he received during his lifetime. One will find Holt's personal correspondence here as well. Holt's administrative records are located in the following series. Records such as reports, dockets, statements, regulations, minutes, and interviews complete this series.
Like many of the previous series the administrative series reflects both the Bishop's personal and professional life. Subjects include: Southern Methodist University, Central College, Federal Council of Churches, American-Japanese relations, the Commission on Christian Unity, North Texas Annual Conference, Asian Methodism, and cornerstone dedications. Series five contains publications. The first section encompasses both local church and conference publications. This would include bulletins, programs, pamphlets, and postcards. Holt's involvement with award dinners, church services, Women's Society of Christian Service in Northwest Texas, youth rallies, liturgy, various heritage meetings, and special holidays/ celebrations such as Reformation Sunday are documented. The second section includes reprinted articles collected by Holt for research purposes. Subjects covered are sociology, morality, communications, fishing, economics, biographies, Catholicism, Protestantism, Italy, and the Bible.
Newspaper clippings make up the final section. Centering on the United States in general and more specifically Texas, topics include church traditions, political science, awards, Reformation Sunday, speaking announcements, spirituality, and church unity Series six contains biographical records. This series focuses on Holt's memoirs. Oral history transcripts, travel documents and a vita round out the record types. The seventh and final series is a general file. Postcards, poems, correspondence, and notes cover areas such as orders of worship, sermon topics, and Holt's publication: The Methodists of the World.
Holt, Ivan LeeThis 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.
Showers, John Balmer