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Archival description
Arthur R. Clippinger Papers
US NjMdUMCG 2673 · Collection · 1904-1949

The collection contains papers which document the personal and professional activities of Arthur R. Clippinger. Included in this collection are diaries, correspondence, General Conference materials, information about the first assembly of the World Council of Churches, programs, and brief biographical material.

There are ten diaries in this collection. They are dated 1904-1935. The years 1906-1908 are missing. Entries in these diaries are only a few lines and discuss daily events, church activities, and weather conditions. Expense records are often found in the back of these books.

The correspondence in this collection is dated 1928-1946 and relates to Clippinger's professional work as a bishop, specifically the 1929 General Conference. All but a few of the letters are addressed to him.

Materials related to General Conference include two undated delegate election ballots. Clippinger's name and the number of votes he received appear on both. There is also a complete list of delegates to the General Conference, but this is undated. Other items on General Conference include a conference program from 1925, a Quadrennial Report prepared by Clippinger in 1925, the 1925 Quadrennial Report of the Board of Administration, a list of committees for the 1933 conference, and the 1933 Quadrennial Address by the Bishops.

One folder contains material on the first assembly of the World Council of Churches. This meeting was held in Amsterdam, Holland, from August 22 to September 4, 1948. Clippinger was a delegate to this assembly. Items from this meeting include a report of the delegates, and notes and personal impressions on the conference. On February 8, 1949, Clippinger presented a speech at the International Council of Religious Education in Columbus, Ohio, about the World Council of Churches meeting in Amsterdam, and this speech is included in his papers.

There are two programs in this collection. One is from the Joint Meeting of the Councils of Administration of the Central Area of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. This was held in February 1924 in Westerville, Ohio. Clippinger was the chairman of this meeting. The other program is from the Third Annual Session of the Central District Conference, a meeting held in December 1940 in Bowling Green, Ohio. Clippinger was the presiding officer of this meeting.

The remaining material consists of an undated list of delegates and alternates from the Southeast Ohio Conference of the United Brethren Church and a few biographical items. The biographical material is an obituary of Harriet R. Clippinger, Arthur's mother who died in 1917; a 1919 announcement of the birth of John Arthur Clippinger, a son of Arthur; and fraternal greetings signed by Clippinger on behalf of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

Clippinger, Arthur R.
US NjMdUMCG 594 · Collection · 1863-1941

This 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 Bayard
US NjMdUMCG 668 · Collection · 1934-1968

The papers consist of clippings, published transcripts, typed transcripts, reports, correspondence, memoranda, publications, and pamphlets pertaining to the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church. Additional extensive material relates to Bishop Oxnam's hearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities, as well as the Committee on Inter-Jurisdictional Relations.

The first series is comprised of correspondence, the bulk of which relates to the Inter-Jurisdictional Commission of the Methodist Church. The work focused on the dissolution of the Central Jurisdiction and the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Churches. Some of this correspondence is of minor importance, but much of it reflects opinion and counter opinion and proposals growing out of the subjects under consideration.

The second series is the major part of the collection and includes all the substantive minutes, reports, and legislative proposals which emerged from the work of the Commission on Inter-Jurisdictional Relations. This material is international in scope.

The third series is a two volume collection of Parlin’s speeches and addresses given to churches, schools, universities and business groups. These volumes have been dissembled and organized in chronological order.

The fourth series is biographical in nature in so far as it includes articles, clippings, and statements reflecting Parlin's wide and varied projects and interests.

The fifth series is a Book of Remembrance from the Drew University Collection. These letters and statements of appreciation honor Parlin's achievements and contributions to the life of the church.

The sixth series is a substantial collection of articles, clippings and most importantly working documents regarding the hearings of Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam before the U.S. House Un-American Activities. Parlin served as Oxnam’s counsel and strategist at these hearings.

Parlin, Charles Coolidge
US NjMdUMCG 4211 · Collection · 1863- 1963

This collection consists of three scrapbooks filled primarily with clippings from The Religious Telescope, a church newspaper of the United Brethren Church, and from assorted newspapers. These were compiled by C. I. B. Brane while he was active as the Washington correspondent for the magazine and the popular pastor of the Washington, D.C. United Brethren Church. The clippings are a rich resource for both religious and secular history in the latter years of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. In addition there are several letters and an address on the pioneers' history of the United Brethren Church written by Brane.

Brane, Commodore Ira Berton
Elmer T. Clark Papers
US NjMdUMCG 554 · Collection · 1938-1966

The Elmer T. Clark Collection reflects Clark's work as a writer, editor, and church historian. Record types include essays, articles, manuscripts for books, correspondence, and a collection of promotional materials -- posters, pamphlets, booklets -- for the Missionary Centenary in 1918. A few personal records, such as correspondence and wills, and an audiotape of an interview between Clark's wife, Mary Alva Clark, and Ellen Lasely are included as well. The Essays and Articles series contains a subseries of addresses delivered by various speakers at the Aldersgate Session of the General Missionary Council, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1938. Clark and the other editors on the Journal and Letters of Francis Asbury publishing project corresponded with several outside researchers. That correspondence is included in the collection.

Clark, Elmer Talmage
US NjMdUMCG 2328 · Collection · 1897-1942

This collection contains sermons, notes, news clippings, articles, speeches, and photographs which document the ministerial career of I. F. Bergstresser. The bulk of this collection is comprised of sermons. A few sermons are in German. Articles Bergstressed used in preparing the sermons are included. Topics in his sermons include temperance, patriotism, Labor Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Rally Days, Sunday School, and missions. In addition, there are several funeral sermons including those given on the deaths of Matilda A. Yeager, Lewis D. Krause, Louise E. Wentz, and Mrs. Wesley Bowman. Some of the addresses Bergstresser gave while he was a minister are included in this collection. Other items in this collection are mission materials (including two booklets by Walter Haller), a book on the first commemorative historical marker in the Evangelical Church, religious tracts, and a pastor's funeral book. There are also several large black and white panoramic photographs of conference meetings and conventions held in the Evangelical Church.

Bergstresser, Ira Franklin
Jacob Hartzler Collection
US NjMdUMCG 745 · Collection · 1881-1888

This collection contains material from Hartzler's years in Japan. Included are sermons and sermon notes, a journal of sermons, speeches, and cultural/social/historical observations of Japan, a handwritten book in Japanese script with drawings, and two ledgers used for translation notes. Some of the sermon notes were found in Broadus " Commentary on Matthew," which was in Hartzler's library. There is an oversized photograph which includes Hartzler, his wife and Japanese women.

Hartzler, Jacob
Jeremiah S. Fitterer Papers
US NjMdUMCG 2672 · Collection · 1892-1909

The Jeremiah S. Fitterer Papers contain sermons, addresses, record books, clippings, and correspondence. The bulk of this collection is comprised of approximately 900 sermons which document the preaching career of Fitterer.

The remainder of the papers contains four addresses, two record books, clippings related to topics on which Fitterer preached, and a stewardship appeal. Sermons make up the largest part of this collection, and most are undated. Those with dates also usually contain references to the location where the sermon was preached. A few sermons are in German. Most of the sermons, written on small sheets of paper or note cards, have been grouped by books of the Bible. However, there are three small books of bound sermons and sermonettes.

In addition, there are nine small booklets of sermons on specific topics, including children, the church, Christians, the conference year, missions, tithing, revivals, the Sabbath, temperance, and education. One folder contains incomplete sermons and fragments. Fitterer used many illustrations and examples in his sermons. One folder contains a small book of illustrations. Another folder contains small pieces of paper with notations and inspirational references on them.

The collection contains an index to fifty of the sermons. This index contains a short title and a text reference. Four addresses are contained in this collection. The addresses are titled, "Decision Day," "Before the Liquor League of Ohio," "G.A.R. Memorial Service," and "Socialism." The G.A.R. address was presented at Bettsville, Ohio, in 1904. The address on socialism was given to the Mt. Cory Reunion in 1909. The other two addresses are undated.

Two record books are part of these papers. One is a 1892 pastoral record book which contains a text reference to the sermon preached on Sunday, notations on weather throughout the week, and lists of visitations. At the back of this book, there is a list of expenses. A second record book is an account book from 1892-1893. Dozens of clippings Fitterer accumulated on topics of importance to him are contained in this collection. Many were used in preparation of his sermons, and some were incorporated into them. These clippings are on a variety of topics including temperance, missions, tithing, and the religious aspects of dancing. The clippings are in the form of short articles, poems, and inspirational thoughts. They have been photocopied from the originals due to deterioration. Most have no reference to date or to the newspaper or periodical from which they were taken. The last item in this collection is an undated letter on the topic of stewardship. It is a handwritten form letter from the Board of Officials of the Evangelical Church to church members regarding financial contributions to the church.

Fitterer, Jeremiah S.
John Gracey Collection
US NjMdUMCG 4574 · Collection · 1814-1924

A great deal of the work, biography, and family life of John Talbot Gracey is contained in this document. Gracey wrote a great deal of sermons in his life, many of which exist in this document. Some of these are completely written out, while some are still in outline form. Also included are many newspaper and magazine articles written by Gracey about various aspects of his life. There are articles about mission work, about other religions, and about his own Christian faith. The majority of these would have been published in a Christian newspaper or magazine, such as The Methodist.

Much of Gracey's missionary life is documented, from articles written about his experiences to notes he took while on different mission trips, to photographs of mission work. Gracey had many journals, some of which can be found in this collection.

As for his biography and family life, there are correspondences between Gracey and different members of his family. Some of his wife's writings are included in this collection, as well as responses to her work. Also included is information about his daughter Ida's missionary work in China. An interesting thing to note is the copy of marriage licenses from his wife Annie's father during his pastorate. This provides a bit of family history for the Gracey household.

Gracey, John Talbot
Lewis Davis Papers
US NjMdUMCG 642 · Collection · Undated

The Lewis Davis Papers contain addresses, short writings, and a biographical manuscript on the life of David Edwards. The bulk of the collection is the manuscript on Edwards which can be found in draft and galley proof form. The addresses were given by Davis during his years of teaching and serving as college president. Some of the addresses are graduation speeches. None of the material in this collection contains dates.

Davis, Lewis