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Sauer's correspondence, and the manuscript and supporting documents for his unpublished "Methodists in Korea," make up the bulk of the collection. These materials document Methodist Episcopal mission work during Sauer's tenure in Korea, including the evacuation of missionary personnel in 1940, and their return in 1945. This was a critical transition phase for the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) as they struggled for power and control during the heightened Japanese control over churches in Korea, and then rebuilt after the war. There is also considerable material covering state of missions and the KMC during the invasion of South Korea in 1950. Photographs and publications nicely supplement this part of the collection.

This collection includes personal papers, photographs, and personal items from the life and work of the Draper family. There are four photograph albums that have pictures of the Draper children, places the family lived in Asia, other missionary staff workers, and their students. There are photographs of students in China and Malaysia that show the schools and classes Charles Draper taught science and Mary Ethel Draper taught English. Also included are Charles E. Draper's higher education papers from when he attended Purdue University.

Ferrer was a key figure in Philippine Methodism. His professional interests were many and are reflected throughout this collection. Ferrer's correspondence covers a diversity of topics: episcopal matters which include the Filipino episcopal controversy in the early 1970s, responses to articles he had written, national and world events, Central Conference business, ministry, and ecumenism. Those in correspondence with Ferrer include government officials, district superintendents, bishops of The United Methodist Church, officers of the Philippine church, Church World Service workers, the Christian Century magazine, the Philippine Federation of Churches, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, as well as staff members of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church (U.S.). One folder contains bound correspondence. The minutes and reports reflect the work of the Filipino church on all levels. Here are the records from conference lay leaders, United Methodist Men (MACUMM), local clergy, district superintendents, annual conferences, College of Bishops, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, and other ecumenical organizations.

There are a number of supporting documents within the Administrative subseries that contain church statistics, a list of Filipino Crusade Scholars, resolutions, petitions, Judicial Council decisions, pastoral appointments to the local church, and other general administrative type records.

Manuscripts and addresses are next. Most of the manuscripts are one to two pages in length. Others are longer. Ferrer was a prolific writer and wrote about rural ministry, church autonomy, church history, memorials, biographies, spiritual care, sociology, autobiographies, and various levels of church administration. The content for the shorter manuscripts tends to reflect unpublished news releases and meditations. Some of the manuscripts were later used as addresses. Those records that are specifically identified as addresses are inclined to be episcopal in nature. The newsletters and bulletins cover not only Methodist work, but pan-denominational and social work within the Philippines as well. Publications and pamphlets contain souvenir books, histories, church administration, sociology, and study books.

Programs reflect Ferrer's pastoral duties, which included dedications, school programs, annual conferences, and installations. Another subseries within the collection are the scrapbooks. There are two of them. One is a remembrance book on the life of Gumersindo Garcia, a Filipino physician. The other contains clippings of Ferrer's newspaper articles. The final two subseries in this first series are Personal and Miscellaneous. The former contains a curriculum vitae, biographical sketch, and the Ferrer family genealogy. The latter embraces a clipping, curriculum vitae for Narciso Albarracin, a governmental minster of education, and a thank-you note from a group of visiting Methodists from the United States.

The second series contains manuscripts by various authors. The subjects are multi-faceted. Authors include: Restitute C. Basa, Isamu Chiba, Onofre G. Fonceca, Ezekias Gacutan, David T. Lara, Juan Naboong, M. Ellia Peter, and Victor Claveria Vinluan. A sampling of topics contained therein include information on the laity, ecclesiastical leadership, Protestantism in the Philippines, Filipino Methodism, annual conferences, schools, and ecumenical work.

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.

The Dorothy Nyland papers are comprised of writings, seminars, informational files, photographs, and correspondences, dating from 1935 to 2009. This collection reflects the passion of Nyland in her work for a better spirit among all creeds and races.

The largest part of the collection is correspondences, which can be found throughout most of the folders in the collection. The bulk of the correspondences (1937-1990) are arranged chronologically and can be found in two folders and a bound book of letters. The letters found in the bound book date to 1959 are letters of well wishes for the next step in her life after her departure from the Secretary of Student Work position with the Women’s Division of Christian Service. These letters are from coworkers, friends, and acquaintances she met through the position. The other letters in the two folders date from 1937 to 1990 and contain personal letters, ‘dear friends’ letters, and letters pertaining to general work. Some of these letters are addressed to both Dorothy and her sister, Gertrude. Other correspondences can be found in folders related to an individual, an event, or a trip.

The file folder dealing with her trip to Japan in 1935 include photographs, letters to friends and family, and pamphlets from the ship. There is another file about Japan , which contains personal letters from Yoshi Tokunaga, postcards, and photographs. It also contains clippings, pamphlets, and booklets about international relations and Methodist missions in Japan. The file dealing with her trip to the Conference in Amsterdam in 1939 includes correspondence and writings for the conference, as well as the 1979 Commemoration.

There are also files dedicated to an individual or family. These files include photographs, clippings, pamphlets, and personal letters sent to Nyland from the individual or family members. These individuals are Toyohiko Kagawa, Jameson Jones, Julius S. Scott Jr., Frank and Jean Tubban, Richard Deates, Dr. Benjamin Mays, A.J. Muste, and Theressa Hoover.

Additional files deal with Nyland’s work. A file of seminars she attended, created, and/or organized includes the programs of the “Christian Citizenship Seminar for Students” (first held at the United Nations in 1953) and the “Missionary Education among College Students” seminar. Included in this file are photographs, including two of Eleanor Roosevelt giving a lecture at the “Christian Citizenship Seminar for Students,” letters from parents and participants, and participant surveys. A file that contains her writings includes a copy of the program guide she wrote that accompanied the missionary education movement’s textbook, The Trumpet of the Prophecy by Richard Baker. Other files deal with course outlines, foreign relations, campus co-operatives, Chinese co-operatives, writings about world peace and race relations (especially in the United States). These files all contain clippings, photographs, pamphlets, and some letters.

This collection contains manuscripts, photographs, correspondence, notes, questionnaires, cemetery records, reports, college programs, and other sundry documents relating to the history of Westfield College in Westfield, Illinois. The college was started by the Methodist Episcopal Church. The manuscript is a mimeographed copy of the "History of Westfield College" written by Woodard in 1973. The photographs are black and white, and represent places and events related with the college history. A numbered list of these photographs is found at the end of the manuscript. The correspondence consists of letters written to and received from alumni of Westfield College or members of the Westfield community. All of the correspondence was generated while Woodard was researching the Westfield College history. Also included in this collection are questionnaires that Woodard sent out to gather information about the college, cemetery records, programs of Westfield college commencements and concerts, annual reports submitted by the college, deeds, and research notes.

The Papers of Edward Pearce and Lily Anderson Hayes are comprised of correspondence, journal entries, informational files, photographs, speeches, newspapers in both English and Chinese, and conference programs and journals, dating from 1916 to 1988. This collection reflects the Hayes’ passion in their mission work in China, as well as Edward Pearce Hayes' view on Communism and its perceived threat to the United States.

The largest part of the collection is correspondence. Edward Pearce Hayes signs his name as Pearce in his letters. The bulk of the correspondence (1938-1947) is letters from Edward Pearce Hayes in China to his wife and family residing in the United States. These letters recount his life in China. The letters discuss homesickness and difficulties due to lack of money, food, and clothing. They also allow for a glimpse into the uncertainty of life during war time, including rumors about the path of war, bombings, and government unrest. Once Lily rejoined him in China for the one hundredth anniversary of Methodism in China, they both sent letters to their family in the United States. These letters (1947-1950) inform family about daily life and how it had changed before, during, and after the communist takeover in China, which later produced the People’s Republic of China. These letters also discuss the ever changing prices in China, rumors about the happenings in cities and towns taken over by the Communists, information on the fate of other missionaries, reasons for staying in China longer, and the evacuation of other missionaries.

Another collection of correspondences pertain to Edward Pearce Hayes’ 1958 and 1961 trips for the then Methodist Church Board of Missions in New York. These letters, written to his wife, discuss his daily life, as well as give a glimpse into his thoughts on issues in Asia, Africa, and Berlin, as well as his thoughts on the state of the Methodist Church and mission issues.

The collection also includes Edward Pearce Hayes' letters and travel logs about his two trips abroad. In 1952, he traveled to South East Asia. This trip consisted of visiting Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Manila. In 1955, he traveled to other areas of South East Asia, India, and Malaysia. Both sets of letters and travel logs tell of his daily travels and encounters.

In addition to correspondence, the collection includes files containing biographical information written by the family about the lives of Edward Pearce and Lily. These files also include letters Edward Pearce wrote to friends and family over the years prior to 1938. There are also clippings of Edward Pearce's various speaking engagements, as well as numerous obituaries for both and a clipping about their Golden Anniversary. Other items of note found in the collection are notes written by Edward Pearce for his speeches, and some diary and journal entries from his trips abroad. There are also pamphlets and booklets from Methodist conferences Hayes attended, including a photograph of the 1947 Centennial Celebration of the Methodist Church taken at the China Central Conference, as well as four banners given to the Hayes' as parting gifts upon their departure from China in January 1950. There is a General Conference badge Edward Pearce received when attending the 1940 General Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Another item of note is a 1947 Chinese newspaper printed in Foochow, China, pertaining to the one hundredth anniversary of Methodism in China.

While this collection is primarily in English, there are a few items that are in Chinese. The banners are in Chinese, with translations included. There is a document with his name written in Chinese. This includes a YMCA membership certificate from Foochow. The 1947 newspaper pertaining to the one hundredth anniversary of Methodism in China is printed in Chinese as well.

This collection contains sermons, manuscripts, correspondence, and biographical material on Elmer Edwin Burtner. The largest part of this collection is sermons which document his ministerial career as a Congregationalist and a Church of the United Brethren in Christ pastor. There are approximately 375 sermons. Most are not dated. The sermons have been grouped by text reference, topic, title, and fragments. Topics that Burtner addressed in his sermons included the Bible, Christians in the world, church work and the nature and criticisms of, communion and Christmas, evangelism, missions, education, youth, interchurch relations, the ministry, pastoral subjects, temperance and prohibition, and World War I. The sermons on the Bible were preached at the College Church in Westerville, Ohio, during the fundamentalist controversy of 1921-1922. They attracted widespread attention in the church.

There are five manuscripts written by Burtner on religious topics. "The Immanence of God" is 112 handwritten pages. "The Problem of Evil" is seventy-one typed pages. Both papers may have been written by Burtner while he was attending school. He also took continuing education classes with N. E. Cornetet at Otterbein College. Burtner wrote three papers for these classes. The topics of these papers are Gideon, Nehemiah, and Hebrews.

The correspondence contains a single letter written in 1914 on prohibition. It is addressed to the "Congregationalist" and discusses the prohibition views of Dr. Washington Gladden. This letter is decidedly for prohibition and against liquor trafficking.

The biographical materials include a marriage certificate, a memorial tribute, and a family photograph. The marriage certificate is from his 1910 marriage to Maude Truxall. The memorial tribute entitled, "Memorial to a Man of God," is sixty pages and contains biographical information, testimonials to his life and work, and sermons by Burtner. It was prepared by a committee of the Wagoner Memorial Bible Class of the United Brethren Church in Westerville, Ohio. Finally, there is a black and white photograph of Burtner and his three brothers, Otto, Weldon, and Luther.

This collection contains church publications, correspondence, images, newspaper clippings, publications, and sermons from Elmer Elmsworth Higley’s ministry work.

Most of the information within the documents are from the early 1900s-1951 and are related to his work as a Methodist Episcopal preacher. A majority of the images within this collection are of the churches Higley served.

This collection also contains two of his authored publications, and several newspaper clippings acknowledging Higley’s death.

This collection contains eight journals of Ethel Suzy Weisz Withers, dating from April 1958 through May 1984. These entries include records of baptisms, weddings, deaths, church attendance, and church membership. Daily entries also include a list of Ethel’s daily calls, hospital visitations, attendance at conferences, and various personal appointments. The first entries in 1958 serve as a simple log of Ethel’s daily commitments but over time the entries become more detailed and an image comes together of Ethel’s personal opinions and experiences. Some journals also contain itemized lists of church related expenses and record of the Withers’ monthly income.

Journal 1: Entries range from April 3, 1958 to September 4, 1963. In 1959, Ethel’s journal entries begin to be more discursive. The 1960 entries become more regular compared to the sporadic entries from 1958 and give a greater sense of Ethel’s daily tasks and domestic life. During her vacations, Ethel typically suspends her record, such as her entry for her 1962 “Trip to the West” from July 2 to September 3 which merely provides a list of the states they crossed. The journal then resumes on September 4. The entry for September 30, 1961 is followed by a page blank on one side and then seven pages of entries ranging from April 1958 through September 1959. These pages contain entries of various church related expenses. Regular journal entries resume on October 1, 1961. Another gap in entries occurs between June 24, 1963 and August 15, 1963.

Journal 2: Entries range from March 1, 1964 to March 31, 1968. It is notable that Ethel’s entries become more extensive as she inserts more of her personal opinions into the text, using more descriptive adjectives, and thus providing a rich level of detail largely absent from her previous journal. There are several gaps in entries in this journal. First, from July 29 through July 22, 1964 with the note “See Trip Book.” Second, from September 27 through October 2, 1964 with the note “Our trip to New Hampshire.” Third, from July 12 through August 4, 1965, with the note “See Travel Logue.” Fourth, from July 6, 1967 until August 28, 1967. Fifth, there is a one year gap in entries from April 19, 1966 to April 13, 1967. The intermediary pages contain the Withers’ income records from August 1966 through March 1968 and expenses from October 1966 through May 1968. This journal also includes a 1967 Hallmark Date Book.

Journal 3: Entries range from April 1, 1968 to June 30, 1969. The last pages of this journal contain itemized lists of the Withers' earnings in October 1968.

Journal 4: Entries range from July 1, 1969 to December 31, 1971. A loose page inserted into the front of this journal contains a chart titled “1968 Income Tax Details” containing a breakdown of the Withers’ financial information including income and various itemized expenses. The last pages of this journal include lists of the Withers’ income in 1969, 1970 and 1971 with separated data for Robert and Ethel.

Journal 5: Entries range from January 1, 1971 to December 31, 1974. The last pages of this journal include lists of the Withers’ income in 1972 through 1974 with separated data for Robert and Ethel. The last page of this journal also includes a record of a property sale in 1972.

Journal 6: Entries range from November 1, 1977 to September 30, 1979. Ethel writes very detailed entries in February and March of 1979 concerning Robert’s declining health until his death on March 12 at age 85. The final pages of this journal contain income records from 1978-1979.

There are also several letters included in this journal which are located in the folder following the journal. Typed Letter from Dwight M. Bittner, Treasurer for the Western Pennsylvania Conference, dated March 23, 1979, expressing condolences, ensures Ethel that she will continue to receive health insurance coverage, and encloses a check for the Death Benefit Program. Typed Letter from Robert C. Hicks of the Presbyterian Ministers’ Fund dated April 5, 1979, concerning the “Death Claim-Robert Blackwood Withers” and enclosing a check in full settlement of all claims. Typed Letter from Vernon A. Sladek of the General Board of Pensions, dated May 24, 1979, explaining the details of Robert’s monthly pension and policy for reporting income for tax purposes.

Journal 7: Entries range from October 1, 1979 to December 29, 1981. The entries from October 13 through 28, 1979 describe Ethel’s travels in the south of England including visits to London, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, and Cambridge. There is a gap in entries between February 4 and March 24, 1981 with the note, “February 5 to March 23 in Travel Book.” There is a second gap in entries between July 20 and September 1, 1981. The last page of this journal details Ethel’s income from October 1979 through April 1980.

Journal 8: Entries range from August 1, 1983 to May 16, 1984. Journal entries cease rather abruptly on May 16. In her entry on May 14, Ethel mentions that she is packing and explains that a load has already been moved. She became a resident at Brooks-Howell on October 2, 1984.