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.

This collection deals with the elimination of the Central Jurisdiction, the all-black, non-geographic jurisdiction created by the Plan of Union in 1939. Many African-American Methodists protested in 1940 against the Plan of Union because it divided the jurisdiction on racial lines.

The collection consists of printed documents related to the elimination of the Central Jurisdiction including: Cincinnati Exploratory Meeting (May 26- 28, 1962); Report of the Central Jurisdiction Study and Research Committee; An Approach to the Central Jurisdiction Problem of the Methodist Church, Pre-Conference Reflections of the Jurisdictional Problem of the Methodist Church; Summary of Proposals Regarding the Central Jurisdiction; Program and Procedures for Abolishing the Central Jurisdiction; Proposed Solution to the Central Jurisdiction Problem; Proposals Suggested for Consideration by the Special Exploratory Conference of the Central Jurisdiction; The Problem of the Central Jurisdiction and the Methodist Church; Plan for Completing the Elimination of the Central Jurisdiction; Basic Premises and Responsibility of the Central Jurisdiction Study Committee; Central Jurisdiction Exploratory Meeting (March 26-28, 1962; Introductory Statement; Study document on Realignment of the Central Jurisdiction; Creative Pursuit of an Inclusive Church; Letters of transmittal (1964).

The papers contains file folders on various places, organizations, and people Ralph T. Templin associated with during his missions. There are five files while he was at Central State University. Eight files directly related with missionary work in India but there are a number of others also pertaining to the India Missions. Eight files on the Puerto Rican independence nationalist movement which Ralph Templin strongly supported. There are various amounts on information pertaining to the Peacemaker movement and a number of files on personal correspondence. The other folders are manuscripts and published works. Some files contain photographs and newspaper clippings. The last box of the collection contains three large copies of Templin's, "Farewell Address" at Clancey High School. Two of the copies are in English and the final copy is in Sanskrit.