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.

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.

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.