The bulk of the three hundred and fifty-one folders in this collection are placed in the Study of the Parish System series. In the mid-1960's, the Council of Bishops asked Bishop Garrison to do a comprehensive study on how to restructure the parish ministry to meet the rapid changes in both society and United Methodism. Here we find all the records of Garrison’s study which still influences parish ministry into the early 21st century. The researcher will be surprised at the efficiency and scope Garrison brought to the task. By the early to mid-1970's Garrison wound down his research and presented his findings to the Council of Bishops. The Episcopal series documents Bishop Garrison’s work as administrative head for both the Dakotas and Indian areas. Besides illuminating his bishopric work amongst the annual conferences within the appropriate episcopal geographic boundaries, there are other records on important topics facing the larger denomination as well. A number of audio CD’s created from reel-to-reel tapes record meetings and ordination services that Garrison took part in during his episcopal tenure. The Ministry series covers his professional life prior to his episcopal election. One will find sermons, overseas trips, vital church records where he served and other kinds of materials related to local church ministries. Lastly, is the Education series which centers on higher education. Degrees, earned or honorary, are located in various folders. Correspondence makes up the rest of the series which includes notable figures in church and political circles.

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.

The diaries of Rev. Frederick Krecker cover a span of almost fifty years (1838-1888). There are twenty-five (25) individual volumes. The reveal in a very personal manner the lifetime experiences of an itinerant evangelical preacher in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. Among the topics discussed are the conversion numbers of prospective new members to his congregations; a highly detailed record of the seasonal weather paterns; a recounting of the challenges in traveling from one samll town to another on very basic roads in the worst of weather conditions, as well as a heartfelt description of the uttler loneliness he must cope with in his service to God.

The earliest volumes in these journals were written in German, but Krecker switched to English when his wife, Isabella, complained to him that she could not read German, their native language, well enough to comprehend his writings. The English use started in the sixth volume in 1848.

The diaries of Krecker record the ordinary work of an itinerant preacher who pastors to his congregations and the experiences of life in mid 19th century Pennsylvania in a way not too dissimilar to many of his contemporaries.