volume 11 , no.1 winter 2013 forever...
TRANSCRIPT
Volume 11 , No.1 Winter 2013
Forever Free The current exhibit at the Historical Society is For-ever Free: American Baptist Home Missions in the Vanguard of Liberty. Related to historical com-memorations planned for the June Biennial Con-vention of American Baptist Churches-USA meet-ing in Overland Park, Kansas, For-ever Free shows the role of the Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) follow-ing the Emancipa-tion Proclamation of January 1863. Freedom was already on the minds of African Americans 150 years ago, as word of President Lin-coln’s Emancipa-tion Proclamation of January 1st reached more and more slaves in the Confedera-cy. How that notion of freedom translated into reality was something negotiated by white and black leaders. Among the leaders of this freedom move-ment were missionaries Joanna P. Moore, Solo-mon Peck, and Isaac Brinckerhoff, each of whom rushed to the aid of “contraband”--the slaves who, during the war, stole themselves and ran to Union lines. Much like the “contraband” who stole themselves to freedom by passing through enemy lines, Moore and Peck stole into a war
zone to volunteer their aid in teaching, preaching, and relief work—even before the ABHMS could move to appoint missionaries among the newly freed people. These home missionaries the Ameri-can Baptist Home Mission Society later affirmed with official appointments.
A (very) young Moore began as a relief worker, teach-ing literacy to for-mer slaves. She ar-gued against those afraid of extending freedom to their “black brothers,” whom she pictured as reasonable in wanting to be “free, like other men, free to vote, to hold of-fice, enter public places, stay in any hotel, eat at any lunch house, ride on any street cars, sit in
waiting rooms, worship in any church” (In Christ’s Stead). An older, well-seasoned minister, Solomon Peck also went South to aid former slaves in coastal Carolina. There he organized Sunday Schools and preaching services and advocated government land grants for the newly freed. Isaac Brinckerhoff went to Charleston and Savannah, preaching, teaching, and working with the gov-ernment to write and distribute scripture por-tions and pamphlets for the freed African Ameri-cans.
Continued on page 2
Photo of Joanna P. Moore’s school from her book, In Christ’s Stead.
2
The American Baptist Home Mission Socie-ties provided support for dozens more teachers as well as for 26 different institutions. These includ-ed Morehouse and Spelman Colleges, both of which prepared leaders for service as missionar-ies, teachers, and ministers.
Other Anniversaries Another historical emphasis at the biennial will be the 325th anniversary of First Baptist Church, Providence, RI, founded by Roger Wil-liams in support of religious liberty for those who differed from Congregational views. Also to be celebrated will be the bicenten-nial of Adoniram and Ann Judson’s arrival in Burma (Myanmar) and the subsequent organizing of a national body of Baptists in America in sup-port of that mission. The ABHS breakfast will highlight these anniversaries by comparing the mission in Burma with the mission to former slaves. More about these biennial meetings is available at the convention website, www.americanbaptists2013.com.
Younger Award Portfolios Due May 1st
The George D. Younger Award for Excellence in
Local or Regional American Baptist History will
be announced during the 2013 Biennial Conven-
tion in Overland Park, Kansas.
Deadline for submission is May 1, 2013,
and guidelines for nominees are available from
the Historical Society by phone 678-547-6680,
email [email protected], or on our website at
www.abhsarchives.org.
Projects eligible for nomination include
church anniversary celebrations, congregational
or regional histories, oral history projects, or other
historical programs that promote Baptist history
in the local community or region.
The judges look for evidence of the impact
on the targeted audience,
with special consideration
given for projects with out-
reach beyond the immediate
Baptist community.
George D. Younger
(1926-2001) was an histori-
an, minister, ecumenical
leader, and lifelong enthusi-
ast for Baptist histo-
ry. Along with his parish
and regional ministry in
New York City and New
Jersey, he served as editor-in
-chief of the ABHS journal, Foundations
(predecessor to the American Baptist Quarterly);
represented the Baptist World Alliance at the
United Nations; and taught Baptist history and
polity at Princeton Theological Seminary, New
Brunswick Theological Seminary, Drew Theologi-
cal School, and Union Theological Seminary.
Dr. Younger stressed the importance of
Baptist history and principles. Seeking to honor
his achievement and to continue his legacy of en-
couraging others to share their own part in Bap-
tist history, the Historical Society created the
George D. Younger Award in 2004.
Church Historian, Rev. Neil Jones, Lower Provi-dence Baptist Church , Eagleville, PA, accepted the Younger Award in 2011.
“Old Union troop barracks where classes were held in the early days of Spelman College, Atlanta, GA” From An Era of Pro-gress and Promise edited by W. N. Hartshorn, page 77.
Forever Free Continued from page 1
3
Thanks for Your Generosity
The American Baptist Historical Society thanks all those listed below for their generosity in 2012 to-wards our ministry of memory. Thanks also to the many who supported this vital mission of preserv-ing and sharing Baptist history with smaller amounts throughout the year. “Without those friends, we would not be able to preserve and share Baptist history with researchers from around the world,” said Executive Director Dr. Deborah B. Van Broekhoven. Every gift is important. We understand the de-mands on everyone’s budget, and we know that every dollar represents your conviction that Baptist history matters!”
GOLD: $1000-$5000
Garth & Karen Brokaw
John Carter, Colgate University John Douhan Shirley Fair
Lester & Pearl Gardner Louise Johnson
Tom & Gail Litwiler T. J. Litwiler
Oakhurst Baptist Church, Decatur, GA Peoples Baptist Church, Boston, MA
Wesley Roberts San Leandro Community Church,
San Leandro, CA Dayle Scott
Norman & Carolyn Taylor Dodie Younger
Harold & Deborah Van Broekhoven
SILVER: $500-$999 Jim & Ginny Beck
Kent Berghuis Adam Bond
Brewster Baptist Church, Brewster, MA Allen & Beverly Carlson
Charles & Barbara Chicks Andy & Beverly Davison Ralph & Virginia Elliott
First Baptist Church, Dayton, OH First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco, CA
Vernette Fulop Leroy & Sharon Gilbert Everett & Jane Goodwin
David Laubach
Ken & Genevieve Peterson William & Ruth Pitts
Joe & Jane Stoner
Bronze: $100-$499 Jan Ballard
Louis Barbarin Ron Barlow
Wayne & Alice Bartee Bill & Gloria Belli
Stephen & Myra Bingham Timothy T. Boddie
Frederick J. Boehlke, Jr. Anthea D. Butler
Calvary Baptist Church, Norristown, PA Alan Chandler
Vernon Chartier Pamela L. Claassen
Ruth Cramer George & Liz Daniels
Delores Davis James & Edith Davison Marty & Tracy Dexter
Donald & Dorcas Diaz-Shaner Ken & Sally Dodgson
Jake Dorn Carlisle Driggers
Blaine & Joy Dunn Marilyn Emerson
James & Martha Fairfield Sharon Farral
Robert & Laurena Fisher Geraldine Forbes Marlene Francis
Ruth Gates Ken George
4
BRONZE: $100—$499
(Continued)
Melva Gray George Grisevich
Haddock Baptist Church, Haddock, GA Stephen Handy
Rick & Anne Harris Audrey Hexdall
Henry & Lynda Hosek Robert & Patricia Holmen
Eric & Virginia Holmstrom Heidi Holmstrom
Mitch Homma Jerry Hopkins
Dick Huber Bob Hudson Rosa James
Neil & Ruth Jones Margaret Jump Richard Kahoe
Lloyd & Betty Kenyon William & Gail Key
Jean Kim Lake Ave Memorial Baptist Church,
Rochester, NY Glenn Loafmann
Lower Providence Baptist Church, Eagleville, PA Bobby Lovett
Jim & Betty Layton Bill & Mary Beth Mankin
Market Street Baptist Church, Zanesville, OH Carl Marquette, Jr. Trinette McCray
Roy & Pat Medley Henry Mitchell Carole Moore
Harry & Dot Moore Eric Ohlmann
Spencer Parsons Zelma Payne
Pennepack Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA Dick & Charlene Pierard
David Plath Jack Preston
Primera Iglesia Bautista de Rio Piedras, San Juan, PR
Don & Ginny Rasmussen Ron & Pat Schlosser
Mac & LaVerne Shotwell Ray Schooler
Bob & Pearl Seymour Tai Shigaki
Vergie Spiker David & Frances Stone David & Beth Sullivan
Carol Sutton Olive Tiller
Joan Thatcher Eugene & Mary Ellen Ton George & Connie Tooze
Dorothy Trasker Jim & Sue Trent Roger Velasquez
Dick & Carol Visser Chuck & Linda Weber John & Penny Webster
Gary & Shirley Wall Lee Westrate
Package from India
New materials for the collections arrive daily. This pack-age from India contained programs created for the 75th an-niversary celebration last November of the Sarah E. White Memorial Hostel in Guwahati, India. Included was a thank you from Mrs. Bendangla Jamir, Chaplain and Su-perintendent of this hostel work for women. Mrs. Ben-dangla used documents supplied by ABHS from the Board
of International Ministries’ biographical file on missionary Marion Grace Burn-ham (service 1937-49; 1953-1958) to provide more history of the hostel, a “home away from home” for women attending school in Guwahati. The program will be added to the Society’s research collections.
5
From the Archives
This rare pamphlet, Schools for Colored Preachers (1870), promotes giv-ing in support of education for freed people. Pages reproduced here encouraged small gifts in support of individual students and larger gifts for institutional support. This pamphlet is one of several ABHS holdings about education for freed people as necessary for real eman-cipation. Other pamphlets served as catechisms, manuals, and text-books for students recently liberated from slavery. Schools for Colored Preachers answers critics of education for “colored” by stressing the Christian, “not sectional” nature of the instruction and quoting South-ern white pastors. Leading Richmond pastor Dr. W. A. Montgomery is quoted as advocating “elevation of the Freedman” as a mission, and a mission which might facilitate reconciliation of Northern and Southern Baptists.
6
Post this page on your bulletin board. And when you use information from “From the Archives” remember to give credit to the American Baptist Historical Society.
More pages from School for Colored Preachers.
7
Wish List
Equipment that will make it easier for researchers to work with the collection and for staff to work with researchers and process new collections:
PastPerfect Cataloguing Software Upgrade $515 Laptop computers: Three needed, loaded with Windows 7 professional software. $1500 each Café Chair: For researchers checking databases on the reading room computer. $150 Summer Processing Intern: To assist with pro-cessing archival and photograph collections. $3000 Reading Room Lamps: Four needed. $100 each Reading Room Chairs: For conference table (8 chairs). $2400 Shelving: Units needed for processing. $500 - $3000 The following items will allow ABHS to expand our edu-cational program: Exhibit Cases: From vitrines and stands to fine se-cure exhibit cabinetry for use in the atrium outside the ABHS office. $100 - $50,000 Baptist Heroes Coloring Book: Update and repub-lish this popular ABHS publication. $5000 Photograph Display System: Permanent wall track system for displaying enlarged collections photo-graphs in the reading room. Cost includes first ex-hibit. $3000 Museum gallery protective posts and belts. $100
CONTACT US E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.abhsarchives.org www.judson200.org Phone: 678/547-6680 Research appointments, collection donations, reference desk, general questions Phone: 610/768-2269 ABHS donations, Ameri-can Baptist Quarterly subscriptions Mail: 3001 Mercer University Drive, Atlanta, GA 30341 Physical Address: 2930 Flowers Road South, Suite 150, Atlanta, GA 30341
Yes! I/We believe in a Ministry of Memory and
enclose a gift of $_______ to support the Ameri-can Baptist Historical Society ABHS general fund Subscribe to American Baptist Quarterly $50___ 1 yr; $90_____ 2 yrs; $130 _____3 yrsCharge to my Visa MasterCard
Acct # _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _
Exp. Date: ____/_______ Security code_____
Make checks payable to ABHS; and mail with this form to ABHS, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851 Questions? Call Kay Eland at 610/768-2269. Please Print
Name______________________________________
Address_____________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Telephone___________________________________
Email_______________________________________
Or give on-line: Click on ‘Donate Now’ at www.abhsarchives.org.
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
PAID Southeastern, PA
Permit No. 167
PRIMARY SOURCE
American Baptist Historical Society P.O. Box 851 Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
INSIDE
Thanks to our many
friends, and donors
The next issue of Primary Source will give high-lights of the January tour to Burma led by Deb-orah Van Broekhoven and Rosalie Hunt. Imag-es from this tour, which visited many Judson-related sites and churches, can be seen on the website www. Judson200.org.
Biennial Breakfast “Freedom & Mission”
Sunday, June 23, 7:45 a.m. Overland KS, Convention Center
Commemorating the bicentennial of the
Judsons’ arrival in Burma and the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proc-lamation, Dr. Deborah Van Broekhoven will compare foreign missions in Burma and home missions among the newly freed people. Tickets are $17 and may be
reserved by calling ABHS at 678-547-6680 or by registering at the Mission Summit/Biennial website www.americanbaptists2013.com.
Tour group poses in front of the Judson Memorial Church with the pastor Saw Seelah. The church is at Aungbinle, site of the second Judson prison.