Discipliana Vol-06-Nos-1-4-April-1946-January-1947
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Disciples of Christ Historical Society Digital Commons @ Disciples History Discipliana - Archival Issues 1946 Discipliana Vol-06-Nos-1-4-April-1946-January-1947 Claude E. Spencer Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.discipleshistory.org/discipliana Part of the Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, History of Religion Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons, and the United States History Commons DISCIPLIANA Published quarterly hy The Disciples of Christ Historical Society, Canton, Missouri Entered as Second Class Matter April 26, 1944, at the Postoffice at Canton, Missouri, under Act of August 24, 1912. VOL. 6 APRIL, 1946 NO. 1 Facsimile of half of the first page of the deed John Brown gave to his son-in-law, Alexander Campbell, in 1815, to keep him from helping found a religious colony in Ohio. r=z.·~IC: • 13197 2 DISCIPLIANA, APRIL 1946 SOCIETY SECURES JOHN BROWN DEED had started a religious colony in Ohio. Gift of Oakland Church Group That John Brown's deed had a great influence on the early development of the Disciples no one can doubt. ' Through the generosity of the Adult The deeds were purchased from Mrs. Bible Class of the First Christian Julian T. Barclay of Bethany West Vir- Church of Oakland, California, the So- ginia. Mrs. Barclay was M~ry Camp- ciety has been able to purchase the origi- bell Magary, a great-granddaughter 'of nal deed to the farm land given by John Alexander Campbell. Her mother Vir- Brown to his son-in-law, Alexander ginia, the eldest daughter of Ale~ander Campbell, in 1815. A second deed to 130 Campbell, Jr., married W. H. Magary of acres dated 1820, given by Brown and Australia. his wife to Campbell for a consideration of $1,360, was also secured. The grandfathers of Mr. Barclay were Alexander Campbell and James T. Bar- These deeds are indicative of a dra- clay, the Disciples' first missionary. His matic story. In 1814 the members of the mother was Decima Campbell tenth Brush Run Church were dissatisfied child of Alexander Campbell. ' with the community in which they lived and were ready to move in a body to a Mrs. Roscoe A. Meredith is president better location where they could be of the S'unday School class which made closer together and have their own school possible the securing of the deeds. Mrs. for the education of their children. Then, George Read is the treasurer. The co- too, they would not find serious opposi- teachers of the cla~s at the time when tion to their religious views in a newer, inteerst was aroused in the project were less settled community. W. P. Reagor, the pastor of the church, and J. Edward Moseley the president of A committee, of which Alexander the Society. ' Campbell was a member, was appointed to seek a suitable place. Two months later the committee in a detailed written PHOTO-COPY OUTFIT report recommended that a site near Zanesvilie, Ohio, seemed to have all the PURCHASED desired advantages. The church unani- mously resolved that the report be ac- With the purchase of equipment for cepted and that the removal should take making photo-copies of letters manu- place as soon as the members could indi- scripts, clippings, and other pri~ted ma- vidually make the necessary arrange- terials the Society has widened its scope of service to its members and to the ments. brotherhood. When Campbell began to make prep- arations to move, the opposition of his :r'he outfit consists of a copying ma- father-in-law was encountered. Mr. chme, dryer, trays, chemicals and paper Brown did not want his daughter to was purchased late in January and the move so great a distance from home and Curator has been making copies of vari- he proposed to give Alexander three ous items i~ order to learn how to oper- hundred acres of land, including the ate t~e eqUIpment most efficiently. By house, if he would remain on the farm. the tIme thIs goes to press, work will Campbell accepted and the expected mi- have been done by some of our "members. gration, without his leadership, fell The purchase of this much-needed out- through. fit was made possible by gifts received John Brown's gift enabled Campbell to from W. P. Harman, George Cherry- become a wealthy man, financially ,inde- homes, J. Edward Moseley The First pendent so that it was unnecessary for Christian Church of Yakim~, Washing- him to ever violate his resolution not to ton, and an anonymous giver. accept pay for preaching. Much specu- About $30.00 is yet lacking on the lation can be given to what the restora- total amount paid and money will he tion movement might have become if welcomed from our members and friends Campbell had not accepted the farm and to complete the total cost . •• DISCIPLIANA, APRIL 1946 3 GUEST COLUMN The Link Between the Past and the- Present by J. Edward Moseley Editorial note: J. Edward Moseley needs no introduction to our readers. He has been President of The Disciples of Christ Historical Society since its beginning in 1941. At the present time he is Associate Editor of World Call. Since boyhood his major interests have been writ- ing and history. S'ome one has written that "A people Members of the Society, in the past, who have not the pride to record their have spoken of the Robison Collection at Canton, as "your" collection or as .1istory, will not long have the virtue to "S-pencer's" collection or as "Culver- make history that is worth recording; Stockton's" collection. Now, it is my and no people who are indifferent to privilege to call to your attention, the their past need hope to make their future only proper way to refer to these ar- chives is as "our" collection. Since it great." is now a collection for the whole brother- That statement becomes a challenge hood-and Iwe consider'that term to in- to The Disciples of Christ Historical clude every group ever identified with the nineteenth century Campbell-Stone Society, an invitation which the brother- movement-each and every interested hood, through the Society, can really be-' Disciple should begin to work for our gin to meet since the Henry Barton collection, realizing that material now Robison Collection has come into the sent to Canton becomes the property of So'ciety's possession. the Society which holds it in trust for use by one and all. "Our" library has It seems needless to point out, again, become a reality. Let us become con- that the Robison Collection is perhaps scious of that fact and support it ac- the most comprehensive In the entire cordingly. brotherhood. And it is, indeed, trite to add that the Society is most fortunate The task of the Historical Society ne- in having the Collection given to it. I cessitates the cooperation of all histori- commend Culver-Stockton College for its cal-minded Disciples. We shall be able i eal generosity. to fulfill that responsibility as we work together within the Society to reaffirm The Robison Col- the validity of the significance of the lection was built up religious heritage which is ours. We slowly across the can render service to all groups, institu- last twenty years, tions, boards, agencies, organizations, primarily by the and local churches within the brother- persistence and pa- hood as we stimulate interest in our his- tience of Claude E. tory. As that understanding and appre- Spencer. It honors ciation of our past grows, so will our Dr. Henry Barton membership and our influence spread. Robison, for thirty- four years the head Immediately ahead of the Society are of the Department many matters of major significance; the of Religion at Cul- program at the Columbus International ver-Stockton College Convention, recommendations from the Dr. Robison in Canton. new Planning Committee to guide the Society in reaching its objectives, the The Society is now five years old and approval of a revised Constitution to pro- the assumption of the responsibility that vide for the Society's incorporation in comes with possession of the ;Robison the State of Missouri where our head- Collection means that for the first time quarters have now been established, the all Disciples can begin to contribute ma- development of an agreement between terials to a significant central repository the Society and Bethany College for the and increasingly call upon the Curator joint control and supervision of the and the archives for aid to research Alexander Campbell homestead, the pub- questions. lication, in July, of the Curator's com- 4 DISCIPLIANA, APRIL 1946 prehensive Author Catalog, and p~rt~ci- PLANNING COMMITTEE pation in the "Crusade for a ChristIan World," to be launched at the Columbus MEETS International Convention. The Executive Committee of the So- Together, in the Historical Society, all ciety at its meeting in Indianapolis, Jan- Disciples can keep the past and .present uary 4, authorized the president of the linked, letting the past instruct as ~ar Society to appoint a Planning Commit- as its wisdom reaches, <but not fettermg tee to study the objectives of the So- the living present. ciety and to recommend to the Execu- tive Committee how the Society can best attain continuously these objectives. RARE ELKHORN Louis A. Warren, Director of the Lin- MINUTES RECEIVED coln National Life Foundation, Fort Wayne, Indiana, was named chairman Minutes of the Elkhorn Baptist As- of the new committee with W. P. Har- sociation, of Kentucky, for 1817, 1819, man, pastor of the First Christian 1822,1823,1824,1825,1826, 1828and1830 Church, Jefferson City, Missouri, as vice-chairman.