Melville Homer Cummings Papers, 1909-1973 ACC 2016/11.0836 Special Collections Department James E. Morrow Library Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia 2021 Melville Homer Cummings Papers, 1909-1973 Summary: Title: Melville Homer Cummings Papers Span Dates: 1909-1973 Creator: Various Repository: Marshall University Special Collections, Morrow Library (Huntington, WV) Processed by: Henry Handley, 2017; Robert H. Ellison and Elizabeth James, 2021 Accession Number: 2016/11.0836 Date Completed: April 2021 Access to Collection: Open Extent: 23 feet Donor: Cummings family Language: English Search terms: Appalachian Studies Hymn writers Newspaper columns Methodist Church—clergy Sermons West Virginia Methodist Church West Virginia ministers Biographical Notes: Melville Homer Cummings was born in 1890 in Pickaway, Monroe County, West Virginia to Hugh and Nannie Talbott Cummings. He was licensed to preach in 1907, attended the Literary and Bible Training School (now Trevecca Nazarene University) in Nashville, Tennessee and the University of Chattanooga, and was assigned to his first pastorate in 1910. A complete list of assignments appears on page 7 of An Earth Wayfarer, a collection of poems Cummings published in 1973: He has served the following charges in the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church: Boomer, 1910-1912; Clay, 1912-1913; Ripley, 1913- 1915; Proctor, 1915-1916; Fulton, Wheeling, 1916-1918, (The Fulton, Wheeling pastorate was interrupted by World War I when Reverend Cummings spent a few months in 1918 with the colors in Camp Meade, now Fort Meade, Maryland.); Glen White, 1919-1923; Ceredo, 1923-1927; Fayetteville, 1927-1939; Williamstown, 1939-1942; Ravenswood, 1942-1945; Coalwood, 1945-1947; and Glasgow, 1947-1959. He also published newspaper columns; delivered addresses over WMON radio in Montgomery, West Virginia and WLW in Cincinnati; and served as chaplain for the 1931 sessions of the West Virginia Legislature. Cummings was also a prolific and widely published poet and songwriter. One newspaper article in the collection states that he wrote “several hundred hymns,” “compiled 16 song books,” and published a book entitled Daily Bible Devotions. Another stated that he "has over 1,000 poems which he has set to music and has had over 400 published in various hymnals." In recognition of his work, he was named the first poet laureate of the West Virginia Conference of the Methodist Church. Cummings married Mary Kachmar in 1918 and they raised two sons, Dr. M. H. Cummings, Jr. and Dr. J. Hugh Cummings. Cummings retired to Huntington in 1959, where he died in 1978. Scope and Content: The 31 boxes in this collection contain the following materials by Cummings: college examination papers; sermons and radio addresses; newspaper columns; letters; poems (single copies, booklets, and a spiral-bound book); and songs (single copies, booklets, song books, printing plates, and recordings). There are also letters written to him; newspaper articles about him and his family; materials from the Literary and Bible Training School and McCrum Slavonic Training School (Rev. and Mrs. Cummings’ alma maters); song books and vinyl records from his collection; and various miscellaneous items. A Google Sheet with a complete listing of these materials is available at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mNVekKjJmXNBxceO0- Vxmql1akCoSaCXFWCvPmsy9EU/edit?usp=sharing. Processing Notes: The collection was partially processed in 2017. In 2021, the processed materials were reorganized, new items were added, and scans were uploaded to the Library of Appalachian Preaching (http://mds.marshall.edu/cummings_melvillehomer). Preferred Citation: Melville Homer Cummings Papers, Accession No. 2016/11.0836, Special Collections Department, Marshall University, Huntington, WV. Access and Use: For more information or to use any collection, contact: Special Collections, Morrow Library Marshall University One John Marshall Drive Huntington, WV 25755 (304) 696-2343 [email protected] Container Contents Box 1 Folder 1 Sermons (titles beginning with A and B) Adoni-Bezek, or Sowing and Reaping After That the Judgment All Night Wrestling Match All Things Working Together for Good Andrew, Simon Peter's Brother Astronomy and the Bible Baccalaureate Sermon Backsliding Barnacles Bartimaeus Beatitudes Blessing of Suffering Blessing or a Curse Boy Building Skyward Folder 2 Sermons (titles beginning with C-F) Cheerfulness Christ the First and the Last Christ's Charge to the Women of Jerusalem Christ's Triumphal Entry to Jerusalem Christmas Sermon Christmas Sermon Daily Rate for Every Day Dislike of the Commonplace Epochs in the Life of Moses Evil Speaking Father Feasting and Fasting Fever of Life Finding God Funeral Discourse for a Child Folder 3 Sermons (titles beginning with G and H) God's Requirements Gospel Invitation Hand of God in History Hands of Jesus Heaven and Our Sainted Loved Ones Highway in the Sea His Riches-Our Riches Home How to Get Saved Hymns Folder 4 Sermons (titles beginning with I and J) Ideal Husband Ideal Wife Immortality of the Soul Influence of Gospel Music Is It Well With Thee? It is Enough Jesus,- Paul,- Ye? Job Joy of Helping Others Folder 5 Sermons (titles beginning with L) Last Words of the Savior with a Lost Soul Laziest Man in this Community Let the Dead Bury Their Dead Light of the World Living Past Looks of Christ Lord is My Shepherd Lordship of Jesus Loyalty to Christ Folder 6 Sermons (titles beginning with M) Man God Tried to Kill Man's Perfect Model Me and Him is Both Brothers Memorial Sermon Minister's Wife Ministerial Ethics Misunderstood Christ More Excellent Way Mother Mule You Can't Afford to Ride Mutual Dependence Mutual Dependence Folder 7 Sermons (titles beginning with N-R) New Commandment New Year's Message New Year's Message For 1941 New Years Sermon Not Wanted Old-Fashioned Way Other Side Our Crown of Rejoicing Patience Reasons for Missions Rejecters and Receivers of Jesus Contrasted Resurrection Rock That Is Higher Than I Folder 8 Sermons (titles beginning with S and T) Second Armistice Anniversary Second Coming of Christ Self-Examination Seven Editions of Divine Law Shortest Verse in the Old Testament Signs of the Times Span of Life Stairway to Heaven Taking Offence at Christ Tears Testimony at Trevecca College Thanksgiving Sermon Three Hells Turning Defeat into Victory Twentieth Century Folder 9 Sermons (titles beginning with U-W) Under the Gourd Vine Untroubled in the Midst of Trouble Visit of The Wise Men to Christ What is He Saying? What Think Ye of Christ? Why Do We Believe the Bible? Why Men are Lost World-Wide Missions Box 2 Folder 1 Radio addresses (titles beginning with D-P) Devotional Address, WMON, November 3, 1948 Falling and Rising. A Radio Message Home Husband Ideal Church Member Importance of Training Children Pre-Christmas Sermon Folder 2 Radio addresses (titles beginning with “Radio Address”) Radio Address for April 13, 1934 Radio Address for Aug. 3, 1934 Radio Address for August 18, 1933 Radio Address for August 23, 1939 Radio Address for Feb. 9, 1934 Radio Address for Friday, Dec. 7, 1934 Radio Address for Oct. 13, 1933 Folder 3 Radio addresses (titles beginning with “Radio Address WMON) Radio Address WMON, April 20, 1948 Radio Address WMON, April 21, 1948 Radio Address WMON, August 18, 1948 Radio Address WMON, December 4, 1948 Radio Address WMON, December 6, 1948 Radio Address WMON, December 8, 1948 Radio Address WMON, June 25, 1948 Radio Address WMON, Monday, September 1, 1952 Radio Address WMON, November 18, 1948 WMON Broadcast, Sept. 2, 1952 Radio Address WMON, September 3, 1952 Radio Address WMON, September 4, 1952 Folder 4 Radio addresses (titles beginning with “Radio Devotional” - “The Wife”) Radio Devotional Address, WMON, November 2, 1948 Radio Message for July 28 Radio Message in Rhyme Radio Talk for August 11, 1933 Radio Talk for Saturday, November 29 Salt of the Earth Story of Life Sunday School Lesson for April 27, 1941 To Believe is to Begin Unanswerable Question Wife Box 3 Folder 1 Newspaper columns (“Clergyman Chatter”) 6 columns, undated Folder 2 Newspaper columns (“Our Weekly Message”) 7 columns, 1945-1946 18 columns, undated Folder 3 Newspaper columns (“Our Weekly Visit”) 10 columns, 1946 16 columns, undated Folder 4 Newspaper columns (Either “Our Weekly Message” or “Our Weekly Visit”—final word of column title cut off) 7 columns, undated Folder 5 Newspaper columns (“The Parson Writes”) 1 column, 1966 2 columns, undated Folder 6 Newspaper articles by and about Cummings 110 columns, 1922-1978 and undated Folder 7 Newspaper articles about Cummings’ family members 5 columns, undated Folder 8 Correspondence 22 letters, 1922-1972 (bulk 1922-1934) and undated Box 4 Folder 1 Individual poems Folder 2 Poem booklets and spiral-bound book Folder 3 Poems not by Cummings Folder 4 Individual songs Folder 5 Song booklets Folder 6 Materials pertaining to the Literary and Bible Training School Folder 7 Materials pertaining to the McCrum Slavonic Training School Folder 8 Miscellaneous items Including various poems, booklets, advertisements, receipts, clippings, and assorted materials related to Cummings’ pastoral work Box 5 Song books published by Cummings Title Place of Publication Publisher Date Choice Collections Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer Not Cummings specified Comforting Carols Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer 1934 Cummings Convention Song Book of the Charleston, West Virginia Order from B. E. 1934 Anti-Saloon League of America Ewing Echoes from Beulah Ripley, West Virginia M. Homer Not Cummings specified Golden Gospel Gems Huntington, West Virginia M. Homer 1963 Cummings Heart Warming Hymns Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer Not Cummings specified Joyful Songs Nashville, Tennessee Pentecostal 1920 Mission Publishing Co. Let Everybody Sing Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer 1939 Cummings Revival Refrains Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer Not Cummings specified Sacred Selections Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer Not Cummings specified Sing Hosannas Wheeling, West Virginia M. Homer 1955 Cummings Songs of Rapture Wheeling, West Virginia M.