Large archive of handwritten letters and Methodist religious sermons,span from 1879 to 1891. The Archive has over 650 handwritten pages Written by a Methodist Minister from Kansas preaching in Massachusetts and California.

Large Methodist Archive

Archive

Large archive of handwritten letters and Methodist religious sermons,span from 1879 to 1891. Written by a Methodist Minister named Lovejoy, born on the plains of Kansas to ardent abolitionists in the bloody years before the Civil War. He lived through attempts on his parents lives, and the murder of his uncle, for being abolitionists publisher, and grew up to embrace ministry, as his father had. The Archive has a total of over 650 handwritten pages of sermons, notes, fragments, and letters. The handwritten sermons and letters document Lovejoys's preaching activities in Massachusetts and California. Most of the pages are of religious content. Also included are 3 black and white photographs, 2 of unknown subjects, one of the Lovejoy family with inscription naming members on verso. Additional research and background on the Lovejoy family is also included.

The Archive consists of over 650 handwritten pages, over 430 pages of handwritten and hand bound sermons, plus 254 handwritten loose pages including sermons, notes, fragments, partial letters and a few printed items. The 35 Hand Bound Sermons averaging 8 to 20 pages cover a wide range of subjects prescient to the time. In one titled, "What Methodism Gives to Women," Lovejoy claims "The presence of woman and her talents and acquisitions enrich whatever field she enters. It has been so in the church in general and in the Methodist church in particular...Methodism owes to women what friend owes to friend." In another, he emphasizes the necessity of full faith, espousing "Three classes of things exist, the unknown, the vague or partly known and the certain or fully known. The first does not concern us, the second is incomplete and hence unsatisfactory, while the third is fully established and has claim upon us. The fully known again includes those things which are of special interest to me. Among those then is none more vital than Christian Assurances." While many of the sermons are more abstract, Lovejoy often advises his congregation in domestic matters for the advancement of the religion, "The Christian nurture of children should receive earnest and unremitting attention because of at least three worthy reasons, their susceptibility to truth and error, the permanency of these impressions and the final outcome of their manifold natures...The firm hold with which error and truth take upon the young heart is an admitted fact that needs to be made the most of."

The archive also includes 254 handwritten loose pages including multi page sermons, notes, fragments ,letters and partial letters. Most are of religious content. Most in very good condition, some items in poor condition, some in ink some in pencil. Various sizes. Headers of notes and sermons include: "Nobility of adoption"," Job VIII", "Jobs circumstance"s," Christian baptism", "Luke 3:6 to 9", Probational opportunities", "The Masters approval of Christian work"," 119 Psalm Several peculiarities."., "The effect of reward of Righteousness"," Gods Worker" , "A pubic prayer"," on John 14:" Gods Power Luke 18.27, Matthew III-2, "Christian Security", "the Value of the soul", Lovejoy's Letter from Hanover Mass, sept 1881, Lovejoys Letter from San Jacinto CA Sept 1888, 3 pages on the Importance of Music in the church, Several pages on how to be " a popular ministry", 19 handwritten pages on Preeminence of Charity.

In 1888 Lovejoy moved from Hanover, Massachusetts to San Jacinto, California. In that budding parish the Reverend came into his own, editing one of the town newspapers, preaching for more than 20 years, and eventually becoming so popular that he conducted Evangelist Revival meetings up and down the state. He was known for his enchanting prose. The archive includes 2 broadsides advertising Lovejoy's revival services and 3 church bulletins as well as a daily newspaper from Lovejoy's town, a pamphlet filled with temperance hymns, an advertisement for The Youth's Companion, and a newspaper clipping with sermon excerpt. Includes some multipage typed background and additional information from Lovejoy's decedents done in the 1970's, as well as printed transcripts of letters from Rev Lovejoys mother in Kansas dating from the 1820's. Comes with a binder of the Lovejoy family tree, other recent paperwork related to the family.

An expansive archive documenting religious fervor during one particular moment in time.

Sermon titles are listed below:

" What Methodism Gives to Women. 18 pages [n.d.]. Mentions Francis Willard.
" "Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor." 8 pages [n.d.]Interesting Content on slavery.
" Object of Life. 6 pages [n.d.] About Christian obligation and the commandments.
" "If Ye Love Me Ye Will Keep My Commandments." 4 pages [n.d.] On the commandments.
" Internal Manifestations of Power. 18 pages [n.d.] God's power in us.
" Our Life, a Warfare. 6 pages [n.d.] On the shield of faith against evil.

" The New Creation. 4 pages [n.d.] Old in evil and new creation in Christ.
" Sinfulness of Sin. 6 pages [n.d.] Making the most of opportunities, honesty, commandments.
" Results of the Centennial Conference. 8 pages [n.d.] On the rise of Methodism vs Calvinism.
" Christian Nurture of our Children. 6 pages [n.d.] Need for early religious education of children.
" Untitled and Incomplete Sermon on Truth. 2 pages [n.d.] Interesting content on Truth but in Poor condition.
" Circumstances Make the Man. 15 pages, 1879. Content on how God makes man, and man makes circumstance.
" The New Year. 18 pages, 1881. On endings and beginnings.
" Persecuting Christ. 10 pages, 1881. Interesting On slaves and the poor.
" Lesson: Luke. 30 pages, 1881. Early piety and spiritual growth.
" Christian Assurance. 17 pages, 1881. Investigation leads back to God and truth.
" The Class Meeting. 16 pages, 1882. On Methodism and the role of class in giving.
" "Woe to them that Are At Ease." 20 pages, 1882. Against indolence.
" Our Heritage. 19 pages, 1882. Inheritance of blessings as Christ children.
" Our Light Affliction. 10 pages, 1882. On power of faith to overcome hardship.
" "The Foundation of the Lord." 14 pages, 1882. Constructing the self as a temple of God.
" God's Goodness. 10 pages, 1882. Quoting from th books of Isaiah and Jeremiah.
" The Door of Salvation. 4 pages, 1882. On asking access to heaven.
" Salvation. 6 pages, 1882. Regarding spiritual thirst.
" "In Ye There be Risen with Christ." 8 pages, 1882. On resurrection "seek those things which are above.."
" Faithfulness & Its Reward. 4 pages, 1882. Acting for Christ and not for rewards.
" Fraternal Responsibility. 32 pages, 1882-1883. On universal brotherhood and equality.
" God the Only Object of Worship. 20 pages, 1883. On giving up idolatry, tobacco, alcohol.
" The General Judgment, with The Great Judgment Day. 2 sermons bound together. 38 pages total, 1883-1884. On Deliverance and the second coming.
" Spirituality. 4 pages, 188?. Sermon Mentioning King Solomon.
" Relation of the Minister to the Liquor Traffic. 14 pages, 1886. On temperance, prohibition.
" Life Purity. 12 pages, 1888. About relinquishing flesh pleasure for spirit.
" The Outlook. 12 pages 1888. Manuscript of a magazine to be distributed in San Jacinto, CA in 1888.
" "If the Righteous Scarcely Be Saved." 15 pages, 1891. On the power of grace.


Printed Materials: Some include a printed head shot of Rev Lovejoy as speaker.
" Broadside: Rev. Irving R. Lovejoy…Will Conduct Revival Services Every Night, 1909
" Broadside: Rev. Irving R. Lovejoy, Young People's Evangelist, 1911
" Methodist Church Bulletin (Humboldt County) January 1903, partial
" Methodist Church Bulletin (Humboldt County) January 1905
" Methodist Church Bulletin (Humboldt County) September 1906, with an image of the first Methodist church of Eureka, CA (Humbolt County) on the cover
" Daily Humboldt Times [1 page in poor condition, n.d.]
" Pamphlet: Temperance and Anti-Saloon Songs and Responsive Services [n.d.]
" Advertisement: The Youth's Companion, 1900
" Clipping: Rev. Charles Adams "Heavenly Places" [n.d.].

Item #18047

Price: $3,800.00