The files of clergy are often narrow in scope encompassing only the activities of an individual within the setting of his/her own church. Henry Hitt Crane was more than the pastor of Central Methodist Church in Detroit. He was a nationally known speaker, eloquent in his advocacy of pacifism and civil rights. The Crane collection reflects the scope of his activities both within the churches he pastored, within the city of Detroit as an influential church leader, and nationally within larger Methodist circles and among other advocates of liberal causes similar to his own. Through his correspondence, articles, and published messages, we see Crane as representative of that class of nationally known clergymen, respected for their opinions, champion of progressive causes, and willing participants in the often contentious debates that followed World War I on matters of morality, politics, and social justice.
The Crane papers, with some exceptions, cover the period when Henry Hitt Crane first entered the ministry during the years of World War I and continuing past his retirement, until approximately 1964. There is decidedly less material from the years before his coming to Central Methodist Church in 1938; by far the largest bulk of documents date from 1938 to 1958 when Crane pastored this metropolitan church. The exceptions to the basic span dates of 1917 to 1958 are files collected by Crane of sermons, published pamphlets, and other materials of his father and uncle, also Methodist clergymen. There are also materials that date after 1958, mainly copies of messages received from other clergy with some correspondence.
The Crane papers have been maintained in the order as created by Crane and his secretarial staff at Central Methodist Church. The series in the collection are Correspondence, Subject Reference Files, Name Files, Sermon Files, Scrapbooks, Church Bulletins and Newsletters, Visual Materials, and Retirement Files.
Henry Hitt Crane was born in Danville, Illinois on February 2, 1890, the son of Charles A. Crane and Sallie Hitt Crane. In his boyhood he traveled as his father, a Methodist minister, was transferred about to different pastorates in Danville, Colorado Springs, and then Boston, where Charles Crane accepted appointment as pastor of the People's Temple. Coming from five generations of Methodist ministers, Henry Hitt Crane early on decided to follow in this family tradition. After graduating from Boston Latin School, he graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1913. Next came seminary work at the Boston University School of Theology, during which time in 1915 he married Helen Beck. He graduated from seminary in 1916 then followed this up with post-graduate work at Harvard.
Crane's first pastorate in Gorham, Maine was interrupted by the First World War. In 1917, he took a leave from his church to serve with the Y.M.C.A. in front line duty. His exposure here to the brutalities of war transformed Crane into a pacifist, a position to which he would adhere for the remainder of his life. Crane returned to Gorham for a brief period of time, then moved on to a Newton, Massachusetts church for two years from 1918 to 1920. For nine years (1920-1928), he was pastor of the Centre Methodist Church in Malden, Massachusetts. In 1928, he was appointed pastor of the Elm Park Methodist Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Located in the heart of the anthracite coal region, Elm Park was ranked as one of the three greatest Methodist Episcopal churches in the nation. Here Crane bolstered his reputation for controversy, organizing meetings of the American League Against War and Fascism, which the American Legion had labeled as "communistic." While at Elm Park, Crane took a year-long (1936-1937) sabbatical to tour the world to study for himself world conditions and the political tumult then occurring in Europe and the Far East.
In June 1938, Crane was appointed to the pastorate of the Central Methodist Church of Detroit. Central Methodist, located at the juncture of Woodward and Adams, had been built in 1866, and had a reputation of a "free and liberal pulpit." Crane was to flourish in this setting. He was both a gifted and prolific speaker, a writer of some note, and a champion of liberal causes. In the tradition of many nineteenth-century pastors, Crane used his pulpit to speak out on the issues of the day. Most especially, he espoused the cause of peace, supporting those who would be conscientious objectors during World War II and speaking out against the confrontational policies of the Cold War. He was a committed pacifist whose views during the 1950s and 1960s brought him much public attention and notoriety. Crane never backed down in his beliefs despite being listed as a suspected subversive by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Crane was also involved in other liberal causes. A staunch opponent of bigotry, Crane often spoke out against anti-Semitism and race discrimination. Through his efforts the Detroit Round Table of Catholics, Jews and Protestants was formed, a group that was influential in Detroit religious affairs.
Crane served at Central Methodist for twenty years before retiring in 1958. For the next nearly twenty years, Crane continued traveling and speaking throughout the country. He died May 19, 1977 at age 87.
