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A bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and founder of the denomination's Sunday School Union

The papers of Charles Spencer Smith measure 4 linear feet and date from ca. 1875 to 1923. The correspondence, sermons, speeches, articles, and printed material in the collection relate primarily to Smith's work in the African Methodist Episcopal Church as secretary and treasurer of the Sunday School Union, and as a bishop. Of particular value is a manuscript history of the A.M.E. Church in the 1840's and 1850's written by Bishop Daniel A. Payne, D.D., LL.D, and edited by Smith. These manuscript chapters from A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church point out that Smith may have eliminated some of the original manuscript's detail to make Payne's work more concise. Smith himself wrote A History of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Vol. 2, which was printed by the Book Concern of the A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia, in 1922. This volume covers the history of the church during the years 1856-1922 and was intended as a sequel to Bishop Payne's work. The Bentley Library has reprints of both of these volumes.

Biographical information has been placed at the beginning of the collection. It is followed by Smith's correspondence; his speeches, articles, sermons, pamphlets, and other writings; and material pertaining to the Methodist Ecumenical Conferences he attended in London in 1901 and 1921. Then there are materials relating to the A.M.E. Church, both printed and manuscript, followed by newspaper clippings, memorabilia, and topical files. Papers of Christine Shoecraft Smith and Charles S. Smith, Jr. follow. Books (non-Smith) and photographs have been placed at the end of the collection.

The correspondence and writings of Smith pertain to the A.M.E. Church, to his visits to Africa, settlement of Liberia by American Blacks, the education of Blacks, and related topics. Minutes of annual conferences of the A.M.E. Church in districts served by Smith are included with the printed material.

In addition to Smith's papers, the collection contains papers of his wife, Christine Shoecraft Smith, and of their son, Charles Spencer Smith, Jr. Christine Smith's papers consist of condolence cards and letters upon the death of her husband, two autograph books, and copies of selected pages of a scrapbook which has been returned to the donor. The papers of C. S. Smith, Jr., consist of correspondence, notebooks, and technical material compiled by Smith while he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Due to the rare and fragile nature of many of the materials in the collection, everything has been microfilmed except for the non-Smith books. The aforementioned book by Smith, Glimpses of Africa, and scattered issues of The Child's Recorder and Our Sunday School Review for the years 1889-1891 had been microfilmed previously. The microfilm is the only copy the Bentley Library has of these publications.

A leading figure of the Anti-Saloon movement, founder of the Ohio Anti-Saloon League, first general superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League of America and superintendent of the New York Anti-Saloon League. Papers include manuscript letters, speeches, diaries and miscellaneous material, and photographs. Letters include correspondence with many prominent prohibitionists and other social reformers.

The Howard Hyde Russell papers held by the Bentley Historical Library consist of three linear feet of manuscript letters, speeches, diaries and miscellaneous material, and photographs, 1849-1946. The Russell papers include professional correspondence and speeches relating to his work with the Anti-Saloon League, biographical and autobiographical writings, diary entries, notebooks and newspaper clippings and other miscellanea; family correspondence, including papers of his father, Joseph A. Russell, and his wife, and collected historical letters.

In 1977, the bulk of the Russell papers were microfilmed along with one linear foot of correspondence, financial records, and other documents held by the Ohio Historical Society on loan from the Westerville Public Library of Westerville, Ohio. This material when filmed was interfiled with the Bentley Historical Library folders, and includes correspondence dealing with personal, business and temperance matters, 1877-1911; notes for speeches and sermons, undated; congratulatory correspondence on the occasion of Russell's 65th birthday and 40th wedding anniversary, 1920; correspondence and other papers of James B. Merwin concerning Merwin's association with Abraham Lincoln and both Merwin's and Lincoln's connections with the temperance cause; a diary, 1891, of records, 1891-1896, including an account book, notes payable, and cancelled checks; an undated typescript Russell biography and an incomplete typescript autobiography of Russell's father, Joseph A. Russell, 1899. All Ohio Historical Society material are designated "OHS"; Michigan Historical Collections materials are designated "MHC."

Unitarian minister, anti-imperialist, and advocate of independence for India. Extensive professional and family correspondence, diaries, sermons, manuscripts of books and articles, research notes, topical file on India, printed material, newspaper clippings, and miscellanea; also papers concerning his career first as a Baptist minister, later a Unitarian minister in Ann Arbor, Michigan and elsewhere, including his involvement in the Western Unitarian Conference.

The Sunderland papers are very complete for the early years of his career (1868-1887). The collection is divided into the following thirteen series: Correspondence, undated and 1868-1936, Visual Materials, Student papers and notebooks, Church and Ministerial Activities, Western Unitarian Conference, Diaries, Notebooks, etc., Sermon file, Manuscripts of Books and Articles, Research Notes and Manuscripts, Printed Materials, Topical Files on India, Miscellaneous Papers and Notebooks, Biographical/Autobiographical Material, and Topical File.