Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection is made up of 11 sermons by Rev. Eli Smith, a Congregational minister at Hollis, New Hampshire. Ministering from the King James Bible, Rev. Smith spoke largely about aspects of character and human relationships, such as love, hatred, obedience, sin, forgiveness, death, God's love, God's hate, pride, and judgement. He was also concerned about vanity, non-temporal activity on the Sabbath (such as extra sleep and mail delivery), and the impact of poor work ethic on the "national character" of the United States. In September 1813 (the month of Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet's success at the Battle of Lake Erie), Rev. Smith opined from Jeremiah 18:7, with special attention to the good or evil nature of offensive war. The sermons were drawn on 2 Peter 3:9, Joshua 22:24, Revelation 3:2, 2 Peter 3:15, 1 Corinthians 10:16, Jeremiah 18:7-8, Leviticus 20:8, Isaiah 53:4, Romans 7:12, and Malachi 4:1.

This collection is made up of 11 sermons by Rev. Eli Smith, a Congregational minister at Hollis, New Hampshire. Ministering from the King James Bible, Rev. Smith spoke largely about aspects of character and human relationships, such as love, hatred, obedience, sin, forgiveness, death, God's love, God's hate, pride, and judgement. He was also concerned about vanity, non-temporal activity on the Sabbath (such as extra sleep and mail delivery), and the impact of poor work ethic on the "national character" of the United States. In September 1813 (the month of Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet's success at the Battle of Lake Erie), Rev. Smith opined from Jeremiah 18:7, with special attention to the good or evil nature of offensive war. The sermons were drawn on 2 Peter 3:9, Joshua 22:24, Revelation 3:2, 2 Peter 3:15, 1 Corinthians 10:16, Jeremiah 18:7-8, Leviticus 20:8, Isaiah 53:4, Romans 7:12, and Malachi 4:1.

This collection consists of two volumes of lecture notes that James B. Gibbs compiled while he was a resident student at Yale Divinity School in 1846. The lectures, delivered by Yale professors Nathaniel W. Taylor, Chauncey Allen Goodrich, and J. Gibbs, concern a range of theological and philosophical topics, including the history and practices of Christianity, information about other religions, and contemporary philosophical thought regarding ethics and government.

This collection consists of two volumes of lecture notes that James B. Gibbs compiled while he was a resident student at Yale Divinity School in 1846. The first volume contains approximately 520 pages of lectures on moral philosophy, natural theology, moral government, and evidences of Christianity. The second volume contains approximately 400 pages of Nathaniel W. Taylor's lectures on Revealed Theology, lectures by Professor J. Gibbs on Christianity and other world religions, lists of different kinds of materials within the Bible, and Chauncey Allen Goodrich's lectures on the duties of clergy and on religious missions.

Volume 1 (approximately 520 pages) concerns studies in both religion and philosophy. The first 262 pages are devoted to "Mental Philosophy," a series of essays or lectures on numerous topics about ethics and philosophy. Following are 25 pages on "Moral Philosophy," a brief course on philosophical principles that relate to theological studies. A discussion of moral government begins on the 26th page. The author often refers to the work of famous philosophers, including John Locke and David Hume. Further discussion of natural theology opens on page 74, with 20 lectures by Professor Taylor covering the next 100 pages. Pages 181 to 263 are devoted to "Evidences of Christianity," including answers to several anticipated objections. The volume has an index.

Volume 2 (approximately 400 pages) begins with 268 pages of lectures by Professor Nathaniel W. Taylor. The series, entitled "Revealed Theology," covers a diverse array of religious topics, including the history and intricacies of numerous Christian doctrines. These are followed by 21 lectures (43 pages) delivered by Professor J. Gibbs concerning theological study, including an outline of topics in theology and of its various branches. The first lectures concentrate on defining relevant terms, followed by several lectures on non-Christian religions, including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Other material pertains to the practice of studying theology, and addresses topics such as the history of canonical Christian texts and the differences and similarities between the stories within the four Christian Gospels.

Following these lectures are 71 pages of supplementary lists and other material about the Bible and about non-Christian religions. Lists concern several specific topics about Christianity, such as events in the Bible, symbolism used in apocalyptic visions, and comments on outside theologians. The next 31 pages cover Professor Chauncey Allen Goodrich's lectures on Christian revivals, including the history of revivals and the philosophy behind them. The final sections, also delivered initially by Goodrich, concern the duties of "Pastoral Office," including information on some distinctions between certain Christian denominations and on running a congregation (25 pages), and discuss Christian missionary work (3 pages).

The front pages of this volume contain a brief note about Professor Nathaniel W. Taylor's death (March 15, 1858) and a portrait of Taylor. The final pages are an index to Taylor's lectures on revealed theology.

The Blandina Diedrich Collection is a selection of manuscript items compiled by her son Duane Norman Diedrich and dedicated to her memory. The content of these letters, sermons, documents, and other materials reflect the life and interests of Blandina Diedrich (1903-1996), most prominently subjects pertinent to Christianity, home, and the family.

The Blandina Diedrich Collection is a selection of manuscript items compiled by her son Duane Norman Diedrich and dedicated to her memory. The manuscripts reflect the life and interests of Blandina Diedrich, most prominently Christianity, home, and the family. Items include sermons from prominent ministers or preachers of different Protestant denominations, documents related to church operations and discipline, letters by prominent and everyday persons respecting their faith and beliefs, correspondence of missionaries, and reflections on religion's role in all manner of human endeavor.

The collection is comprised of over 260 letters, manuscript sermons and hymns, documents, and other items. For a comprehensive inventory and details about each item in the collection, please see the box and folder listing below.

This collection is made up of correspondence, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, and realia related to the family of Universalist Rev. James Shrigley of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The collection spans 1761 to 1955, with the bulk of the materials covering the lives of Rev. James Shrigley (1813-1905) and his son James Burley Shrigley (1846-1914).

The Shrigley family papers are divided into four series: Correspondence and Documents; Diaries, School Books, and Scrapbooks; Photographs and Watercolor Illustration; and Realia. The collection spans 1761 to 1955, with the bulk of the materials covering the lives of James Shrigley and James Burley Shrigley.

The Correspondence and Documents series is divided into two sub-series: Family correspondence and documents, and financial records.

The Shrigley family correspondence and documents subseries contains letters from George S. White, Margaret Shrigley, and James B. Shrigley. James B. Shrigley and Ella G. Oler's marriage certificate and license are present. The items in this subseries were found in a portable writing desk, described below. The Financial records subseries is comprised of receipts and warrant deeds for Corlienus DeHart. DeHart's connection with the Shrigley family has not been determined. Two family account books date from 1764 to 1787 and 1803 to 1811.

The Diaries, School Books, and Scrapbooks series contains seven bound volumes. Three journals by James Burley Shrigley date from 1859-1864, while he was a teenager in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The third volume contains several watercolor illustrations, including one of a US steamer Monitor-inspired hat. The collection includes two scrapbooks compiled by James B. Shrigley and Arthur Shrigley. James's scrapbook contains a biography of his father Reverend James Shrigley and several signed letters and clipped autographs of prominent public individuals, such as P. T. Barnum and Daniel Webster. Arthur's scrapbook contains holiday-themed newspaper clippings.

The Photographs series contains images of multiple members of the Shrigley family and scenes of Frankford, Pennsylvania. Among the photographs are cabinet cards of Reverend James Shrigley and Mary Shrigley, and stereograph cards of Frankford, Pennsylvania, in 1875. The series includes ten photographs that were removed from their frames; three of the frames (original to the photographs) were retained and are filed in the Realia series.

The Realia series contains a portable writing desk, a leather pouch, and three frames. The items in the family correspondence and documents series above were found within the portable writing desk. The owner of the desk has not been determined. The three frames were original to three photographs described in the photographs series.