HTH 201 Global Christianity: Collections

Rev. Efraim Ceder Papers

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Summary: This collection documents the activities of Rev. Efraim Emil Ceder, concerning his call to Buenos Aires, Argentina for the Pan-Lutheran Society for Mission Work in Latin America from 1916-1919. Most of the 107 copies and original letters are to Efraim Ceder with a few from him.  The artifacts are in English, Swedish, and Spanish.

Research Questions to Explore

• How do you think Ceder’s ministry was affected by his wife’s death? What were his views on being a minister and a single parent trying to rear two young children? 
• What was it like to switch to the church of Sweden? Was the switch smooth or was the controversy? 
• What are the kinds of letters that were not written to or by Ceder that he retained in his possession? How did these influence his ministry? 

Silas Daughtery Diaries

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Summary: This collection documents the activities of Rev. Silas D. Daugherty. Included are diaries dating between 1890-1927, mostly chronicling his time as a foreign missionary.

Research Questions to Explore

• What lead up to the Panama Congress and what role did it play on the missionary field?
• What was some of the work that Rev. Daugherty did that led up to the congress?
• What role did Rev. Daugherty play in working with Efraim Ceder in Argentina?
• What were some of the ways in which Rev. Daugherty convinced the General Synod and General Council to found an Argentinian Mission?
• What is the view of Rev. Daugherty from the perspective of the General Synod? How does the Argentinian Church view him?

Harold A. Dunkelberger Sr. Family Papers

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Summary: This collection documents the activities of Dr. John Aberly, his daughter Amy and son-in-law Rev. Roy M. Dunkelberger, and grandson Dr. Harold A. Dunkelberger. It includes handwritten biographical accounts, family geological information, and a journal written by Dr. Aberly; documentation regarding missionary work in India, coursework notes and information, and photographs pertaining to Rev. Roy Dunkelberger’s work, as well as newspaper clippings, wills, life insurance paperwork, and various estate papers pertaining to Rev. R.M. Dunkelberger’s death; a song book entitled “Federation Literary set to Music” with Amy Dunkelberger’s name; and coursework notes and Aberly Hall dedication speech notes written by Harold A. Dunkelberger.

Research Questions to Explore

• What was the working relationship like of the three missionaries together in the field?
• How did the work of Roy Dunkelberger differ from that of Rev. John Aberly?

Dr. Anna Kugler Papers (Microfilm Reel 1)

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Click here to view ELCA Archives finding aid for the collection.

Summary: This collection contains the microfilmed diaries of Dr. Anna S. Kugler, doctor for the Guntur Mission in India, covering the years 1877-1900. 

*Please note that the A.R. Wentz Library only has Reel 1 of this collection. The remaining collection is located at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Archives.

Research Questions to Explore

• What was it like to be a doctor of a Mission Hospital in India?
• Was Dr. Kugler treated different by other missionaries because she was a female doctor in the 19^th century? Was this difference because she was a doctor or because she was a woman?
• What was Dr. Kugler's relationship with the other missionaries who were in charge like?
• What were some of the innovations that Dr. Kugler brought to the medical field, and to the area that she was practicing in?

Rev. Morris Officer Diaries

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Summary: This collection documents the activities of Rev. Morris Officer during his years as a missionary in Liberia. Included are Rev. Officer’s original diaries and typed transcripts, newspaper clippings, and correspondence relating to the collection that provides information on the collection’s provenance.

Research Questions to Explore

• What was Rev. Officer’s opinions on behaviors of other missionaries?
• What are some of the reasons that Rev. Officer chooses the location that he did for the Liberia Mission?
• What was Rev. Officer's treatment of other major national events that happened around him while he is in the area? What was some of the effect that such events had on his ministry?
• How did Rev. Officer's poor health affect his ability to participate in mission work, and later on his ability to run the mission?

Annie Sanford Collection

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Summary: This collection includes the papers and photographs of Annie Sanford, a Lutheran Missionary who served in India from 1895-1940. Miss Sanford completed a rotating schedule of seven years in India, followed by a two-year furlough in the United States.

Research Topics: 19th century travel systems, life in India, and the missionary experience, local customs, the rigid Indian caste system, the weather, traveling throughout India, and current events in India and in the U.S. (Each time Miss Sanford would travel between the U.S. and India She would take a different route to tour parts of North Africa, Asia, and Europe.)

Research Questions to Explore

• What are some of the differences that are noticed in ports of entry under colonial Governments? Are there some that seemed better than others?
• W​hat are the differences that Miss Sanford might have noticed as a white female in the India Caste system?
• What was it like as a teacher traveling around India in the Mission School system?
• What are some of the major world changes that Miss Sanford notes in her travels?
• What are some of the differences between what is shown in Miss Sanford's pictures of her travels, and her written descriptions of what she sees?

Wesley L. Sadler Literacy Collection

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Summary: This collection documents the activities of Wesley L. Sadler, mostly during his time as a missionary. Included are predominantly correspondences, newsletters, manuscripts, and other various published materials.

Research Questions to Explore

• Sadler was the commissioned missionary for the church. Though his wife was with him, what seems to be her relationship to his work?
• What seems to be the relationship of the Sadlers to the Native populations that they work with?
• What roles do the natives play in the Sadler’s work? Are they just part of the process, or do they play and active role in helping the Sadlers to develop and teach as well as use the written languages that they made together?
• How does Sadler bring skills he learned from other professions into his missionary work? How does his wife, Roslyn adapt her skills to be a part of the mission?
• What are some of the differences in his approach to Christian teaching than the other missionaries and understandings that Sadler gains of the people that allow him to do the work that he is doing?

Wesley L. Sadler Missionary Collection

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Summary:
This collection documents the activities of Wesley L. Sadler, mostly during his time as a missionary. Included are materials relating to his manuscript, Untangled Loma, correspondence, manuscripts, research notes, journals, correspondence, sermons, lectures, bible studies, publications, audio cassettes, certificates, and objects.

Research Questions to Explore

• What seems to be Sadler's prospective to the indigenous peoples that he meets?
• Why is language of the native tongue so important to Sadler? What are his driving points for doing what the is doing?
• Does his view of the natives differ from others? Are there insights that he has gained from the interactions that other missionaries have with Loma Peoples?

Rev. Samuel William Schmitthenner Collection

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Summary: This collection documents the activities of Rev. Samuel William Schmitthenner, India missioanry who served the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church (AELC) in India for 30 years. Rev. Schmitthenner served as a parish pastor, evangelistic missionary, and a surveyor of parishes throughout the five synods of the AELC. He also served as President of the AELC from 1969-1981.

Research Questions to Explore

• What is the perspective on the history of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church as told by the various sources in the collection?
• Is there a particular historical narrative that is being framed about its origins, whose perspective is told, whose is left out?
  How did the voices in India change after the formation of the ULCA? 
• What was the AELC’s response to communism? 

Rev. Charles Schnure Correspondence

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Summary: This collection contains correspondences of Rev. and Mrs. Charles Schnure and other entities regarding accusations against the Rev. E. Unangst. Missionary figures involved include Rev. Dr. Uhl to Kate Boggs. The correspondence are part of a typed collection of the material from older sources (location of originals is unknown.)

Research Questions to Explore

• What group was in charge of the Mission?
• What happens when procedures aren’t followed through with?
• What was the reaction when other denominations didn’t seem to follow the arranged border areas, and when the Baptists started to move into Lutheran territory?
• Despite arguments that may have occurred, what was the treatment of each side toward the other? Did either side bash the other publicly outside of the mission? How did their differences impact their working relationship?

India Missions Photographs

Research Questions to Explore

• How are the indigenous peoples shown in comparison to the white missionaries?
• What are some of the traditions that the missionaries appear to participate in i.e., fashion, food? Do these seem to follow certain conceptualized stereotypes? Does it appear to have almost a mocking tone?
• What are some of the changes in the land that stand out as a result of European occupation of the area, i.e. how has some of the architecture and infrastructure noticeably been changed?

General Synod Record Group (1820-1918)

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Summary: This record group contains materials relating to the General Synod. The record group is arranged into series by departments such as Board of Foreign Missions. Contents include correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, pamphlets, histories, etc.

Research Questions to Explore

• What was the first board established and what was its function? How did this board change in function throughout the course of the General Synod?
• When did the General Synod start hiring professional secretaries for boards and what was their function in doing so?
• When the General Synod formed what where some of the fears of a general body and what were some of the strengths? Why was its formation so controversial?

United Lutheran Church in America Record Group (1918-1961)

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Summary: This record group contains materials relating to the ULCA. The record group is arranged into series by departments such as Board of Foreign Missions. Contents include correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, pamphlets, histories, etc.

Research Questions to Explore

• What were the characteristics of predecessor bodies that were carried over during the merger and what changed or was left out?
• Did the functions of the boards change?
• What was the difference of appearance between the executive board of the ULCA and the General Synod or General Council?

These are record groups of information on ULCA, LCA, and ELCA organizations as well as other organizations outside the ELCA.

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