Charles Edward Jefferson papers
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection primarily includes sermons, lectures, and other writings of Charles Edward Jefferson (1860-1937). Jefferson was pastor of Broadway Tabernacle Church in New York City from 1898 to 1929, and the bulk of the collection dates from his years at that church, though the audience for many of these writings range beyond the attendees at his church services. Many of these materials are in their published form, including those on pacifism and anti-militarism in the years leading to World War I, but there are also several sermons and lectures in their original typescript form. The collection also includes Jefferson's notes on biblical texts, letters of congratulations on his 25th anniversary at Broadway Tabernacle, some Broadway Tabernacle year books, and other documents.
Biographical/Historical Note
Charles Edward Jefferson (1860-1937) was born in Cambridge, Ohio. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University, graduating in 1882 and then taking the position of superintendent of public schools in Worthington, Ohio. He entered Boston University in 1884, briefly at its law school before moving to BU's School of Theology, from which he graduated in 1887. Shortly after graduating, he began work as pastor of the Central Congregational Church in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He remained there until early 1898 when he resigned to become the pastor of Broadway Tabernacle Church in New York City on 19 April. The materials in this collection date largely from Jefferson's years at Broadway Tabernacle.
Broadway Tabernacle was founded in 1840. Jefferson was the congregation's fifth pastor. At the time of his installation, the church was located at Broadway and 34th Street in Manhattan. It moved to Broadway and 56th Street in 1905 where it remained until 1969. The congregation is now known as the Broadway United Church of Christ and is located on West 86th Street in New York.
Jefferson was pastor of Broadway Tabernacle for 31 years, resigning in 1929. He traveled and spoke widely, and was well known for his advocacy of pacifism, particularly in the years leading to America's involvement in World War I.
(The above note was based largely on a 1922 biographical sketch of Jefferson found in the collection and information on the website of the Broadway United Church of Christ.)
Arrangement Note
The collection is organized in two series:
Series I. Sermons, Lectures, & Other Writings (circa 1882-1937)
Series II. Other Documents (1898-1941)
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily includes sermons, lectures, and other writings of Charles Edward Jefferson (1860-1937). Jefferson was pastor of Broadway Tabernacle Church between 1898-1930, and the bulk of the collection dates from his years at that church. Many of these materials are in their published form, but there are also several sermons and lectures in their original typescript form. Among the materials are Jefferson's sermon at his installation as pastor, at a memorial service for assassinated U.S. president William McKinley, many of the sermons he delivered annually to the boys and girls of Broadway Tabernacle, his writings on pacifism and amti-militarism, and three essays on nature inspired by land he owned in New Hampshire.
The collection also includes some of Jefferson's notes on biblical texts, a record of some marriages he performed, and letters of congratulations from parishioners and associates on his 25th anniversary at Broadway Tabernacle. There is also some print matter related to Broadway Tabernacle itself including, among other documents, some year books and an Endowment Fund appeal.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Open to qualified researchers.
Use Restrictions
This collection is owned by the New-York Historical Society. The copyright law of the United States governs the making of photocopies and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials. Unpublished materials created before January 1, 1978 cannot be quoted in publication without permission of the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation Note
This collection should be cited as Charles Edward Jefferson papers, MS 3049, The New-York Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition Note
Gift of Teddy Jefferson, January 2018.
About this Guide
Processing Information Note
The collection was processed by archivist Larry Weimer in March 2018.
Repository
Series I. Sermons, Lectures, & Other Writings, circa 1882-1937
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The series includes a number of Charles Edward Jefferson's sermons, lectures, and other writings. Most are in a printed, published form, but several are in typed manuscript form. Most of these were delivered to the parishioners of Broadway Tabernacle Church, but other audiences are represented here as well. The container lists include all the titles of the pieces in the series.
Arrangement Note
The series is organized in two subseries:
Subseries I.A. Manuscript Writings
Subseries II.B. Published Writings
Subseries I.A. Manuscript Writings, circa 1882-1937
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The subseries primarily includes typed manuscripts of some of Charles Edward Jefferson's sermons and lectures. These represent only a small number (21) of the sermons he delivered in his lifetime, but include the paper he read at his installation as pastor at Broadway Tabernacle Church in 1898. The papers often indicate the place and audience to which they were given, including universities and other schools, the Young Women's Club of Broadway Tabernacle, other churches, and other venues. Some of the remarks were delivered at various times and these were noted on the paper; this was especially true for "Old Texts Under New Skies" which records 35 deliveries from New York to California and from Montreal to Alabama. Some of the typed texts include handwritten changes.
The subseries also includes manuscript forms of some of Jefferson's other writings including a poem, three essays on nature inspired by land he owned in New Hampshire, and three notebooks and an annotated handbook concerning biblical texts.
Arrangement Note
The subseries is arranged with Jefferson's sermons in manuscript form first, in chronological order, followed by notebooks and annotated texts. Many of the sermons are numbered, and that number is included in parentheses in the container list.
Paper Read at Installation of Jefferson as Pastor of Broadway Tabernacle (#-50), 1898 April 19
Commencement Oration at Delaware, Ohio (#343), 1900 June 14
Emerson and Carlyle (#615), 1903-1904
Martin Luther (#714), 1904 April 26
John Calvin (#739), 1904 November 26
John Knox (#834), 1905 November 27
Congregationalism: Past, Present & Future (#968), 1907
"All things are yours" (#1248), 1910 June 12
John Ruskin (#1269), 1910 November 28
Samuel Johnson (#1344), 1911, 1920
John Bunyan (#162-), 1914, 1918
The Mission of Hobab (#1949), 1917 December 2
Vicarious Suffering (#1948), 1917 December 2
The Things of God: III. The Holy Catholic Church (#2105), 1918 March 10
Robert Browning (#2132), 1918
China, 1926 December 8
Old Texts Under New Skies (#2716), 1926-1934
The Mind of Lindbergh (#2792), 1927 June 16
John Ruskin (#2947), 1929 November 25
The Rich Young Ruler, 1931-1937
What Do You Think of God?, 1931-1937
It is Raining (Poem), 1930
No. 1: My Eight Acres, undated
No. 3: Grass, undated
No. 7: Snow, undated
The Psalms, Vol. I (Notebook), undated
[Notes on New Testament], undated
Scope and Contents Note
Notebook includes notes on the text of the Gospels of the New Testament, including comparisons of content, of differences in particular narrative scenes, characteristics of each Book, etc.
[Notebook], 1908-1909
Scope and Contents Note
Includes the marketing form of Jefferson's booklet "The Old Year and the New," which has the cloth cover design and interior blank pages. Under the heading "The Beautiful," the first few blank pages have entries for various days from 1908 June 8 to 1909 January 29 with various observations.
Minister's Hand-Book (annotated), circa 1882?
Scope and Contents Note
Includes a copy of the second edition of Savage's "Minister's Hand-Book," with Jefferson's notes and annotations.
Subseries II.B. Published Writings, 1899-1936
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The subseries includes the sermons, essays, and other writings of Charles Edward Jefferson that appeared in printed form. Most of these took the form of small booklets. Among these are Jefferson's remarks at the memorial service for assassinated U.S. president William McKinley, his expressions of pcifism and anti-militarism in the years around World War I, the annual sermons he delivered to the boys and girls of Broadway Tabernacle, a biographical sketch (1922), his reflections on Congregationalism, and other topics. Many of the booklets have multiple copies, as many as five copies in some cases.
Arrangement Note
The container list below is arranged, with one set of exceptions, in chronological order. The one exception are the annual sermons Jefferson delivered to the boys and girls of Broadway Tabernacle; these are presented together in chronological order at the end of the container list. Because of the wide range of sizes of the documents, the booklets and books themselves were boxed in an appropriate manner for storage and, as can be discerned from the various box numbers in the container list, do not strictly follow the order as presented in the list.
The Person of Christ, 1899
Sermon at the 73rd Anniversary of the American Seamen's Friend Society, 1901
Address at the Memorial Service for President William McKinley, 1901
Congregationalism: Its Origin, Principles and Mission, 1901
60th Anniversary of Broadway Tabernacle Church, 1901
Scope and Contents Note
Includes two booklets: "The Broadway Tabernacle of the Past and Future," by Jefferson and a program of the week's events (January 16-23), with two images of the interiors of the old and new buildings.
Congregationalism: Its Contribution to Education, 1902
Things Fundamental: A Course of Thirteen Discourses in Modern Apologetics, 1903
The Puritan and the Home, 1904
Fundamentals, 1907
Scope and Contents Note
Published by the Young Men's Christian Association Press.
The Next Step, 1909
Scope and Contents Note
Published by the Young Men's Christian Association Press.
The Puritan Conscience, 1909
The Delusion of Militarism, 1909
Scope and Contents Note
Reprint from the Atlantic Monthly, 1909 March.
Missions and International Peace, 1910
Congregationalism (2 copies), 1910
A Message to the Perplexed, 1913
A New Year's Sermon, 1914
The Nemesis of Armaments, 1914
Scope and Contents Note
Published by the New York Peace Society; reprint from The Independent, 1914 August 17.
Three Men Behind the Guns, 1914
Scope and Contents Note
Published by the American Association for International Conciliation.
The Cause of the War, 1914
Scope and Contents Note
Includes two versions of the booklet, one published by the Church Peace Union as the first in a series of papers under the heading of "The Church and International Peace." The second version was published by Thomas Y. Crowell Co.
The Puritan and the Cavalier, 1914
A Great Church in a Great City (Broadway Tabernacle's 75th Anniversary), 1915
What Armed Peace Leads To, 1916
Ethical Questions Created by Our Government's Declaration of War, 1917
Jefferson's 20th Anniversary Discourse, 1918
The Question Which Answers Itself, 1918
A New Year's Sermon: Removing Mountains, 1920
Pilgrim Tercentenary Sermon, 1920
A New Year's Sermon: Stand Upon They Feet, 1921
Biographical Sketch of Charles Edward Jefferson, 1922
The Heavenly Vision, 1922
"Come, Let Us Reason Together", 1922
The Appeal of the Christian Ministry, 1922
The Friendship Indispensable, 1923
New Men and New Years, 1924
Faith, 1924
"I Don't Know What I Believe", 1926
The Puritan, 1926
Expectancy / "Maranatha", 1927
Streams in the Desert, 1927
Like a Trumpet, 1927
Thinking Peace, 1927
The Next Step, 1928?
Scope and Contents Note
Undated reprint (International Peace Series, Number 6) by the World Alliance for International Friendship Through the Churches of Jefferson's 1928 sermon preached on the tenth anniversary of the signing of the armistice ending World War I.
Jefferson's 30th Anniversary at Broadway Tabernacle, 1928
Scope and Contents Note
Includes two booklets: Jefferson's sermon preached on the occasion of his 30th anniversary (3 copies) and "Thirty Years on Broadway."
The One Foundation, 1929
Obedience to Law, 1929
A Charge to the Officers of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, 1929
Watch Night Sermon: Facing the Future, 1929
"I remember the days of old." Psalms 143.5, 1931
[The Character of Jesus], 1935
Scope and Contents Note
Book translated into Czech. Inscribed to Jefferson by the translator. Pages uncut.
Acknowledging Our Blessings, 1936
Sermons to the Boys and Girls of the Broadway Tabernacle, --
The Duty of Asking Questions, 1902
My Father's Business, 1904
The Silent Years, 1905
Work, 1906
The Will, 1907
Honesty, 1908
Being A Christian, 1909
The Sin of Untruthfulness, 1910
Lions and Adders, 1911
A Brave Builder, 1912
The Two Roads, 1913
The Tongue, 1914
Preparedness, 1916
Discipline, 1917
Foundations of Sapphires, 1918
Wings, 1919
The Mayflower, 1920
Five Wrong Ideas of God, 1921
Play, 1923
The Wedge of Gold, 1924
Jonah, 1925
What the Chairs Say, 1926
The Most Beautiful Thing in the World, 1927
War, 1928
Our Little Brothers and Sisters, 1929
Fun, 1930
Series II. Other Documents, 1898-1941
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The series includes documents from the collection other than Jefferson's sermons and writings. Some of these relate directly to Jefferson, including a record of some marriage ceremonies he performed and congratulatory letters he received on the occasion of his 25th anniversary at Broadway Tabernacle. Other documents relate to the church itself, including an appeal for the Endowment Fund (circa 1900?), an information pamphlet (1902), and some Year Books. There are also a small number of documents not related directly to either Jefferson or Broadway Tabernacle. The container list identifies all content.
Arrangement Note
The subseries is arranged topically, first with material related directly to Jefferson, followed by that related to Broadway Tabernacle generally, and concluding with miscellaneous items.
Photographs, circa 1900, 1930?
Scope and Contents Note
Includes two portrait photographs of Jefferson.
Sermon Booklet / Loose Paper Slips, circa 1904
Scope and Contents Note
Includes a copy of the published sermon to the boys and girls of Broadway Tabernacle of 1904 May 8. Tucked between many of the booklet pages are very small slips of paper with names, codes, and impressionistic facial sketches. Other slips have dollar amounts noted on them. Use caution in handling the booklet in order not to lose the small slips.
Marriage Ceremony Record Stubs, 1898-1900
Scope and Contents Note
Record of 10 marriages (numbered 10-19) performed by Jefferson.
Annotated Epistles, 1902
Scope and Contents Note
Includes a pocket size copy of some New Testament epistles, with annotations.
Christmas Builders, undated
Scope and Contents Note
Includes binding and unprinted pages for Jefferson's book.
Jefferson's 25th Anniversary. Bound Congratulatory Letters from Parishioners, 1923
Jefferson's 25th Anniversary. Bound Congratulatory Letters from Associates and Friends, 1923
Broadway Tabernacle Church. Endowment Funds, circa 1900?
Broadway Tabernacle Church Information Pamphlet, 1902
Broadway Tabernacle Church Year Book, 1898
Broadway Tabernacle Church Year Book, 1920-1928
Scope and Contents Note
Includes books for 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928 (2 copies).
Broadway Tabernacle Tidings, 1941
Manhattan Congregational Church 13th Annual Report, 1910
"The God of War." Poem by Israel Zangwill, circa 1911
Practical Guide No. 10: Correcting Weight and Figure, 1926
Scope and Contents Note
Booklet is part of "Twelve Weeks to Health," the Arthur A. McGovern Course in Health Building by Practical Hygiene, Organic Stimulation and Functional Re-Education.