Letterbook, Correspondence, and News Articles 1897-1936.

ArchivalResource

United Lutheran Church in America. Lutheran Deaconess Motherhouse and Training School, Baltimore, Maryland. Letterbook, Correspondence, and News Articles 1897-1936.

Letterbook, Correspondence, and News Articles 1897-1936.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61348922

This series comprises correspondence and news articles written by the directing pastors of the Lutheran Deaconess Home and Training School, Baltimore, Maryland (BMD). Records date from 1897-1936 and include a letter book of outgoing correspondence, handwritten and typewritten looseleaf correspondence, and printed news articles about deaconess work and the diaconate in general. The letterbook contained the outgoing correspondence of the Rev. Franklin P. Manhart, second directing pastor of the BMD. The first several pages that precede the correspondence comprise an alphabetical index of correspondence recipients. Most letter copies are readable, though some are very light. Some letters begin with an unidentified "Rev. and Dear Brother," but others have a last name written in later. Correspondence authors include the Rev. George U. Wenner, president, Board of Deaconess Work; and directing pastors Manhart, Hay, and Gift. Subject matter for correspondence includes deaconess probationers; placement of deaconesses for parish or nursing work; fundraising for building and general deaconess work; thank-you notes; issues regarding construction of new motherhouse; candidate applications; article submissions; personnel matters; organizing a motherhouse congregation; attendance at board meetings; how to increase the number of deaconesses; expanding the work of the motherhouse; deaconess requests to work as missionaries in Japan; and condolence letters. There are also several letters of Pastor Gift's from before his time as directing pastor when in 1911 he was considering the position of superintendent of instruction. There is one folder of printed articles written by Pastor Gift and taken from The Lutheran. Subject matter for these articles include deaconess ministry; the history and future of the female diaconate; training young women for parish work; Deaconess Sunday; appeals for more deaconesses; and challenges for the diaconate.

1 box (.2 cubic ft.)

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library, ELCA Library