Foldered & Finished: Richard F. Baggett Papers

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Amanda Dietz

The Richard F. Baggett Papers are ready for researchers. An updated finding aid and digitized selections from the collection are now available on DigitalCommons@ACU.

Report- April 1-June 8, 1952, folder 1, Richard F. Baggett Papers, 1952. Center for Restoration Studies MS #261. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

Richard F. Baggett graduated from Harding College in 1949. Richard and his wife, Mary, served as missionaries in Japan from 1950-1955, and 1956-1958. The focus of their work was training native preachers, establishing churches, teaching Bible at Ibaraki Christian College, and holding gospel meetings. The Baggetts were financially supported by the Coleman Avenue Church of Christ (Memphis, Tennessee), and the Union Avenue Church of Christ (Memphis, Tennessee).

Report- June 9-July 25, 1952, folder 1, Richard F. Baggett Papers, 1952. Center for Restoration Studies MS #261. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

This collection includes two reports from Richard F. Baggett, an American who was serving as a Churches of Christ missionary in Japan. Baggett mentions preaching in Japanese for the first time without the assistance of an interpreter, describes gospel meetings, discusses the presence of communists, and addresses accusations that those operating Ibaraki Christian College were premillennialists.

Related resources from ACU Special Collections and Archives:

Baggett, Richard, “Presenting the Restoration” (1981). Lectureship and Summit Audio Collection. 4916.
McMillan, E. W., “The Voice of Opportunity From China and Japan” (1948). Stone-Campbell Books. 332.
- Introduction written by the elders of the Union Avenue Church of Christ who supported the Baggetts during their time as missionaries
The Church of Christ Mission Photography Collection
- Includes images from Ibaraki, Japan during the time the Baggett family was serving as missionaries
Union Avenue Church of Christ, “The Story of a Church” (1946). Stone-Campbell Books. 449.
- Report from one of the churches that supported the Baggett family

Foldered & Finished: George Douglas Papers

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Amanda Dietz

The George Douglas Papers are ready for researchers. An updated finding aid and digitized selections from the collection are now available on DigitalCommons@ACU.

Photocopy of endorsement from congregation at Sylvana Church for George Douglas, 1883, box 1, George Douglas Papers, 1830-1939. Center for Restoration Studies MS #5. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

George Douglas served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

Photocopy of sermon notes of L. Douglas, 1883, box 1, George Douglas Papers, 1830-1939. Center for Restoration Studies MS #5. Abilene Christian University Special Collections and Archives, Brown Library. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX.

These papers contain photocopies of documents belonging to George Douglas, including a Civil War journal describing the battle of Sabine Pass, Texas, a land grant certificate from the governor of Texas, and two photographs of Douglas. Also included are photocopies of the day book of Nathaniel Lynn Douglas beginning in 1830, loan and legal papers for the Douglas family, and correspondence between Douglas family members.

Related resources from ACU Special Collections and Archives:

George Washington Varner Papers, (1867-1994)
- George Washington Varner was also involved in the Civil War
Campbell, Alexander, “Address on War” (1970). Stone-Campbell Books. 128.

On the Shelf: New items added to Center for Restoration Studies collections, February 2019

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Mac Ice

In February our colleagues in Technical Services and Cataloging added 500 items to the Center for Restoration Studies, Rare Books, and Taylor Hymnals collections. Some are new to us; in other cases these new additions gave us a second copy. Several items are boxes of unbound periodical issues that were previously uncataloged. Some are tracts and others are A/V in various formats (mostly cassette tape and a few VHS). Further, the work performed on some reflects original cataloging, which is a tremendous contribution to knowledge about information resources from and about the Stone-Campbell Movement.

The Library in Daisy Hall, with a Jesse Sewell reading a book at a table and shelves of books around him.

Our goal is a comprehensive research-level collection of print materials by, for, and about the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. But beyond assembly and preservation, a collection should be discoverable by those who need the information. Collecting and preserving is only part of our task; those objects must be described and made available. Thanks to the close and careful work of our colleagues upstairs, who describe our holdings, these materials are now discoverable. By discoverable I mean a patron can utilize our online catalog (such as by searching by author, or title, or subject) to find these materials.

500 new items…cataloged, shelved, and ready for research: Continue reading →